Nichols Hand Mill Questions

[ToddFarr]

Hello all, another Nichols thread. Anyways I'm looking at a Nichols Standard Mill (screw jack, screw front and rear, and lever longitude movement)

It looks a lot like this photo, but in better condition and all the parts are there



And not quite this condition, but close with some de-greaser taken to it.



Anyways I heard about it through the grapevine and went and checked it out today. My plan is to have it as a dedicated mitering setup, so the vertical mill is always free to do what it does best. Will this work okay? I'm thinking about it and I can't imagine why it wouldn't be? I mean once it's set you don't really need anything but up and down for different diameter tubes right?

Anyways he's selling it for $800.00 which seems like a pretty good deal and it's local. I'd appreciate some input before I pull the final trigger.
Thanks for you help!
-Todd.

[adashner]

like a charm. we've got 2 of them, both in closer shape to your first picture than the second, and they do the job admirably. and depending upon how you do it, the vertical isn't even necessarily important. using paragon tube blocks, center stays the same- well, at least on everything between 25.4 and 34.9.

[ToddFarr]

Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply, does the price seem fair? I can probably talk him down a bit. The nice thing is that it's local so I don't have to pay for shipping.

[afwalker]

I paid 400$ for mine, but it was beat to crap. Broken gibs, broken knee, bent screws, but mine was sold to Allison division of Pratt and Whitney on 11/9/1942. Did that do anything to help the war effort? Sure thing! Mine must have been knocked over, so by the time I get things fixed I'll have way more than 800$ in it. I'd jump on it, but look disinterested so you get a better price:)
cheers
andy walker

[ToddFarr]

Thanks Andy! I'll let you know how it goes! I love the history of old machines! That's pretty awesome how did you track it back that far?
-Todd.

[afwalker]

Brownbird helped me find Nichols Mills « Chas G Allen where you can find manuals for the Nichols, they still sell/support the Nichols mill.
Bert from Chas G Allen is helping me track down the model to get parts.
If the SN is not on the front of the table, try looking on the back of the mill above the name plate.
cheers
andy walker
If the seller has any spare parts, grab them!

[Tom Gagliardi]

I have a 1957 Nichols Mill (S/N 8-W-6639) set up as a dedicated tube mitering machine. I have the manuals in a PDF file if you'd like me to email them to you.

nichols.jpg

[Jamie Medeiros]

All I use for mitering tubes are Nichols mills. I have been lucky finding them. One neat thing about Nichols mills is that they are real easy to set up for two operations using stops on the rise/fall and x-axis on the bed. For example it would be real easy to put a main triangle fixture on one end and a chain stay fixture on the other and use the levers and stops to move between them. Here is a photo of my 3, chain stay, main tube, and seat stay on the day they were delivered to the new shop.
http://fireflybicyclesbuildout.tumbl...ge/42460575819

[ToddFarr]

Well I picked this up today, and I'm super happy about it. Turns out I didn't look at it close enough when I went the first time, and It's actually the tool room model with the extended table and the lead screw on the cross feed. The half nut is intact and in perfect condition all the ways are good, everything is smooth as silk, and under the grease is a beautiful factory paint job. It also came with the manual and as far as I can tell it's a late 70's or early 80's model. The best part is it came with a free coolant system that's basically brand new and alone lists for $900.00. If I can sell it, I'll make a lot of my money back. I'll get pictures posted as soon as I get it cleaned up a bit!

[ToddFarr]

Posted pictures in FNL. What are you guys using for an adapter to hold the hole saw arbor. The mill has a NS 40 taper right?

[Jamie Medeiros]

Nice mill, you even got the mythical half nut. I had to have a friend make me one for my tool room mill. I use nmtb40 arbors with 3/4" hole for the Paragon hole saw arbors. With my tool room which is older I had to fabricate a draw bar because the Nichols one was not compatible with the nmtb40 thread. https://plus.google.com/photos/10617...39733331315057

[ToddFarr]

James,
Thanks for the reply. Yeah I don't think the half but has even ever been used it was disengaged hanging there in perfect shape. I'm pretty sure the mill has been used for one purpose it's whole life I don't the the head or y-axis were ever moved.

I'm assuming you are using something like this?

shars.com - NMTB 40 ER40 ER Collet Holder

shars.com - 34quot ER40 Collet

I would think this is more secure than just a nmtb40 to 3/4" end mill holder.

[afwalker]

I would think the ER collet would be more secure and flexible with multiple sizes. A real cheap 3/4" arbor here though:
Tools4cheap LLC Online Machine Shop Tooling Store: NMTB 40 Taper End Mill Holders,NMTB 30 and 40 Tooling $25 to get going, maybe just a backup.
Saw a good howto on making the mystery half-nut for anyone that needs one:
Making a Nichols mill halfnut in 36 easy steps
Todd that's a nice machine, enjoy!
cheers
andy walker

[ToddFarr]

Thanks Andy, it took a ton of work to clean the oil off the worst was cleaning the motor. All those dang fins!!! Gah! That's for the lead on the tool. I should probably do that first since my girlfriend is a little mad I bought it without telling her and we are getting married soon haha!

What about hole saws? What are you guys using there. I know the paragon arbor is a no brainier. I also so a picture a while back of someone holding a holes saw teeth into a bench grinder saying they were prepping them for cutting tubes. Anyone know what that's all about I can seem to track down the picture on my phone. I might have to fire up the computer to find it.

Also anyone ever modify the y-axis for power feed? I'm thinking Might do that. It would be really nice to have the feed rate automatic similar to a bridgeport quill feed. Set up some limit switches and load a tube press a button and have a nice smooth feed and probably even multi task while its doing it. Thoughts?

-Todd

[DDYTDY]

Half nut
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[ToddFarr]

Technically I think that's a full but ;). Well done! That's a lot of material to remove!!

[Jamie Medeiros]

Semi-automatic y feed on Nichols:

Semi-auto feed on Nichols.jpg

[Peter Olivetti]

I love all the nichols set ups. I have one too, but the motor is toast. Anyone have a parts gearmotor they would be interested in offloading? I know a rather tall order. I've been searching far and wide for one, but to no avail so far I actually just need the housing, if that of any help. 8540858980_a8183810a3_c.jpgnichols crack-4.jpgnichols crack-5.jpgnichols crack-6.jpg
thanks mucho
Pete

[Tom Gagliardi]

I love all the nichols set ups. I have one too, but the motor is toast. Anyone have a parts gearmotor they would be interested in offloading? I know a rather tall order. I've been searching far and wide for one, but to no avail so far I actually just need the housing, if that of any help. 8540858980_a8183810a3_c.jpgnichols crack-4.jpgnichols crack-5.jpgnichols crack-6.jpg
thanks mucho
Pete

These guys definitely have what you're looking for. Don't know what they'd charge for it, but worth a call.
Industrial Surplus in Berlin, CT Phone: (860) 828-3541 (Paul Gafferty or Guy Burnette)

They helped me out with a replacement motor on my Nichols mill. I've been in their shop and seen their Nichols parts inventory...gaylords full of Nichols motors, gears boxes, motor housings, electrical parts, etc.

[Peter Olivetti]

gave industrial surplus a call, they said they could help get a motor, but that it would cost quite a bit. I then said, fine, since my mill is a 1300# paperweight without one, let me know what you got. Never heard back from them. So who knows. I should have something coming to me soon though so we'll see.
PEte