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My new Kearney & Trecker 10HP-2CK, Serial 1-7612

nobrakese28

Cast Iron
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Location
Pico Rivera
Hello, I have been on the hunt for a few months for a USA made horizontal milling machine. A gentleman I typically purchase woodworking equipment had a small metal shop, all of the equipment was originally used to build Davis and Wells woodworking Machinery right here in Los Angeles.

After a few months of me bugging him, he finally agreed to sell it complete with all of the tooling. The machine is very well tooled, as it comes with the vertical head, parking attachment, 10-15 arbors, dozens to hundreds of cutters, and several indexable-cutterheads. It was quite an ordeal to move to my shop, but it went smoothly and safely with a very heavy custom oak pallet and a drop-deck trailer.

I was able to see the machine run, but it hasn't been used in years and is covered in some rust, and grease. I still need to make one more trip to retrieve all of the tooling, specifically the cutters.

Before I plan on using the machine, I plan to fully clean the machine and ensure all of the lubrication is working as it should. I did some reading and have seen several different oils being used, the manual shows Gargoyle DTE heavy-medium, which is now Mobil DTE heavy-medium, same as my Monarch geartrain.

Is the consensus to use the DTE in the head stock and knee, and Vactra 2 for the hand-pull oiler? I see some people using Vacuoline instead of the DTE.

Can anyone date the machine, its is stamped 1-7612.

Is it best to try and clean the machine in assembled, or is it worth oiling the table and saddle to ensure the oiling to the ways is clear?

I will post better pics this evening.

Thanks,

Marco

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7612 is a lot of 20 from April 1955

Leave it together and clean it up - never ever power wash or steam clean- unless you are doing it one piece at a time

My 2CH has DTE Heavy Medium knee and column and Vactra 4 in the one shot (because it is well worn)

'57 catalog has them phased out by then in favor of the TF series (the twin knee screw jobs), but suggests that it weighs not quite 8000 - with the very similar 3CH going out at 7200

Probably some related pubs on VM

Kearney & Trecker Co. - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org

good luck
 
Thank you gentleman, I definitely would never powerwash a piece of machinery! Its gonna be a slow and tedious process to get her all cleaned up, but it will happen.

Before powering her up, can anyone confirm there is no harm done if the motor spins backwards? I read in one post that something can be broken, it disables the machine to prevent damage. My current plan is replace the belts, this will allow me to verify the phasing/direction.

I found a few worn/damaged wires to the feed motor, so I want to replace those as well before applying power to be safe. Looks like the only way to access them is via the small compartment in the belt drive side, left side, behind 6 screws.
 
Maybe on the start up

Have belts off - see which way motor runs - and if that agrees with the arrow on the big input pulley / sheave

Wires for mag starter go to push button station cast into starting lever - I am not sure how they get thru column to electrical enclosure
 
Talked to Hugh at Hugh's machinery, very friendly and tons of information.

The belts are quite worn, the most inner is falling apart. Removing the belts should give me the extra access needed to the small compartment where the bad wires are routed to.

Hugh mentioned you can use the "creeper motor" to determine if the phasing is right, but I will just remove the belts since they are coming off anyway.

Thanks for the help!
 
Here is the older KM with its door open - so you can discern the pulley has the expected hardware holding on the clutch parts - like a hex nut

Much later ones will have a actual GIZMO there - and those are the ones you cannot start up backwards without damage

You can also make out the direction arrow on the pulley

Showing Clutch Pulley.jpg

Also later - at what point I don't know - the clutch went away and the push button station just fired up the whole machine instead of just the motor. Its very possible I have the wrong impression here - I've only run ONE (5CSM Vertical) that did that

This seems to apply mostly to the larger units - I say this as my 1956 2CH still makes do with a clutch
 
Looks like mine has the gizmo on the flywheel. You can also see the "crispy wires'.

Does anyone have a source for purchasing matched belt sets? This machine use 3 B62 belts, has anyone tried the joined triple B62 (serpentine)?

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You don't need to buy matched sets of belts anymore. In fact I don't believe they are made or if they are it's a scam. I talked directly to a applications engineer at Gates about matched sets because my lathe takes 3 but my No.4 Cincinnati takes 8.

I asked him why no listed matched sets anymore and he said they self match now. You buy the correct size, set the longest belt to the correct tension. Run it for a while, he said 24 hours but I told him that's not feasible on a machine tool and he said then just run long enough for the belts to come up to temperature. They shorter belts will stretch to the correct length and stay there. Modern belt materials are much different than the old stuff.

The worked perfectly for me. After a few weeks of use all the belts were the same tension when I checked and have worked well for years now.

Belts where the Gates Hi-Power 2 or something.
 
Thank you for the information, excellent to know. I pulled the old belts, its a very tight squeeze to get them off the pulley, not much room between the large pulley and the flywheel. I am hoping the belts are just swollen and will install easier.

I discovered both sets of cable running to the feed motor were in terrible shape, so they have been pulled and will be replaced.

Also, I can see how catastrophic failure will occur if span backwards. The flywheel will not spin backwards, I tried lightly by hand just to see.
 
Thank you for the information, excellent to know. I pulled the old belts, its a very tight squeeze to get them off the pulley, not much room between the large pulley and the flywheel. I am hoping the belts are just swollen and will install easier.

I discovered both sets of cable running to the feed motor were in terrible shape, so they have been pulled and will be replaced.

Also, I can see how catastrophic failure will occur if span backwards. The flywheel will not spin backwards, I tried lightly by hand just to see.

A truly wonderful old mill that if taken care of will easily out last the operator. My oldest K&T built in 1943 has retired several operators and still produce precision work all day long if need be, and yes pull the belts and check for correct rotation. More then likely it's ready for new belts anyway.
 
That's a nice looking machine. And from what you're saying came with it, it's well equipped.

I have a 2CK with a universal table that is very close to your serial number. I bought mine at the Columbus, Ohio Industrial Machinery Co. retirement auction (a used machinery dealer) a few years back. I bought it because it had the low lead attachment and a Tri-D head installed on it. Unfortunately I don't have a parking attachment on mine but that might be rectified here very soon. I have a lead on one that looks like it will pan out. Judging by the Allison Engineering tag that is still attached to the mill it's a safe assumption that they were probably the original owner. I have yet to even plug mine in but hopefully that will be changing soon after my Cali to Texas move is completed and I can finally set up ALL of my machinery.
 
Hey guys, looks like 3.5 gallons in the head, 1.5 gallon in the knee. Got the machine started and running, everything looks and sounds good so far. I had an issue getting the machine started, but the issue was a I did not have L3 running to T3, my L3 is 200vs, so it shouldn't be on the control circuit.
 
Time to start cleaning her up and give her an oil change. Is the knee's way (vertical) automatically oiled by the pump in the knee?

The hand pump (pull and release Bijur) in the saddle, does the oil the tables ways (x-axis) and saddle to knee (y-axis)?

Thanks,

Marco
 
Steve Summers has a bunch of videos on Youtube about various repairs and servicing he performed on his K&T mill. Here is a link to one of them at random to help find them. If you search his channel for "K&T mill" you should get a whole bunch.
Working on the K&T MILL - YouTube

Perhaps there will be something useful in there for you as you work to get your new machine in service.
Cheers,
Michael
 








 
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