Topic: My snotty filthy new Bridgeport milling machine

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

I recently purchased an old mill and have begun the process of cleaning.....yikes. The X axis shakes and everything is stuck with aluminum dust. Either way I am frigging pumped to have my own mill.

This morning I had to remove the head and motor. Just like when you go to WebMD and look up "rash" I had gone to Google and looked up "removing a Bridgeport mill hear"...ug. I found so many drawn out over built well thought out approaches to undo those 4 bolts. I took notes. Made a fixture, bolted it to the bed, bla bla...got stuck 1/4" from coming completely out dut to the bandsaw table (in pic). I ended up just bearhugging the frigging think and pulled it away. Done. Be careful.




I used some WD40, orange degreaser, laquer thinner and a brass wire brush. only had about 30 mins to play.

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

I just looked up the serial number...it is a 1961. 

[scottly]

Hey, snotty filthy is better than dry, rusty, and crusty!

[Stev-o]

Can't wait to see what you can make with that. What's first on the play sheet?

[Retro Rocket]

Nice score your honor   

[BLUE71TURBO]

 Now come's the real " VERY EXPENSIVE " fun part.....accumulating the tooling to do all those fun projects !   
 I know this from hanging with my best friend who is a retired machinist from Santa Fe Railroad. The amount of tooling and knowledge he has is amazing. Everyday i learn something new from him. The first major piece's to add will be a rotory table and a clamp like the one in the picture below. 

  Here is the mill i use with digital readout attached..........

   

 

[strynboen]

i just got this russian stanko..  tool maschinery are just great ..all can be done..just get a idea and do it....

[faux fiddy]

I recently purchased an old mill and have begun the process of cleaning.....yikes. The X axis shakes and everything is stuck with aluminum dust. Either way I am frigging pumped to have my own mill.

This morning I had to remove the head and motor. Just like when you go to WebMD and look up "rash" I had gone to Google and looked up "removing a Bridgeport mill hear"...ug. I found so many drawn out over built well thought out approaches to undo those 4 bolts. I took notes. Made a fixture, bolted it to the bed, bla bla...got stuck 1/4" from coming completely out dut to the bandsaw table (in pic). I ended up just bearhugging the frigging think and pulled it away. Done. Be careful.




I used some WD40, orange degreaser, laquer thinner and a brass wire brush. only had about 30 mins to play.

You musta got a deal?
 

Fixer uppers  if you can make them accurate you end up with the advantage a shop full of useable machines  and none of the disadvantages of $350,000 of debt

[faux fiddy]

....from what I gather they go for $3500 most anywhere and in a wide range  of conditions, but there are deals to be had.  A friend just picked a  surface grinder that a guy wanted to keep together but only asked 3,000# scrap price for it .

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

I have a rotary table and a couple 6" vices already. My first plan is to use it for cleaning up my alloy points covers. I have been trying to program a CNC lathe to do the simple contour...frigging thing don't like me. Rotary table, 45° angle turn turn turn. I am thinking about putting a stepper motor onto the table.....

[faux fiddy]

I have a rotary table and a couple 6" vices already. My first plan is to use it for cleaning up my alloy points covers. I have been trying to program a CNC lathe to do the simple contour...frigging thing don't like me. Rotary table, 45° angle turn turn turn. I am thinking about putting a stepper motor onto the table.....

Practical machinist forum? I think that's what it's called. My buddy is on there, setting up a 4 axis cnc.

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

I just joined last night! "frankenstuff" is the name. I have been going there a lot to see how things move and come apart.
I built a small 3 axis cnc east year. Rather than converting this mill into CNC I am going to build a 3 axis table....to sit on the table. Only needs about 2" in the z. Just a daydream right now. What I really need is a frigging garage or building to use. Basement no good no more.

[333]

I might have mentioned this before; OWWM.org. (Old Wood Working Machines).  Because of the demand, they added a metal working area about a year ago. Great resource.

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Thanks for the tip Stan. I did some cleaning up my new woodshop area.
It is going to be a busy summer. After the mill I still have to move the band saw.

[faux fiddy]

Rather than converting this mill into CNC I am going to build a 3 axis table....to sit on the table. Only needs about 2" in the z. Just a daydream right now.

 You can do some stuff with a turntable. Adds an axis (?)

Those guys at practical machinist are where to go. Those guys have a lot of sh8 in their necks about how to ....

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Yeah so, I got kicked out of work with the mill. I am now
 doing the cleanup in my basement. All of the rust looking stuff is
mahogany dust. This mill was used in a pattern making shop in the 60's
and 70's. Fun fun fun. I am 3 hours and 2 glasses of scotch into the
cleanup......

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Blue turbo man- I am looking into getting a phase converter so I can just plug the mill into my  220 dryer outlet......what do you think?

[BLUE71TURBO]

 Mr. " F "  I'm the last guy you wanna talk electrical stuff with, but i found this on the web..........

                       http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-116503.html

  Hope this helps ya !   

[strynboen]

in denmark,,north europa, ve have 400 volt 3 fase..ve can drive a 3 fase engine with a kondensator..to kompensate for 2 fases..but the engine loose 1/3 of power.(.but aur 1 fase are 240 volt 16 amps..)

if you not are use the mashine for hard vork..it can fine vork on 2/3 power..i have a diragram for kondensator yf kapasity/hk/kw..at min work.( elektro revinding shop.) takes a few days before i get there

the kond kosts nothing..but you gets not the free rpm as the converder gives

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Bought a static phase converter for the mill. Like styro says, I will lose a bit of HP but....I am not doing heavy stuff.

[754]

I used to run a pricey Delta RotoPhase..7.5 hp max,  multiples up to 25 hp total..worked well.
 So are you going to get one for the bandsaw too.?

[scottly]

I have a rotary phase converter on my BP that was made from a used 3 phase motor, with some capacitors and some other device. I'm guessing the motor may be 5 HP, and it works fine for my 2 HP spindle motor, but it wouldn't run a 3 HP series2 BP. (That's why I ended up with it )

[faux fiddy]

The electrician is working on the phase converter this month. Ea$ier than stringing  it  up from the nearest pole which costs in excess of $10k.

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

I just got the bed off and into the basement.

[Stev-o]

how ya gonna get the rest of it down there?!