WTS: Lapping machine from Huron Machine & Tool Co.

For those of you who have purchased tooling from me from the Huron Machine & Tool Co, you know the history of the shop. I have been asked to also post for sale a lapping machine that the owner needs to sell off. It was part of the Huron Machine & Tool Co. I dont know anything about it. Perhaps some of you can help here. The owner is asking for offers. The machine weighs about 1500lbs and is located in Yale, Michigan. You will have to pick it up if you want it, or arrange for a moving company to get it for you. Email me if you are interested vscc (at) varton (dot) com.



Here is more info on the Huron Machine and Tool Co for those of you who havent seen one of my posts before:

Fred Fuller Senior started the Huron Machine and Tool Company in the 1930's. He was a teacher of math and science and operated a machine shop in his spare time. The shop grew into his father's jewelry store, which was opened in 1899. The machine shop made grinding attachments and milling attachments for lathes. Mr Fuller designed the attachments and sold them in kit form by mail order all over the world through ads in magazines like Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.

When world war II began, he took a leave from teaching and switched his company to fulltime war production. The company made scraping tools for use by hand on Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engines. These were a Britished-designed engine that was eventullay built at the Packard Motor Car plant and used in the North American P-51 Mustang fighter plane. The Huron Machine and Tool Company also manufactured the through bolts for the B-24 "Liberator" bomber.

Following the war, Mr Fuller resumed his mail order business in lathe attachments and accessories. In 1953, he returned to teaching fully intending to return to manufacturing when he was to retire in 1964. However, soon after retirement he suffered a severe stroke and though he lived another 18 years, he did not return to manufacturing work. As a result, his machine shop remained like a time capsule without change since 1952.

Thanks for looking.

Dean

I was given one of his lathe milling attachments a few years ago, but didn't know who made it or how to use it with my lathe, as there were no identifying info on it. It was identified today on this machinist site. All I have is the verticle part with the slotted table. Would you have any info on what attachments were available for it, and how it mounts up to the carriage. I have pictures of it listed in my picture album on this site.
Thanks:
Ray

Hello, Ray.
As you may or may not know, these attachments were sold as kits, partially machined and with a complete set of instructions and drawings. There was a vise and two different types of indexers which were designed to use lathe change gears. I still have my dad's 9" SB complete with the milling attachment he built for it. The attachment mounts in the T-slot of the compound rest and is anchored to a large T-nut made specifically for the machine. (I think this was machined by the user.)

My dad, Earl Decker, had become friends with Mr. Fuller during their college days and was quite involved with Huron Machine and Tool. I got started in machining as a kid by learning from Mr. Fuller, who was by then retired and was very generous with his time and knowledge, so know quite a bit about the history of HM&T. Fred Fuller II may have given me a full set of drawings and instructions several years ago when we cleaned the building out prior to its sale. It may take me some time to dig them out, but I will try to scan them for you.