Help unloading K&T 2CH vertical mill

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

I have to unload this mill from a trailer in 2 hrs or so, and Mill isn't visible now. I know there's a 1-inch or so threaded hole in the top of the mill casting. Is that for a lifting eye and if so anyone know the shank dia. Of eye it takes? If no lifting eye provision on it, would you lift it with a strap around neck or what? I just know this machine doesn't want to be pushed across a wood trailer bed, the lead edge just digs in. Anyone know the listed weight of a 2CH vertical K&T offhand? I thought 4500 lbs but it feels heavier when towing. Replies asap greatly appreciated.

johnoder · Jan 13, 2017

Around neck preferred

Hobby Shop · Jan 13, 2017

The machine only weighs 4600lbs. It didn't tow so well because all the weight is over the trailer axles. I would've moved it 3' forward to put 5-600lbs on the tongue. The K&T directions say to lift from the neck. If your straps are long enough, I'd choke the neck and lift from above.
Andy

Edit: John beat me to it.

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

Thanks, we'll do it that way, have 10' straps which will be long enough. So the threaded, plugged hole in the top must either be for some other purpose, or it was put there for customers who wouldn't buy it without a lift eye hole. ???

Monarchist · Jan 13, 2017

Cannonmn said:
Thanks, we'll do it that way, have 10' straps which will be long enough. So the threaded, plugged hole in the top must either be for some other purpose, or it was put there for customers who wouldn't buy it without a lift eye hole. ???

Machine tools - and/or the components as were to BECOME such - had to be moved from one stage or 'station' to the next under a factory roof whilst being built.

Given the maker spec'ed a neck choke for the final assembled mill, THAT is what I'd brand it as being there for. Hauling that casting about and mating it up to the rest.

Bill

Hobby Shop · Jan 13, 2017

Cannonmn said:
Thanks, we'll do it that way, have 10' straps which will be long enough. So the threaded, plugged hole in the top must either be for some other purpose, or it was put there for customers who wouldn't buy it without a lift eye hole. ???

Who knows, a lot can happen in 60yrs. Maybe they had a rack hanging off it? If your referring to the hole on the top of the machine...it looks to far back to pick up evenly. I've never moved a K&T vertical before but I'm betting of you move it like the book says, it will pick up like my 2D & horizontal... perfect.

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

Thanks. Well the neck-lift worked fine, machine lifted straight. Got a better look at damage done by seller's Forklift operator who hit the table handwheel. At the time I thought only the little chrome crank handle was broken off but closer look showed handwheel bent and hard to turn. I'm hoping it is only the handwheel, if the worm shaft is bent that's a real problem. Will post pix of that area later. Not sure of what to tell seller aside from alerting him to need for more Forklift operator training or supervision. When a Forklift picks up a machine from the side where there are any cranks sticking out, this kind of damage is likely. I guess I'm lucky he didn't pick it up from the front where there's lots more to damage. It rained hard most of the 400 mi home, and we had a tarp over the machine to keep most of the rain out but some got in and turned the table red. Where's my WD-40 can?

m16ty · Jan 13, 2017

You should have taken a pic of the bent hand wheel while it was still sitting on the trailer. Since you hooked to it and moved it, he may try to say you bent it.

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

m16ty said:
You should have taken a pic of the bent hand wheel while it was still sitting on the trailer. Since you hooked to it and moved it, he may try to say you bent it.

Good idea, actually I have lots of pix, here's one showing his Forklift after it scooped up the mill using the handwheel as a bumper, before their failed attempts to push it along the trailer bed. But practically speaking, I'm not returning it, I own it now and will make it work. I think lube will make the table move freely, and if the screw shaft is no longer accurate, adding a DRO will turn that into a small issue that only plays when the feed rate has to be exact, and I don't think I'll be needing that very often. Pic taken at seller's dock.

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

Handwheel now: Bending indicated by difference in gaps on either side of shaft. The chrome crank was broken off.

adh2000 · Jan 13, 2017

Sucks but hey, worse things have happened. You'll figure it out. Nice looking mill.

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

adh2000 said:
Sucks but hey, worse things have happened. You'll figure it out. Nice looking mill.

Thanks, even if it didn't work at all I'd like it as an historical artifact. I'm guessing it carved out .50 machine gun bolts or something like that in WWII, but I'll need to get the serial no. And find out when it was made.

Kart21 · Jan 13, 2017

That's a really nice and healthy looking mill.
Best of luck with it.

vonblowseph · Jan 13, 2017

Sweet mill.
I'm gonna guess its on the early end of the CH builds.
I think the serial number will be on the left hand side from facing the mill.
Enjoy! bent handles aren't too big a deal. this old girl will make you lots of chips.

Ohio Mike · Jan 13, 2017

Nice machine. Probably a Korean war acquisition. There's a picture of John Garand himself at Springfield Armory working on a Kearney & Trecker 2D rotary mill.

Cannonmn · Jan 13, 2017

Ohio Mike said:
Nice machine. Probably a Korean war acquisition. There's a picture of John Garand himself at Springfield Armory working on a Kearney & Trecker 2D rotary mill.

Thanks, didnt know about that, and the K&T 2D was my first mill, still using it. That one was at Harry Diamond Labs, where the Army develops warhead fuzes.

Here's page with the Garand photo.

M1 Garand History — Springfield Armory and World War II Production

Cannonmn · Jan 21, 2017

Thanks, I finally got around to checking for what actual damage was done by the seller's Forklift hitting the table handwheel because I thought the difficulty in cranking the table was due to damage. We oiled up the dry ways under the table, the screw, etc. from oilers and sprays, then pumped lots of oil in using the spring-retracted built-in oiler, and now the table moves easily and smoothly. The handwheel and screw seem to be straight, not bent as I first thought. So only damage looks like snapped-off chromed crank knob, and I can fix that, but in case anyone has an extra handwheel of that exact type, I'll wait a bit before killing a day on that knob. Am really looking forward to piling up some chips with the beast, the more I look it over and read the manual, the more I like it. It has power feed every which-way plus a "rapid traverse" lever to avoid wasting time returning the table or knee to your feed starting point. I've been buying assorted "50" tool holders, shell mills etc whenever I found a bunch for sale cheap so I probably have more than I need now, and I already had a lot of large HSS mills to use in it. Still have to hook up the 208-480v transformer though.

Search

Largest Manufacturing Technology Community on the Web

Search

Help unloading K&T 2CH vertical mill

Cannonmn

Stainless

johnoder

Diamond

Hobby Shop

Stainless

Attachments

Cannonmn

Stainless

Monarchist

Diamond

Hobby Shop

Stainless

Cannonmn

Stainless

m16ty

Hot Rolled

Cannonmn

Stainless

Cannonmn

Stainless

adh2000

Titanium

Cannonmn

Stainless

Kart21

Aluminum

vonblowseph

Cast Iron

Ohio Mike

Titanium

Cannonmn

Stainless

Cannonmn

Stainless

Similar threads