US Army Milling Machine

Equipment that may (or may not) have been supported by CCKW's and other large trucks. Stuff such as Dozers, Graders, Rollers, Pavers, Cranes, Oil Field Equipment, etc. Also Tugs, Generators, Compressors, Welders, and just about all other machinery and equipment type of items.
Post Reply
User avatar
Cat Man
Major
Major
Posts: 420
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:55 pm
Location: Green Bay WI

US Army Milling Machine

Post by Cat Man »

Here's the latest edition to my military machine shop.

I traded a non military cable winch to a guy and I got this cute little horizontal milling machine. The small black data plate has been polished so much I can't read it but the margins looked like a military ID tag.

Found a picture of the machine in the Ord 3 SNL J-1 catalog "Machine Tools" dated 1955. It is a US Burke Number 4 horizontal mill. US military number 40-M-38. Great size for my small shop. The table is 24 Inches long. Very little wear. Not much tooling with it, but that makes the hunt more fun.

It goes nice with my WWII Ord marked CCKW shop van lathe. Matching gray paint. A good winter project to get it cleaned up and running.

Image

Image

Happy Holidays

Cat Man
40 Years An Engine Guy
30 Years A Caterpillar Guy
Still Learning Every Day
John V Cliche
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 981
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:10 am
Location: Kennebunkport, Maine

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by John V Cliche »

Ho Ho Ho :!: looks like christmas came early :lol:

Cheers
John
42 Chevy G7117
44 Ford M20 armored car
44 CCKW 353 A1 660 gal Tanker
45 CCKW 353 B2 Air-portable
Ben Hur 1 ton trailer
MVPA#26900
Bill_Wolf
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Posts: 2367
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:10 am
Location: Tilton, NH
Contact:

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by Bill_Wolf »

I agree...very nice.

More Toys for the "Man Palace"!!!!
1945 GMC DUKW
1942 Chevy 125 Crash Truck from Dow AAFB,
1944 Chevy 325 Fire Truck
1942 WC-54 Ambulance
1944 M29C Weasel (x6)
1945 CCKW 353 A2 Open Cab "Air-portable"
1943 M5 High Speed Tractor
1942 Sperry Searchlight setup with GE Generator
1942 M-1 Fruehauf Searchlight Trailer (G221)
1942 M-17 Fruehauf Quad 50 Trailer (G221)
1942 M-10 Ammo Trailer (x3)
194? Steel Ben Hur (x4) 194? Wood Ben Hur (x2)
1945 Case VAIW-3 Aircraft Tug
1943 Case VAI USAAF with Mower
1944 Clark CA-1 Airborne Dozer
1944 PE-95G, 1944 PE-99B
KEVINABR
Major
Major
Posts: 412
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:08 pm
Location: RAMSGATE ENGLAND

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by KEVINABR »

very nice indeed
1941 GMC 352 A1 Cargo 29595
1942 GMC 353 F2 Workshop 102620 ST6 Type M18 Electrical Repair
1942 GMC 353 B2 Cargo
1942 Ben Hur 1ton Wooden Cargo Trailer
1942 Chevrolet G506 G7113 Tractor 1NK 245837
1944 5ton The Trailer Company of America, Stake and Platform Semi Trailer
1943 Dodge WC63 6x6 82035401
194? Diamond T 968a 968A7471
PFC 514th Q.M T.C We Deliver Everything, Except Babies
User avatar
Cat Man
Major
Major
Posts: 420
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:55 pm
Location: Green Bay WI

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by Cat Man »

And as my assistant driver pointed out,

It doesn't require gasoline, insurance, batteries, license plates or tires!

Wat a hobby!

CatMan
40 Years An Engine Guy
30 Years A Caterpillar Guy
Still Learning Every Day
John V Cliche
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 981
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 1:10 am
Location: Kennebunkport, Maine

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by John V Cliche »

Cat Man wrote:And as my assistant driver pointed out,

It doesn't require gasoline, insurance, batteries, license plates or tires!

Wat a hobby!

CatMan
Jeff, sounds like your assistant driver is hinting at something :wink: :lol:

Cheers
John
42 Chevy G7117
44 Ford M20 armored car
44 CCKW 353 A1 660 gal Tanker
45 CCKW 353 B2 Air-portable
Ben Hur 1 ton trailer
MVPA#26900
User avatar
S p r u e o n e
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Location: C a l i f o r n i a

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by S p r u e o n e »

nice score on that horizontal mill.

How can you tell if a particular machine was used in the military?

I have an old belt driven (not leather belt) Atlas lathe. It's about a 6" x 30"

The color is a drab green/gray and looks like it's WWII era.
User avatar
Cat Man
Major
Major
Posts: 420
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:55 pm
Location: Green Bay WI

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by Cat Man »

There is / are TM's and Ord Supply catalogs that identify the metal working power machines the military purchased. Post a photo and we'll look it up.

On my WWII Sheldon Lathe, stamped after the the serial number on the end of the ways is the US flaming bomb ordnance mark.

There is usually an extra data plate with the military model, but not always.

One other clue, some WWII machines from South Bend and others like Brown and Sharp sometimes have the words "War Time Finish" cast into the base on larger machines. This indicated that the castings were not the normal commercial finish but the makers didn't want civilian customers to get the idea that they were sacrificing quality. It meant "The Gov't made us do it to save time".

Cat Man
40 Years An Engine Guy
30 Years A Caterpillar Guy
Still Learning Every Day
User avatar
S p r u e o n e
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Location: C a l i f o r n i a

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by S p r u e o n e »

good info, Cat Man

I'll post some pictures of my lathe by the end of the week here
User avatar
S p r u e o n e
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Location: C a l i f o r n i a

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by S p r u e o n e »

I couldn't find any "military looking" plates or badging. It's probably not from the military but from the same era. Please pay no attention to the dust and rust, I haven't turned anything on it in over a year :oops:

Image

Image
this badge is located on the front of the head stock

Image

Image
the quick change gear box is after market for this machine and was installed later by the previous owner. Also the ON/OFF 'toggle/throw' switch above it.

Image
these casted and stamped numbers are behind the head stock area
User avatar
Cat Man
Major
Major
Posts: 420
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:55 pm
Location: Green Bay WI

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by Cat Man »

Hey,

Sorry I missed it when you posted the photos. I did look it up and did not find the Atlas like this one in the Ord tool catalogs.

But a very nice unit. Perfect for the home shop.

Cat Man
40 Years An Engine Guy
30 Years A Caterpillar Guy
Still Learning Every Day
User avatar
S p r u e o n e
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Location: C a l i f o r n i a

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by S p r u e o n e »

Haha that's cool. Thanks for looking it up though

EDIT: Yes, a home shop that it is in now (mine) :) But I tooled many mounting parts and components as well as installation tools while working for a museum's, Mounting DEPT.
Last edited by S p r u e o n e on Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
db45acp
Draftee
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 12:05 pm

Re: US Army Milling Machine ALAS LATHE

Post by db45acp »

Hello group. New member here.

This reply is in response to Sprueone's posting of the photos of the Atlas lathe.
I realize several month have passed since, but hopefully I'll receive a reply on this subject.

I have the same lathe. It is an Atlas TH42 10" x 42" lathe.
That particular Quick Change Gearbox shown, is an aftermarket addition, originally manufactured and sold in the mid & late 1940's.

My lathe came with one as well, but I removed it in the process of restoring & rebuilding the lathe.
I am at the point of reassembling it and no longer have the photos I took of the outer gear arrangement, as I lost them in the crash of my hard drive awhile back.

My question is, do you have any photos of the assembly with the gear cover door open?
I'm tying to figure out the correct placement of the gears there so it runs properly.

I have also posted this inquiry to the Atlas Metalworking Machines group forum to which I belong, but no luck there, so far.
Drawings & reference to the gearbox and the limited information are available from a website in the UK,
( http://www.lathes.co.uk/westernaircraft/)

If Sprueone could contact me directly, I'd appreciate it.
My direct email address is (removed as per FAQ)

Thanks for any help that may be offered.
-Dan
User avatar
S p r u e o n e
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Location: C a l i f o r n i a

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by S p r u e o n e »

Hi db45acp,
I hoper you clicked the 'Notify me...' box so you get this message.
Yes, I can take pictures of mine as well as a few pages from the owner's manual that came with it if you need them.
Give me until the first half of next week to post pics. I'll take pictures this weekend.
I hope it's cool to do this in your thread, Cat Man :idea:
User avatar
S p r u e o n e
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm
Location: C a l i f o r n i a

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by S p r u e o n e »

Here you go . . .

Image

Image

Image

Image

. . . hope this helps
36th Tom
Draftee
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:55 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH. USA

Re: US Army Milling Machine

Post by 36th Tom »

Nice Score on the Burke Mill. I used to work for the company that bought out the Burke Line. I think those mills were still offered in their catalog at the time (15 years ago). They may still have the ledgers that recorded the date and who the machines were shipped to. When I worked there there will still a guy who worked there during the War. I did see the ledger for Shauer Speed lathes for the war years. Very interesting to say the least. The D.C. Morrison Company is located in Covington Kentucky if you want to look them up.
Tom Schiffer

1942 MB
1942 Ford 1GT 1-1/2 Military Stakebed
Post Reply