how was it used? ("Lincoln milling" 1850 horizontal mill)

[Giu]

I'm a machining enthusiast (hobby) and I own a lathe and a milling machine (chinese import branded).

In the Gingery book on "build your own milling machine" he introdcue the notion that horizontal milling was the "starting point" for the milling technology as we know today.

I'm very fascinated by ancient machinery, the gingery book shows the "lincoln miller" a machine without overarm.
Milling Machines in the United States - VintageMachinery.org Knowledge Base (Wiki)

what attract my attention is how could be set up a machine like this ???

seams to me that for setting the spindle height you have to operate 2 independent wheels ??
and then set the "tailstock" with another wheel...

so what I cannot figure out is how they get all the 3 bushings (2 for spindle an 1 on arm support)on the same horizontal line and parallel to the table (I suppose it will be the correct setup).

any ideas of sources for detailed drawing or instructions ??

thank you

 

[johnoder]

Easy - make your self a "setting bar" that aligns all three - and double check with a good level - assuming machine was in fact level

These users of such just wanted to remove some material - they did not worry about NOT HAVING all the handy stuff that came later

 

[99Panhard]

The Springfield Armory had rows of them in what was called the "Water Shop" (because it was on a river and had access to water power). It's what made most of the parts in the M1842 muskets and the M1855 and M1861 rifles. I do not believe they were used as we would use a milling machine today in that the parts were set in fixtures and each machine did a separate operation. They'd be set up by the master armorer or one of his helpers and run by the shop workmen.

 

[JST]

........................ I do not believe they were used as we would use a milling machine today in that the parts were set in fixtures and each machine did a separate operation. They'd be set up by the master armorer or one of his helpers and run by the shop workmen.

Pretty much like a 1940s "production mill" was used. Part in a fixture, take the cut, remove part, repeat on next part.

 

[rivett608]

As I recall some of the early milling machines were referred to as “slabbers”. They simply could mill stock or a casting to an even thickness. They were also used for slotting and all kinds of work in fixtures. Remember the end mill type cutter had yet to be invented.

 

[Joe in NH]

"Form" or "stacked" cutters were used a lot in gun-work. The desired milled shape was "mirrored" in a formed cutter, and as other mention, the cutter was used in a single machine for a single milling operation.

One of the beauties of CNC milling today is a single machine can be dedicated to a single mounting of the part, and the computer does the rest of the outline. Of course there may be some design compromise in providing "radius" and other adaptations to the cutter geometry. But there is similar adaptation in "slab" type production milling too.

The pix is from a write up on the APM (Burlington Free Press)

The Burlington Free Press

Joe in NH