Old Mill needs help

[obrian]

It seems I spend my time fixing old tools instead of building engines ( I have started two). A neighbor brought me an old mill and I am trying to clean it up and repair as needed. It is a U.S. made in Conyers Georgia by Childs & Co. It is a bit rusty and dirty but every thing does work. I am just trying to figure out how to get it apart to clean and polish and repaint. If anyone has any info on this it would be helpful. It is all cast iron and very heavy.

Dennis

 

[hamm3r]

Dennis,
I have one of these vertical mills, model 0000 though. I think you'll find that documentation is nearly nonexistent, but I was able to acquire some information from the Smithsonian. Their American History division actually had a couple publications on file for Child's & Co. Specifications for your mill are in them.

I posted the documents over on vintagemachinery.org. Here's a direct link http://www.vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=1994&tab=3

My machine is on the next tab over titled "Photo Index". You should add yours as well since there are no examples of a 000 currently pictured.

Another good source for info on these machines is lathes.co.uk. These two pages cover everything they have about Child's machines.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/childs/index.html
http://www.lathes.co.uk/childs/page2.html

If you do happen to find any other manuals or paperwork, please let me know as I'm still in search of more.

Jeff

 

[obrian]

Jeff,
Thanks for the links to Childs & Co mill. I am in the process of restoration as best as I can. When I am done I will post some photos here and on the other site you mentioned. It will take some time as my time in the shop gets interrupted by other things in life. Like honey do projects, firewood and getting ready for winter. We have had the coldest August I have ever had in my 69 years.

Dennis

 

[RichD]

Yeah, must be Global Warming making it so cold in Idaho I guess?

 

[hamm3r]

Jeff,
Thanks for the links to Childs & Co mill. I am in the process of restoration as best as I can. When I am done I will post some photos here and on the other site you mentioned. It will take some time as my time in the shop gets interrupted by other things in life. Like honey do projects, firewood and getting ready for winter. We have had the coldest August I have ever had in my 69 years.

Dennis

Can't wait to see it cleaned up. If you find a good paint match, I'd much appreciate knowing what it was, as I'd like to do some touch up on mine. I wonder if yours has been painted before, as the color seems lighter and grayer than mine and the cast lettering doesn't have the white/black/red/blue highlighting.

I'm not planning to do a whole lot to mine as I use it just about every day, so not a lot of point in fixing it cosmetically, but I do keep it clean, oiled and working. The only mechanical complaint I have with mine is that the table wobbles a bit along the y axis as you crank the x, probably from the gib wearing after 40-50 years of use. One of these days I'll pull it apart and see about making a new one.

Speaking of taking it apart, did you notice on the lathes.co.uk site there are a couple of pictures of the 00 torn down? Just thought those might be helpful to you.