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Restoration and modifications to a Tom Senior light vertical mill

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Miles Hellon26/12/2018 14:32:57
62 forum posts
26 photos

I bought a Tom Senior light vertical mill last week. It hasn't arrived yet but already I'm thinking about how I could modify it I'd like to make it easier to move the head in and out and also to retain the registration when doing so . This is the mechanism that I designed for my Dore Westbury mill to achieve the same function. The pressure angle on the rack maintains the contact with the registration bearing. Working from the inverse of this design seems a good starting point. Any thoughts?

dore westbury mod. 2.jpgdore westbury mod. 1.jpg

Vic26/12/2018 14:37:01
3453 forum posts
23 photos

Sorry no thoughts Miles, but I do like that mod on the Dore Westbury. Very nicely done! yes

Miles Hellon26/12/2018 14:46:22
62 forum posts
26 photos

Thanks Vic! The Dore Westbury has been a really useful machine for me - it's very versatile. It is a bit of a lightweight though.... Now I've upgraded my Myford Super 7 to a 254, I wanted a mill on the same scale which is why I bought the Tom Senior. I'll keep the Dore Westbury as a 'radial' drill for woodworking.

daveb26/12/2018 15:15:17
631 forum posts
14 photos

Very nice work on the rack. You could probably buy a Bridgeport for the cost of the Tom Senior and get it ready made.

Miles Hellon26/12/2018 15:28:01
62 forum posts
26 photos

Thanks Dave. A Bridgeport would rather dominate my 'living room'!

Miles Hellon29/12/2018 15:15:35
62 forum posts
26 photos

My new toy has arrived

pc290590.jpgpc290591.jpg

Edited By Miles Hellon on 29/12/2018 15:18:09

Miles Hellon29/12/2018 15:18:48
62 forum posts
26 photos

pc290593.jpg

Dave Halford29/12/2018 17:11:13
2536 forum posts
24 photos

Shame the top half will be in the bedroom :O)

Miles Hellon29/12/2018 17:46:17
62 forum posts
26 photos

No problem. I've already dug a pit for the base

Edited By Miles Hellon on 29/12/2018 17:46:52

Vic29/12/2018 18:07:35
3453 forum posts
23 photos

Nice looking machine Miles, I’m sure you’ll have fun with that. wink

Miles Hellon30/12/2018 13:58:08
62 forum posts
26 photos

Thanks Vic. I think I will

Here's a shot of the ram head with the cover removed. Nice machined surface on the top of the clamping blocks - perfect for fixing to.....pc300595.jpg

Miles Hellon30/12/2018 21:36:07
62 forum posts
26 photos

Made a start, this evening, by modelling the column and ram shaft.

ts mill model - column head.jpg

Vic30/12/2018 22:26:24
3453 forum posts
23 photos

It will be an interesting project, looking forward to see how you get on. I wonder how the original manufacturers envisioned users would move the head in and out?

Miles Hellon31/12/2018 10:47:41
62 forum posts
26 photos
Posted by Vic on 30/12/2018 22:26:24:

I wonder how the original manufacturers envisioned users would move the head in and out?

Rock it clockwise/anticlockwise while pulling or pushing, I guess. That works ok, the problem is more in the loss of angular registration. Even the use of the angular scale is lost as you pull the ram away from its 'home' position, as the pointer for it is on the head cover (or on the proximal clamping block for earlier machines without the cover).

Nick Thorpe31/12/2018 11:32:04
53 forum posts
6 photos

Hi Miles. For alignment after moving the head out, I would wind the table up, put a large square on it and align the vertical part of the square with the machined slot on the left side of the head. For complete accuracy I would trammel the head with a dial indicator.

Regards, Nick.

 

 

ts.jpg

Edited By Nick Thorpe on 31/12/2018 11:45:51

fishy-steve31/12/2018 12:21:02
122 forum posts
30 photos

Very nice. I was following that very machine on ebay!

I've noticed a steady increase in value over the years. Yours is a particularly nice example.

Have fun.

Steve.

Miles Hellon31/12/2018 12:22:43
62 forum posts
26 photos

Thanks Nick,

I clocked the machined slot yesterday but its obvious purpose didn't register!

What year is your L.V.? Mine is 1978.

Miles Hellon31/12/2018 12:30:27
62 forum posts
26 photos

Thanks Steve,

Yes, I think I was really lucky to get it. The paintwork doesn't need much more than a clean (apart from the N.V. switch) and it seems to have had an easy life at the school.....

Miles Hellon31/12/2018 12:35:48
62 forum posts
26 photos

It's interesting that they made a few with a mechanism for rotating the head.....senior lv with head rotation mech..jpg

Nick Thorpe31/12/2018 12:45:22
53 forum posts
6 photos

Hi Miles. I am not sure that the slot was intended for that purpose but it works! I think mine is circa 1978, from memory.

Picture below is of the old Tom Senior factory in Liversedge. Only a small photo I'm afraid as that is all all I could find on-line.

Regards, Nick.

.688614.jpg

Edited By Nick Thorpe on 31/12/2018 12:46:12

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