Harrison Universal Milling Machine Vertical Head

(Going through all these Harrison mill messages, even the old ones)

I dangle my head from the ceiling on a chain winch when using the horozontal. (and leave it there, hoisted out of the way).

It makes the whole job a lot less trouble. When the head can swing freely it is also easier to engage the drive dogs.

I have a steel plate with a hole for the chain hook behind the top rotation locking bolt. That seems to end up pretty close to the point of balance.

A picture with the head dangling and the machine set up for horizontal work. You can just about make out the plate that the hook goes through.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uoy2UegtJpcl6BD88u_lFdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Just an aside here, I have a Harrison Horizontal mill that I would love a vertical head for, If anyone has one for sale please contact me. Also I am in the market for any imperial dimensioned arbors for the horizontal set up. 1"-1 1/4"-1 1/2", or what have you 30int tooling etc.

Phil

The vertical head is actually rather slow, so unless you are in the habit of spinning large face-mills you might be better off with one of the integrated spindles from eBay, possibly mounted on the end of the over-arm on a bracket of your own devising.

I am meaning devices such as **LINK**

eBay also generally has a few 30INT horizontal arbors too:**LINK**

That's 7/8". The same vendor also has 3/4" and 5/8".

I have a daily search running for a 1 1/4" to suit some gear hobs. The Harrison with the Universal table makes a very nice gear hobber.

Thanks for that Andy, as you may have guessed I have more cutters than I have arbors to fit them!

Phil

Here is one possible solution to the vertical head problem.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ry9FaFI4uuoav60Y2

Edited By Andy Pugh on 26/12/2017 16:13:16

I built a wooden (well, MDF) jig type thing to hold the vertical head vertically (!), put that on the table and adjusted it to get the head in the right place.

Regarding the drawbar & bolts, I seem to recall it being a right faff - never did get the knack if I remember correctly. I bought a Bridgeport clone - the Harrison has stayed in horizontal mode since then.