The best 'secret' is to buy a Wells Index mill. Stronger than a Bridgeport, better built, and usually less money. Made in someplace that apparently (?) used to be a manufacturing powerhouse - the USA.
I found mine on craigslist. It isn't a bridgeport....but it cleaned up pretty nice, and I only had to spend another couple hundred to get it making chips.
Check auctions in your area. Especially lightly attended ones. Owning a machine shop has benefits Although my day job is CPA.
Bought my bridgeport knockoff in 95. Currently looking for a CNC Mill. The set up the op posted is extremely dangerous
I have bought two Bridgeports in the $150 price range. Both had a LOT of wear. A friend bought one for similar money that was in excellent condition. It's no different than finding a good car for a low price. They are out there, you just have to actively look for them and be patient.
I scored my 1955 Cincinnati at a farm auction of all places, 3 phase came with a 6" vise, 9"x30" table. I bought an $80 static converter and was making chips. Only hard part was getting it off the trailer. Only paid about $25 more than scrap value!!!!! Keith
Something no one has mentioned is how do you move a 4 thousand pound or more mill? even the smaller mills are good size and where do you put it in your home shop/garage. I looked for an old mill awhile back and couldn't find a good one. If you find find one that is in the $500.00 range it usually is sloppy, making it useless for milling, well tight tollerances anyway.
My mill was about 1000 lbs, it's a small knee mill. Seller loaded with a fork lift, I took it apart in the back of the truck and took out the last piece with an engine hoist. Yeah, it's a problem!
Helped a guy move a mill,we used filled pipe and planks,then lifted it with a front end loader onto a hd trailer.Unloaded and stationed it the same way. Monuments(tombstones)are moved the same way.
When I moved my Bridgeport, I used a tow truck. The type with the adjustable boom and lower cradle. Lifted with the boom and placed it on the cradle. Moved it around the shop with a heavy duty cherry picker.
I have a large A frame to get mine on and off the trailer, but the tow truck was how all the other shops I know moved theirs. Except they always used a flatbed.
I had a rigger move mine for $175 in 1988 $$. It went from the old shop on a flatbed, then off loaded to my garage with a fork lift. They rotated the head to get it in. Mine was $2200 and a '67 vintage, still holds reasonable tolerances of +/-.005 on location. I do need a new DRO for it, slowly my Heidenhain is biting the dust. I also have a new spindle for it in the box. But it owes me nothin', I've made a conservative $150K with it in the past 20 or so years. Bob
I have a friend who builds dragster chassis as well as other OT cages and such, he has an old Bridgeport that is worthless for milling, it's only function is to cope tubing. I helped a friend move his machne shop a couple years ago, just about everything needs to be moved with a fork lift. That being said, picking up an old mill, or lathe for that matter, having them moved may be more $$$ than the purchase
just make a heavy dolly out of a few car dollys and put a few heave D rings on it so you can winch it up onto a trailer and you'll never have a problem agian. just load it on the dolly, winch the dolly onto the trailer, unload it and put it in your shop with the dolly, build the dolly with tie downs on it and build it HEAVY.
A buddy of mine got vertical mill at a government surplus auction......I think it was around $400. We brought it back on a trailer with lift capability.......it weighs about 2500 pounds. It took 5 guys and a bunch of skids, block and tackle to get it off the trailer and positioned in his shop.
I have moved the bridgport with nothing more than a cherry picker/engine hoist. I first removed the head & ram , loaded them in the bed of the truck. Then went back for the base/knee assembly. Usually a fork truck is available on one end...usually the purchase end...the fun comes when you get home. ...That was the story with my lathe ..a 16x60 goodway. seller had a SMALL forktruck , and was able to scoot it to the door & lift up one end...I then backed the rented tilt bed car hauler , with a manual winch under it....I then started cranking while he pushed with the forktruck...went on surprisingly well. When we got home, I backed the trailer into an empty garage bay , with a support column at the back of the bay...tipped the trailer,pinch barred the late to the back of the trailer, attached the lathe with a chain to the base of the pillar , did a little pinch bar work while a friend slowly pulled the trailer out from under the lathe....then to position the lathe in its work location, I lifted the tailstock end with the cherry picker , slid a floor jack under it , then moved the cherry picker to the headstock end, and again lifted with the cherry picker , just enough to get the lathe above it's (cherry pickers) legs to be able to swing the Picker where I wanted. Again a Friend and I completed this in mere minutes, barely breaking a sweat....one note , sweep the floor well before beginning. I have also moved the B-port around the shop with black pipe & pinch bars , again relativly easy. Another Idea I have seen is using a pallet jack on the mills...looked pretty easy....bottom line is ...if there is a will there is a way...I am moving both of the above pieces very soon as I now have room here at home , so I will try & take some pic's....Also If you get a chance at a lathe , and are really looking for a mill , do not pass up the lathe...you can do milling operations on a lathe, with an attachment. Hope this helps ...Shawn
I have a tilt bed car carrier with a winch. We attached the winch to the Bridgeport and dragged it on to the trailer. At home we used the winch with a snatch block to pull it off. picked it up with a large A frame enough to put sections of pipe under it. And did the Egyptian deal rolling and moving pipes to get it in place. Then used a pry bar to set it on the floor.
haha iv done that drill press xy vice thing before. it didnt work too well so i stopped before i got hurt. havent evolved too far though. im still rigging stuff. here is a photo of a shimmed up cast aluminum part getting metal removed on my lathe. there are more photos here http://thatcherworks.blogspot.com/2012/09/milling-on-lathe.html
The Jalopy Journal
