Thread: Hendey 2G Mill Project . . . a geared-head universal mill

Archie
Glad to see your making a little progress on the mill, It will be interesting to see how you get things to match up.

Paul

Due to some positive developments on the family front, I am relocating and down-sizing my shop. My plans are to keep my K&T 2CH, so the Hendey 2G project will have to go. If anyone is willing to sincerely take on this project, I will "pass the torch" on the same terms as it was passed to me -- no charge other than the requirement that it be transported from my shop near Gettysburg, PA. (I can load it with a forklift.) Because it is worth several hundred dollars in scrap, the recipient needs to convince me that they are serious in their intentions and have the ability to do this project. The table and lead-screw shown in post #40 above are included. The main part that needs to be fabricated is what K&T calls the "universal mill swivel block" -- the upper half of the universal saddle. The original Hendey universal saddle is included.

I am sorry that I will not be able to get this old mill in operation again, but it does have a lot to offer as it is a very rigid machine and has a NMTB-50 spindle. The overarm bearing support is missing, but making one should not be too much problem as the mill itself, once operational, should be able to bore the required holes, using a boring bar (not supplied).

I am not under severe time constraints, but will probably need to consider scrapping it if no-one shows interest in the next three months. Feel free to dialog in this thread.

Archie

P.S.: Here is what the mill looked like when new:

I would love to have that machine but I think the project is just a bit too much for me. Along with the difficulties of obtaining parts over here.
As always I really like your projects. On a side-note I might be going to the US this summer.

Maybe this thread should be "pinned" to the top so it isn't lost and a worthy home can be found for this unique mill.

reggie,

I put a link to this thread in the "Needs saving" sticky, so I think that should cover advertising its availability. Anyone reading this should feel free to help find a home for the mill among their circle of acquaintances. I can probably even deliver it within a reasonable radius.

This is not a "short fuse" case, so we have time to find a home, temporary or permanent. In four years, I did not find any trace of another mill like it that would have provided parts to restore this machine to its original state, so I think that the best home is as a working mill for someone starting out. The ideal candidate should have a turret mill and lathe already so as to be able to make parts. This mill would provide a good representation of a universal mill for someone with a medium-sized hobby shop.

Part of the process of fabricating the missing swivel block would be a bit of scraping. I am willing to do this if necessary if my travels take me near to its new home. I am moving to California, but will visit the east coast a few times in the next few years, so I could probably work out a way to help out if it is near my route. I also have my 2CH swivel block apart, so I can make measurements from it to assist in the design of the missing Hendey swivel block.

Thanks,

Archie

Moving to the left coast?? "Oh my!". How will you machines and shop tools get there now that your haul truck and trailer are gone? And what of Tuckahoe and the Lucas? Does she know that you have jilted her?

reggie,

Actually after 18 years in MD I am moving back to California -- even back to the same house. (Somewhere behind all this is the possibility of a grand-child, trumping all previous plans.) Down-sizing from a 3,000 sq.ft. shop to a 1,000 sq.ft. shop will be a good excuse to do a lot of house-cleaning. I have done enough of my own hauling -- I plan on using ABF's U-pack service which on a per-pound basis beats the round-trip fuel costs of doing it myself. I'll probably do a thread in the hauler's group forum documenting the details. I'll probably be using three 28-ft semi-trailers @ up to 22,500# each. Moving a bunch of machines works well with a big semi-trailer -- moving one works well with a 1-Ton flatbed.

The Lucas will do fine without me, although I have to give some lessons in how to run it. At least with me "out of the building" no one will be afraid to run it . . .

Archie

P.S.: There is a bit of progress on finding a home for the Hendey 2G although there is plenty of time for interested parties to convince me that they can provide the best home for it.

I am chronicling my move in this thread, if anyone is interested in how to move a lot of cast iron.

Thanks,

Archie

Archie:

While researching some parts for my Hendey No.3 Universal miller, I found a bit of information that pertains to
your machine. Several questions have been asked regarding the date of manufacture and if it was originally
fitted with a NMTB #50 Taper. Because no serial number lists are known to exsist, only an approximate date
can be given and the total number of millers built has always been open to conjecture. I was very surprised to
find a Bill of Material from not only this late period, but for your machine, plus, it was dated!. The parts were
to be made in the gear department on a Fellows shaper. The one detail that caught my attention was for the
spindle "new spindle nose design-to be a forging". This at least shows that a major change from the standard
B&S taper had taken place. This Bill of Materials is dated April 20, 1929 and is marked for 2G Universal Milling
Machine #3074. A similar B of M for miller #3145 is from July 1929. Now we know that at least 3145 millers of
various sizes and types were built before production ended in 1929 or 1930.

This is the only late style Hendey miller that I am aware of and it definitely should be restored. I would take on
the project myself, but the cost and logistics of moving it from Maryland to Arizona makes such an endeavor
totally impractical for me. I hope that someone in your general area will elect to save this machine and if they
do, I will be pleased to offer them any help that I can with the restoration.

Hendeyman