Bridgeport

**Anorak Bob** · 31st August 2012, 08:22 PM

I had the take my daughter's car to a repair shop to have the alternator checked. There was a Bridgeport J Head Mill with a 42 inch table in a corner surrounded by junk. I enquired and was told it was for sale. 3 large.

I went back home and did some research. The mill could be 20 to 30 years old, Bridgeport manufactured mills in Singapore during that period. The bloke selling it said that he bought it from Singapore but he reckoned it was American. Every readable label on the machine displayed "Singapore" in the text. He also said that it had done very little work in the 15 or so years he had owned it.

My wife came home. I told her of my discovery. She said rather than me go to Melbourne next week and pine over the mill, she would buy it for my birthday. I ( quickly) went back with the camera. The mill is metric. There is 2.8mm (0.110" Bruce

) backlash in Y axis lead screw and 0.5m, say 20 thou in the X. No discernable slop in the Y. The table started to bind either side of about a 200mm wide easily traversable central position.

The Y ways are heavily scored. The down feed handle has been welded on, always a nice touch.

The present owner may not have done much work on the mill but someone else sure had.

I'm sure all these ills could be repaired but I think I might look for another birthday present. Maybe a belt.

BT

ps. I must admit having all that room (clearance) to work in is a strong temptation.

**shedhappens** · 31st August 2012, 08:35 PM

I suppose that it was the lovely yellow paint job that tempted you BT

but...... for 3 g's you would get a really big buckle with your belt

**Stustoys** · 31st August 2012, 08:39 PM

Just look at all that Z

Looks to have a fair amount of Y as well.
R8 spindle?
Hey the speed change lever on top of the spindle isnt broken!

Stuart

**Anorak Bob** · 31st August 2012, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by shedhappens

I suppose that it was the lovely yellow paint job that tempted you BT

but...... for 3 g's you would get a really big buckle with your belt

Shed,

The yellow sheen is rust.

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Just look at all that Z

Looks to have a fair amount of Y as well.
R8 spindle?
Hey the speed change lever on top of the spindle isnt broken!

Stuart

Stu,

The bloke didn't know what the spindle taper was. My literature says R8.
I noticed a few missing things, I didn't notice the lever. The head has been Duluxed.

BT

**simonl** · 31st August 2012, 09:49 PM

Hi Bob,

Do you think he will get $3K for it?

Simon

**Anorak Bob** · 31st August 2012, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by simonl

Hi Bob,

Do you think he will get $3K for it?

Simon

Don't know Simon, probably not.

I was quite excited when I saw it initially but the excitement quickly dissipated when I encountered the scored ways and the backlash. Could be the reason why it has sat there for 15 years.

BT

**Ueee** · 31st August 2012, 10:54 PM

Still a better mill than a new Chinese one, less backlash and much better build quality.....I would think though that after using the shaublim the bridgeport would still feel not as good.
A big belt buckle and a few nice socks sounds pretty good......

**Sterob** · 31st August 2012, 11:06 PM

Might be worth throwing a low offer at him Bob...you never know...he might bite...if its been siting there for a long time.

Restorations are for the pleasure of bringing a piece of equipment back into excellent condition and your pride....they aren't for value for money....

I'm no expert, but I don't think Bridgeports come up too often in Perth?

Just sayin'....lol

Steve

**rodm** · 1st September 2012, 03:00 AM

BT
I agree it might be worth an offer. The Bridgeport gives you a lot more capability albeit not the look, feel or quality of your 13. Maybe have a chat to Les as he refurbished his Bridgeport when he got it. He would certainly have the contacts to get the ways ground and scraped.

The backlash could be overcome by a couple of ballscrews replacing the existing screws or maybe just new Bridgeport nuts will fix it. My new mill has backlash on the X and Y and there is an adjustment for that.

At least there are heaps of new parts on ebay and they seem to be priced well. If anyone can bring this machine back to life you are the person to do it.

Hmmm Melbourne and belt buckles or a Bridgy - your head is going to spin.

**matthew_g** · 1st September 2012, 07:01 AM

CRIKEY !!!!!!!!!!!
I would own it already.....

**C-47** · 1st September 2012, 08:49 AM

Bob,
If memory is correct of that era, the castings were made in Indonesia and finished in Singapore, the head was from the USA. The pancake motor did not have a good reputation for long life. I would have thought the ways should have been chrome plated, but maybe not. If its R8 then more tooling to consider, ah! the first flush of spring. All the best with it. Alan.

**morrisman** · 1st September 2012, 11:16 AM

this one look ok ....

MAS horizontal milling machine with vertical head Auction (0001-3001986) | GraysOnline Australia

**Abratool** · 1st September 2012, 11:34 AM

Bob
After speaking with you on the subject, you may recall I made mention of a Bridgeport my son had been working, & he descibed it as "having a lot of backlash"
A lot of these older machines have seen tough lives.
It was good to see that you took a little time to consider.
Enjoy the trip to Melb.
All the best

Bruce
ps Just reviewed the photos again, & my thoughts were.....please.... NO

**jhovel** · 1st September 2012, 11:35 AM

Bob and other Bridgeport afficionados:
what's going on at the joint of the drive head and the spindle housing on this machine?
The colourand surface finish of the drive housing is different to the rest of the machine and the circled spots show that the catings don't line up at all.
I wonder if the drive head has been replaced at some stage and came from a different factory. I can't imagine that Bridgeport would have let it out of the door like that even in in Singapore.
A better finnished/newer drive head might be a good thing, but certainly indicates something very wrong with the machine's history.
In any case, I am certain that Bob could make that work and glisten like a brand new machine!
I'm protty sure (from what I've read in forums) that you could get a spindle with another taper to suit your tooling Bob.
Go for it Bob.
Joe

**Stustoys** · 1st September 2012, 12:04 PM

Hi Joe,
Not sure about the castings, the ones I have seen dont exactly match. But your picture did get me looking again at something I noticed last night. The arm that engauges the spindle powerfeed is missing. So I would assume everthing in there is missing, which is a fair last gears, clutches, springs etc.

My thoughts are heading towards the sub $1k range(unless there is a lot of tooling sitting in a cupboard somewhere).

Stuart

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