Bridgeport mill advice, about to pull the trigger

wish I would have known this last year...

 

sounds like a real good price! i have seen them sell for quite a bit more at auctions. you should prob buy it.

 

static converters work fine in a garage setting,,, once you have a bridgeport for a while you'll wonder how you got along with out one

 

Mine's a '51 9x42, found it locally on epay so I could go look at it, was nice 'n tight, had an x-axis power feed, and the original 1-1/2 hp GE motor was still strong & silent, paid $1500 for it about 5 yrs ago. I also picked up a tight 16x60 South Bend that came out of Berkeley Pump, and have both on static converters, HD 1-3 hp verions made for mill, lathe, drill press use, both work very well and plenty of power for my hobby uses. This is the one I have

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Static-3-Ph...lectrical_Equipment_Tools&hash=item53e58917dd

 

I think you use the serial number stamped on the way guard of the knee when you run the cross feed in a little to get a date for the machine. The head could have been changed. Kinda like a Model A, the chassis number is more important than the engine number.



http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Static-3-Pha...item53e58917dd
i run a similar converter and use it on two machines. They can both run off the same box. I don't know how it does this but it works. the two machines can run at the same time, too.

 

I bought my inlaws house, and my father inlaw had already passed away. He had an Index brand milling machine and 8' lathe and a trip hammer. Sold them about 10 years ago, and got next to nothing for the milling machine, wasn't computerized. I regret selling it now, but had no idea I would have any interest in it. Anyway, they were all 3 phase and he had a homemade motor setup for it to convert it. My brother has a woodworking millshop, he sold the commercial building he owned, moved all the machines home, and he bought a phase converter, so it can be done, and not that expensive. Good luck with your purchase!

 

I just paid $3,600 for a Bridgeport all painted and what needed rebuilding was fixed ,9X42,R8 spindle, power feed ,X-Y digital axis made in 1971.thats what a good one goes for here. I haven't even got it home yet, waitng for the ice that came new years to melt off the roads. Steve

 

I agree with the static phase converter deal. I have owned a industrial machine shop for 25 years and all I have ever used is static converters. Make sure you buy the heavy duty series and also be sure the converter is made for the HP of your motor. JC

 

I think you can make your own from these plans.

http://www.truetex.com/dcdrv.htm

 

I bought my 1969 vintage B'port in 1988 for $2300 with the 9" x 48" table, Heidenhain DRO, power x-axis, variable speed head. It had a crappy vise that I gave away, had some collets, a coolant system, one-shot oiling. The head had been rebuilt in 1984 or so.

I got a Phase-a-Matic static converter at a local tool close out store, splurged big time on a Kurt vise, an Albrecht chuck and other assorted goodies. The DRO is just about shot now and I have a new spindle for it, still in the box. Its due for a refurb.

For $1000, I wouldn't expect a whole lot of machine. Those are best if you can see them set up in a shop first, powered up. I went for the better machine since I make parts that have to be right or I don't get paid.

But, if its not too beat up, you can make some cool stuff just dialing off the numbers without a DRO. Pick up an edge finder, a good enough vise, an economy set of R8 collets, a decent drill chuck, a finger stop, some parallels and you'll be making parts before you know it.

Bob

 

You need to check out, Practical machinist. It like the Hamb but all machine related. Tons of smart people to help with your delema.

 

Just wanted to give an update. Because of time restraints I was not able to bring a trailer with me. I did check it out still. Everything looked real good from what I read about testing the ways and stuff. Super smooth all the way through. The guy didn't have a plug wired to it though. I told him I would buy it if I could pick it up on Saturday and see it run first. He accepted. I also asked him if he knew anyone with a lathe for sale. He brought me to another warehouse with a smithy and two hardinge lathes for sale. Saturday he is going to bring me to a friends shop with more lathes for sale. Really hoping to pick up a south bend. Thank you for all the responses. I'm sure I will have plenty of other questions and maybe show a thing or two off that I made

 

Congrats on the Bridgeport. If you can afford the Hardinge that is the way to go, provided it's a toolroom lathe not just a chucker.

 

The chuckers are limited, agree on the tool room lathe as well. Even older ones going back to 1959 or so are desirable. The bad thing about a Hardinge is that it totally spoils you for anything else.

Bob

 

Where'd you guys come up with a chart of years?

Second my dad and i have been arguing on whether or not geting a bridgeport into our garage is gunna crack the crap outa the floor, it is only 3 1/2" thick and probably as thin as 3" in some places, what do you guys think?

 

Shaggy! Should not be a problem. If it was a hammer press or shear with a pounding action, then i would worry.

 

I forget where I deciphered the age of my mill. It may have been within the paperwork that came with it, from Bridgeport. I'm sure you can decode it online.

I probably have the crappiest slab in my shop and I have the mill sitting on adjustable mounts, all leveled out with a precision machinery level. No cracks, no vibration ever. I've had some heavy parts on the table too.

Bob

 

Lots of stuff available for the South Bend as well.

 

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a South Bend, didn't mean it that way. Did you ever drive a new Cadillac, kind of spoils you fto get back in your dependable Vega.

 

Bridgeport has always referred as a poormans jig borer,depending on what kind of work you are useing it for and how accurate you need .Bridgeports have been around forever.Useing it for brackets and oneoff projects it will be great.You will wonder how you ever did without one.The price is good,did the machine have a swivelhead and can you move ram in and out.Collets ru about 100. on ebay ,clamping sets 60.00

 

Thought I would update this. Just got back from my adventure of picking this thing up. I'll post some pics tomorrow and a small video of pulling it out of the shop. But until then, here's how it went.

Waited for the guys call all day. Finally around 4 he called so me and a friend headed down there. To start with, the guy had no idea how to plug it in. I stole a plug off one of his other machines and hooked it up to this one. Ran it for a little bit. Everything seemed good so I gave him the cash and told him to grab a fork lift. Well, apparently the forklift at the shop was out of propane. Crap!!!! So he goes next door and asks to use there forklift. They said no problem but the brakes don't work. I go over a get the forklift. It looks like it's sat for the last 30yrs. Well to make a long story short, the fork lift also had leaking rams so I would slowly leak down. Well 1hr later I had it on the trailer. Averaged 30mph on the trip home!!!! Can't wait to do something with this beast!!

 

Eviltwin, guess it's too late for this. But when transporting B-ports you should lower the table and turn the head upside down to lower center of gravity. If you can pick it up be the eye bolt in the top of the ram. That's safer then from the bottom.

 

So I picked up mine a few years ago....Go get a static phase converter. You lose a 1/3 of your horsepower, but you'll never notice. Should be about $150 delivered to your dorr. Enco has a great DRO, (Anilam) the rest of your tooling will nickle and dime ya' to death. You're going to be envy of the 'hood

 

I did lower the table all the way but didn't touch the head. Once I got outside the shop I through it on a pallet and put it on the trailer. My boss is going to bring his tractor with fork attachments to my house tomorrow to unload it for me.

 

I did lower the table all the way but didn't touch the head. Once I got outside the shop I put it on a pallet and put it on the trailer. My boss is going to bring his tractor with fork attachments to my house tomorrow to unload it for me. Don't know how I'm gonna get it to the back of my garage though.

I was hoping to get a rotary convertor but I might just go static for the price. A dro is a little to pricey for me right now. First thing I'm going to do with this is machine some ar15 lowers

 

You can find DRO's on craigslist, sometimes on worn out and broken mills that are cheaper than the DRO is itself...I'm fortunate enough to have been a machinist and moldmaker for the past 14 years, so I've amassed all the tooling and measuring equipment I need, I'm just missing the mill and lathe ...I'm hoping that when I buy the next house with a shop that I can buy one of our used mills and lathes from where I work and be able to do more at home without having to make parts at work...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260708500451&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

DRO for whatever you want...avg. 60$ or so an axis...

 

I have a J2 with static phase convertor from eBay. Works just fine. Get a clamp set, a big vise, and a set of R8 collets. Next will probably be a rotary table. Keep the ways clean and lubed, and it should last a lifetime. Have fun!

 

wow, that cheaper than i thought. thanks for the link.

I got a set of r8 collets for cheap when i picked it up. I also bought two vises from the guy. For $130 bucks i got a 6" lock tight and a 6" kurt!!!!!!!!!!!

any one got a good place to buy a clamp set! I dont want to buy any china crap!

 

Eviltwin, Egyptian it in place. Sit it on 3 steel rods. My then 10 year old son and I put mine in place. I pushed and he moved the three 3/4 inch diameter rods from back to front one at a time as they spit out the back. Bigger rods make it easier, sweep the floor before you start. EZ! I have 2 BP's, both bought new and on a converter. Buy a Kurt-lock vise and Albrecht drill chuck, they are worth EVERY penny they cost. A worn vise will only cause you trouble, parts out of square or worse parts pulled out of the vise while milling. Welcome to the world of always needing one more tool to finish the job. I did many many parts needing $80 for tooling for a $30 part. And like others have said you will acquire lots of best friends.