Ames horizontal milling machine?

[patman2]

Any good/bad thing about a horizontal vs vertical mill? Spotted this the other day and was considering picking it up. I have never used a mill before, not sure if I'd be getting in over my head, or buying a white elephant.

Good deal, or pass? What's the going $ for something like this?

110V 3/4 HP single phase motor included. Forward/reverse
Table is 3" wide x 19" long Travel is about 12" long x 3" deep
Height travel is about 12"

 

[Outlawmws]

Depending on what you are doing, a H mill can be very useful, however a V mill is generally 10X more useful/versatile for most people. If you are doing just about nothing but cutting smaller gears, and maybe cutting slots in a shaft, (and have the requisite other tooling required), a H. mill can be useful.

I will say that is about as small as they come, roughly on a par with the Atlas/Craftsman H. mills from the 40's/50's

 

[rsanter]

Horizontal mills are not as useful a vertical mil and they are not worth much.
With that said they can be worth having if you can get it cheap enough.
That is a small mill with limited capability so I would go about $100 on it.
You can make a small vertical head for it and you can get or build a vertical vise for it to make it a litle more useful
How much does he want?

Bob

 

[Steve from Socal]

Other than work requiring a quill or odd angle, a horizontal can do the same work as a vertical just sideways!

Steve

 

[Outlawmws]

Other than work requiring a quill or odd angle, a horizontal can do the same work as a vertical just sideways!

Steve

Not exactly true when you start taking into account the very limited Z table axis, and deflection in the part once clamped high enough off the table to be accessed by the H mill "quill" which may or may not actually be designed to hold an end mill

 

[Steve from Socal]

I was not talking about the toy in the picture, my mills have 19 and 20" of Z axis travel and 12 and 16 inches of Y travel not to mention 28 and 34 inches of X. Few people today think in terms of what a horizontal mill CAN do.

Steve

 

[patman2]

It's listed for $450...sounds like I'll pass and hold out for a vertical.

I know there's a guy with an old bridgeport sitting in a shed, maybe I'll try to talk him out of that. Problem is, he thinks his stuff is made of gold, but judging by the condition of the shed, it's probably getting snowed on as I type this.

 

[GrantCee]

I was not talking about the toy in the picture, my mills have 19 and 20" of Z axis travel and 12 and 16 inches of Y travel not to mention 28 and 34 inches of X. Few people today think in terms of what a horizontal mill CAN do.

Nothing removes large amounts of metal as easily and cleanly as a horizontal. I'm always amazed when I get a chance to use one.

 

[IndyGarage]

That mill isn't close to worth $450. It's a very old hobby type mill.

Furthermore - it's not really a complete horizontal mill. See Steve's Kearney and Trecker with the engine block on it above? Those two round "eyes" above the spindle are called overarms. They extend out over the table, and allow you to mount a horizontal arbor over the table and milling cutters on the Arbor. This allows you to do many types of cuts that a vertical mill cannot do.

That little bench horizontal has no overarms, which eliminates any advantage that it has. Essentially it's an inconvenient vertical mill - with no quill feed at all. Plus the table is pretty small. I'd pass. You could find a newer benchtop vertical for about that much and have more capability.

Just for perspective - horizontal mills are really cheap right now - a few months ago I bought a K&T 2h horizontal - I think identical to the one Steve pictures above - in running condition - with some tooling - for about $750 as I recall. It has a 5hp motor on it, it weighs 4,000 lbs and it's a real milling machine.

 

[patman2]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

[GrantCee]

Just for perspective - horizontal mills are really cheap right now - a few months ago I bought a K&T 2h horizontal - I think identical to the one Steve pictures above - in running condition - with some tooling - for about $750 as I recall. It has a 5hp motor on it, it weighs 4,000 lbs and it's a real milling machine.

Yep! I attended a machine shop auction where a Cincinnati #2 (probably the most common conventional mill) went to a local scrapper for the opening bid ($150 or $175, IIRC.)

Sadly I had no room, otherwise I would have bid.

 

[Steve from Socal]

For the original poster patman2,

Old horizontal mills are a real bargain, along with all that mass you get full three axis power feed and very often rapids too. My little 2H in the photos also has a vertical head that swivels in two axis and I have a Bridgeport head that mounts on the overarms.

You can find a machine like this for 500.00 to 1000.00 or so if you are interested.

Steve

 

[rsanter]

Steve
Please stop showing pictures of your horizontal mill
I keep having to wipe the drool from my keyboard

Bob