Millrite - Can this cutter be removed

mvernon · May 8, 2019

Hello all,
I am looking at bidding on this U.S. MACHINE TOOL/MILLRITE MODEL MVN VERTICAL MILL, 1 HP, LYMAN POWER TABLE. It appears it was used in a woodshop and has some sort of cutter "permanently" attached to the spindle. I am not really able to view this in person as it is 2 hours away. Do you think his mill can be returned to an original function machine without a ton of work. I have heard parts for this mills are real easy to find. Also what would be a good price for this as I will be bidding and don't want to over spend.

Thanks for helping out!

johnoder · May 8, 2019

Appears to e a stack of "wheel" style cutters on an arbor held in a collet perhaps/maybe/who knows

The bottom support is visible - a custom item

I'd want to be looking at it up close and personal way before any money changed hands

Milland · May 8, 2019

It could be a solid cutter, like a gear cutting hob. Likely it is ultimately removable, perhaps needing a new spindle if they really went nuts in the installation, but if it's a Bridgeport clone spindles aren't too expensive.

Ideally, a visit or better pictures would help, but if the price is low enough I'd still be tempted to get it if I was O-K with the idea of replacing the spindle.

Dumpster_diving · May 8, 2019

I have the same Millrite. I wouldn't hesitate to bid on it if the price was right.

The drawbar that would typically hold a B&S #9 collet in the spindle looks un-modified. It's hard to tell from the picture what they added in terms of lower support, but as johnoder says it appears to be stacked cutters on an arbor held in a collet. The box with the dust collection is add-on.

My best guess is that all of this is easily removable. Even if they modified it and used it for woodworking, the stacked cutters would need periodic sharpening/replacing. I guess they could do that by removing the nut at the bottom of the arbor. But much more likely is the arbor is held in the original collet by the stock drawbar.

I think you're fine.

Milland · May 8, 2019

Per #4 and a closer look, it's sure not a BP clone. If it does use non-R8 collets I'd be more wary unless it can be easily modded to use them. R8's are the most readily available collets for knee mills, so finding sets of other types would be a concern for me.

Dumpster_diving · May 8, 2019

Most of the Millrite MVs are B&S#9. Some were R8, but I think far less common. Not a huge deal to assemble a set of B&S#9's, but to Milland's point...they are far less common.

One could always put an ER holder on a short straight shaft in a decent 5/8" B&S #9 and use an good ER set for 90% of what you'd want. You'll lose a tiny bit of extension to stick-out and probably sacrifice a little run-out. But completely manageable for many uses.

mvernon · May 8, 2019

Any idea why the draw bar might be so long? Most other mills i have seen the draw bar doesn't extend that far out.

paulz · May 8, 2019

mvernon said:
Any idea why the draw bar might be so long? Most other mills i have seen the draw bar doesn't extend that far out.

that is the quill splines sticking up above the belt cover. Odds are nothing is permanently attached, it'd be less work for them to just use the spindle taper and drawbar rather than rig up some permanent mount to the spindle.
I have a Millrite and a complete spare head for it, both R8 taper. They are easy to work on.

batw · May 8, 2019

that collet drawbar looks like the one that i have on my millrite. when i want to remove cutter and collet i reverse the draw bar [left turn} til it stops then put wrench to it and force it and pop it is off.

henrya · May 8, 2019

Those are good little mills. About 3/4 bridgeport size. Mine has an R8 spindle which is nice but you can buy the other collets if this one is not. I agree the current set up looks removable and if you decide its a good tight machine it might be worth buying and immediately having the spindle re-ground for R8 if whatever is there now bothers you.

4GSR · May 8, 2019

Millrite was also offered with a NMTB 30 taper in the spindle. One my family had that was bought new in 1968 had a R-8 taper. The spindle runs on Timken tapered roller bearings, not your regular ball type spindle bearings. It is a very stout spindle in comparison to a Bridgeport mill or clone. KenS.

9100 · May 8, 2019

I used a Millrite in another shop and owned one myself for a while. They are very basic machines, no frills, but as others have said, solid machines, probably the best of the low end mills. Kind of clumsy, but they beat table top mills 16 ways.

Bill

Terry Z · May 9, 2019

Buy it if the price is right.

Gordon Heaton · May 9, 2019

I'm not as optimistic as the others! If the ad says 'permanently attached' I'd be insisting on a better description of what that means. Could be that the person making that statement doesn't understand how it comes apart, or it could be that someone made more dramatic mods.

As to value, all I can offer is that I bought a 1978 vari-speed Millrite in excellent condition with R-8 spindle and a Kurt 4" vise in 2005 for $1200. I picked it up in L.A.

Larry Dickman · May 9, 2019

FWIW, I had one just like that, 25 or so years ago. Had an R-8 spindle. I got it for free and sold it for $300.

Nice thing about those is you can move them in a U-Haul with a lift gate.

Doozer · May 9, 2019

Remove the drawbar and fill the spindle with trinitrotoluene.
Then smack it with a hammer, it should come loose.

Wylie Coyote taught me this trick.

-Doozer

Joe Gwinn · May 10, 2019

mvernon said:
Any idea why the draw bar might be so long? Most other mills i have seen the draw bar doesn't extend that far out.

I have just this same machine, but not set up for woodworking.

That "draw bar" is the quill's drive spline shaft, which is hollow. The draw bar is within.

At the very top is a square post, which is the head of the draw bar. Under the left side of the housing for the cone pulley there is a round knob hanging down - that is the spindle lock. Push the lock knob up while rotating spindle until the lock goes upward and the spindle locks. Then unscrew the drawbar a few turns with the square post. The thread into the collet below is RH. Hit the square post with a brass or aluminum hammer to release the collet. With BS#9, this may prove difficult, but there are many threads on how to get stubborn collets to release. When released, unscrew drawbar until the cutter comes free. I'd put a piece of wood underneath to protect the table.

DDoug · May 10, 2019

Looks like "machine abuse" to me.

"buy it, they are great machines" ???

Any machine can be good or bad, depends how worn out it is.

Seeing that large cutter, extending way down from the quill, and that power feed on there, I would be weary of an overextended, abused machine.

And, being used on wood, the ways could have been dry as a bone for years.

Spinit · May 10, 2019

mvernon said:
Any idea why the draw bar might be so long? Most other mills i have seen the draw bar doesn't extend that far out.

Yeah I noticed that also. I imagine the speed is not terribly high on the fastest rpms. I would think off hand that if it is frozen in the spindle that there would be runout and problems and likely extra noise.

Gordon Heaton · May 10, 2019

Spinit said:
Yeah I noticed that also. I imagine the speed is not terribly high on the fastest rpms. I would think off hand that if it is frozen in the spindle that there would be runout and problems and likely extra noise.

See post #8. That's not just a drawbar hanging out there, that is the drive spline. It goes down as you extend the quill.

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