Antique Denbigh Horizontal Mill

I have an ancient Denbigh Horizontal Milling Machine, and would love to know more about it! It far pre-dates anything about Denbigh on Tony Griffith's 'Lathes' web-site.

Table size about 17" x 5" -ish. Vertical travel about 7"? (From memory - it's presently stored in bits, awaiting rebuilding so I can use it!)

3MT spindle in plain bearings.

Unusual lead-screw pitches: 6tpi on 2 of them, 8TPI on the other.

Power-feed wormwheel fitted but no drive-shaft - either lost or an option not taken by the original owners.

Built for overhead drive to 3-step flat-belt pulley - the casting forms a loop so you can't use a V-belt upwards.

Single, round-section, steel bar over-arm. The broken drop-bracket that came with it looks like some substitute from a totally different machine, not an original at all.

Bench-mounting but has its own, very heavy, one-piece cast-iron stand with integral, shallow chip-tray and large open central cavity so it vaguely resembles a Victorian loo!

No obvious model type or number, apart from the name, Staffordshire Knot trade-mark and the digit "4" stamped into some machined surfaces - possibly a batch number rather than serial number.

I have seen what I think is a variant on the same mill, with lever-action traverse the text said, in a photo on ME not long ago, but it was largely hidden by its owner's set-up to use it as a faceplate lathe for machining miniature traction-engine parts.

Small, early horizontal-mills were quite often fitted with lever feed for mass-production manufacturing by semi-skilled operators. The 6TPI threads on mine may have been to special order - I just don't know!

I think that John Ward who make lots of bits for old and obsolete lathes and mills uses one of these machines which he has converted for gear cutting he maybe able to help you out for information.

John's contact details are www.latheparts.co.uk and phone number is 01282-869262

Hopefully this can help you out

Regards John Burridge