Squeaking horizontal mill

ericc

Active User
Registered
Joined
Dec 24, 2013
Messages
1,107
Recently, I purchased a horizontal mill. It looks like a Burke #4. These are simple mills, and I just opted for a shallow disassembly, cleaning and lube. I did not pull the tapered roller bearings, but just pushed a little grease in the ends. They seemed pretty well taken care of anyway. Put it back together, and it ran fine and cut fine. Acrylic plastic, pre-hardened alloy, all great! Just couldn't cut pockets, but that's for later. After a few cuts, a squeaking noise appeared. It kind of came and went. I was pretty sure that I had oiled every point. The Burke design doesn't have many places to oil. The machine was already well oiled. I like to oil a lot, since oil is nearly free. Anyway, squeaks are bad, so I disconnected the power feed. Still squeaked. Disconnected the spindle. No squeak. It is the spindle. Turns out that this was the overarm center that the arbor spins against. I had already oiled this, and oiled it twice more during operation. It appears that lubrication must be applied to the point. It will not get in to the friction area unless the overarm is taken off. Just dripping it doesn't work. There is probably a better lubricant, but I took it apart again and checked the point, and it was still well lubed after doing my project. It is easy to take off, and oil is nearly free, so I just have to remember. I have never burned up a dead center, but you can tell when a dead center needs more lubrication, and as long as you don't run too fast, you can always dribble a little more, and it will get in. Besides, oil is nearly free.
 
Not sure if I understand what you are saying. Your reference to a dead center, do you mean like in the tailstock of a lathe? If so I remember in the old days we used to use a red lead compound mixed with oil because it was better than just oil. However could you not use a live center in that application. some pictures might help.
 
You might try some motorcycle chain lube with moly disulfide- my jeep cherokee door stop squeaked badly until my mechanic used that. Sticks well too, and lasts quite a while
mark
 
Not sure if I understand what you are saying. Your reference to a dead center, do you mean like in the tailstock of a lathe? If so I remember in the old days we used to use a red lead compound mixed with oil because it was better than just oil. However could you not use a live center in that application. some pictures might help.

The arbor has an MT3 taper in one end that engages with the mill spindle. The other end is supported by the overarm. The overarm has a cone center that fits into a center drilled hole at the end of the arbor. This hole needs to have lubrication. Unfortunately, there is some kind of shroud that keeps oil from getting where it is needed, so it has to be removed and oiled. I'll try some moly, but it is kind of messy.
 
The arbor has an MT3 taper in one end that engages with the mill spindle. The other end is supported by the overarm. The overarm has a cone center that fits into a center drilled hole at the end of the arbor. This hole needs to have lubrication. Unfortunately, there is some kind of shroud that keeps oil from getting where it is needed, so it has to be removed and oiled. I'll try some moly, but it is kind of messy.

I'm assuming that the spindle is held tight in the MT3 taper, with a draw bar, if not it could work loose and cause the center at the other end to tighten up a little.
Can you fit a live center in there, or make something up so it runs in a bearing The problem with running in a dead center is that as the cutter and arbor warm up they expand and linear expansion is always the enemy, as it will make the center tight, squeezing out any lubrication so you need to be constantly adjusting it. just as in a lathe.
 
This is an old skool horizontal mill. No drawbar! But that MT3 taper sticks tight. In fact, when I got the mill, it was difficult to get it the arbor out. I think that in the old days, even cutters were used which did not have drawbar holes, and they were just tapped in with a wooden mallet. That's a good idea using a real bearing. It will require some fairly precise machining, though. Something to think about. As long as I keep an eye on this old thing, it should work out in the short run. It is kind of like dribbling penetrating oil. When the bolt finally comes unstuck, that's when you see how dry all the threads were.
 
If your mill is really a Burke #4 your #3 MT is stuck in there real good because it probably has a brown & Sharp #9 in the spindle as far as the over arm goes it is probably a MT #1 shortened and it should be using a high pressure grease I have a tube in my shop I post the name tomorrow.
This is a dead center that seats in the center of your spindle. I do have a Burke #4 and it should be turning about 80- 100 RPMs for steel a little faster for Alum and Brass.
Regards
dgehricke
 
It is not quite a Burke. It has more slots in the table, but the drive mechanism and the power feed is similar. The bearing retainer and head casting is also similar. It does not have the geared motor, and I suspect it once had one, since the previous owner cobbled a crazy looking jackshaft to use a 1725 rpm standard induction motor. I'm afraid that thing will eventually come apart. I'll try the motorcycle chain lube. Standard oil works fine for my lathe dead center, but this may be a more challenging application.
 
Have you posted any photos ? With photos comes more help.
Regards
dgehricke
 
Hi. I don't know if this will help. I really need to post a picture of the arbor center, but this at least shows the horizontal mill I bought. It looks like a Burke #4, almost.

verthead.jpg
 
Back
Top