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Home made Milling Machine Built in ??? 1925-1939?? Emil Guenther (restored to new)

Owl Engineering

Plastic
Joined
Nov 13, 2005
Location
Warren, Michigan USA
Right after I got out of the Army in about 1966 I was looking for a job and worked at a "lathe shop" in Mount Clemens, Michigan for low wages since I was doing production on a manual screw machine. I learned a lot in those 2 weeks but moved on to become a wood pattern maker. Later, I had an idea for a product so I asked my old boss Hugo Guenther if I could use his milling machine. He agreed so without thinking much about the mill, I made the mold. I keep in contact with his son Bob for years. Recently "Bob" let me know he was restoring the mill and finally finished it.

History of the Mill: One of Bob's Uncles, Emil Guenther (1887-1948) of Benton Harbor, Michigan was a pattern maker/machinist and designed the mill, made the patterns, had the parts cast and did the final machining and grinding.

The detail and quality of this machine is amazing PLUS Bob did a great job restoring it. The paint is brushed on using his hand built brushes.

An odd thing is that the table moved .125" per turn of the handle which was what "Pattern Makers" machines did.

Bob is not sure but thinks the machine was built between 1925-1940

Emil died in 1948 and after that the mill went to his brother Hugo in Mount Clemens, Michigan in 1952.

Bob does not know if more then one machine was made. There could be more machines in Western Michigan near Benton Harbor.

One of the pictures shows another Uncle "Richard" and is the one running lathe on the left side of the picture.

Richard is the one who made aluminum castings for the drive motor so it would be lighter!

I could go on and on but I am not really sure how much interest there will be with such details.

Chuck
 

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Could I request another pic or two. And by two I mean fifty to one hundred, please. And any other details, specs or whatever you care to write about it. Thanks
 
No, not kidding. I'd love to see as many photos as you have. I'm not going to run out of internet. If you want to keep if brief then how about a couple shots of the entire machine?

Thanks
 
Outstanding, and a very big thank you for sharing with us.


P.S. where's all the anti home / amateur built machine tool mob?

Must be too busy slagging someone else off.
 
Could I request another pic or two. And by two I mean fifty to one hundred, please. And any other details, specs or whatever you care to write about it. Thanks

Yes, please post more pictures and more information. Do you have any before pictures? Maybe some drawings?
 
More pictures of the Milling Machine

Practical Machinist only allows 5 images per post

Chuck
 

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Outstanding, and a very big thank you for sharing with us.


P.S. where's all the anti home / amateur built machine tool mob?

Must be too busy slagging someone else off.

Amateurs built the Ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.

This is the most professional and well thought out
execution of a one-off machine I have ever seen.
Way more innovative than the old small Hardinge,
Elgin, and Pratt & Whitney machines.
I like the curves of the castings.
Someone had a real eye for design.
It is just pleasant to look at.

--Doozer
 
More pictures

Emil was in the German Army is 1907.

He also made a drill press (see the picture how it is today and still being used).

Chuck
 

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