Lathe, mills, drills, slotters, shapers and grinders (not angle grinders)

[Hardweld]

I almost certainly don't need to buy this, but if I did, what should I look out for?

I haven't used a mill since school, and even then that was basic stuff and this looks a bit fancy, and probably doesn't work...

Bridgeport BRJ 1HP Vertical and Turret Milling Machine, power feed, table 9in x 42in, 8 speeds, 6

Bid Live on Lot 14 in the Engineering, Fabrication and Woodworking Machinery, 3 Caltherm Stoving/Curing Ovens, Gantry and Jib Cranes Auction from Pinder Asset Solutions.

www.bidspotter.co.uk

Looks very straight and well cared for. If you can go see it and run it that would be great , check is everything tight. I took a gamble on an XYZ mill similar to this one on an auction without seeing it. It has been great , I was lucky, it only needs a few little things fixed. There is loads of great YouTube vidoes on how to work these.

 

[Swarfmonkey]

I almost certainly don't need to buy this, but if I did, what should I look out for?

I haven't used a mill since school, and even then that was basic stuff and this looks a bit fancy, and probably doesn't work...

Bridgeport BRJ 1HP Vertical and Turret Milling Machine, power feed, table 9in x 42in, 8 speeds, 6

Bid Live on Lot 14 in the Engineering, Fabrication and Woodworking Machinery, 3 Caltherm Stoving/Curing Ovens, Gantry and Jib Cranes Auction from Pinder Asset Solutions.

www.bidspotter.co.uk

There's a lot to look out for when buying a Bridgeport, especially an elderly one that's likely to have a lot of wear (it's an early machine, the giveaway being the type of power feed fitted to the table). There's numerous threads on Practical Machinist as to what to look for when buying a used Bridgeport, so it's worth spending a bit of time on there looking them up.

It looks like it's got a decent size riser block fitted, always a useful thing to have to get some more headroom under the spindle.

 

[Ruston3w]

There's a lot to look out for when buying a Bridgeport, especially an elderly one that's likely to have a lot of wear (it's an early machine, the giveaway being the type of power feed fitted to the table). There's numerous threads on Practical Machinist as to what to look for when buying a used Bridgeport, so it's worth spending a bit of time on there looking them up.

It looks like it's got a decent size riser block fitted, always a useful thing to have to get some more headroom under the spindle.

Though everyone looks for a versatile machine like BP, you pay way more than much heavier, better built machine and likely spend more on tooling. If you are just looking forward to doing things better then Parkson, Archdale etc nearly worthless now, especially if you can cope with 3 phase. Just my 2 cents, have fun.
Richard.

 

[Swarfmonkey]

It's swings and roundabouts. BP's ain't cheap but have versatility and pretty good spares availability, whereas an old Archdale or A&S will be cheaper and able to shift a whole lot more metal in a single pass than a BP can, but you run the risk of never being able to track down second-hand spare part(s) should you break something, and at that point you're left with a lot of scrap iron...

 

[Ruston3w]

It's swings and roundabouts. BP's ain't cheap but have versatility and pretty good spares availability, whereas an old Archdale or A&S will be cheaper and able to shift a whole lot more metal in a single pass than a BP can, but you run the risk of never being able to track down second-hand spare part(s) should you break something, and at that point you're left with a lot of scrap iron...

Of course, only trying to put the other side of the argument, though I can't imagine going back to a BP without a fight. Good if you are making model steam engines and the like for sure.

 

[Hardweld]

Of course, only trying to put the other side of the argument, though I can't imagine going back to a BP without a fight. Good if you are making model steam engines and the like for sure.

Interesting , good to know , what is your opinion on an XYZ machines?, I have one and I'm a bit of a novice in machining. It will be milling a certain amount of hardox and wondering is it up to the job

 

[Ruston3w]

Interesting , good to know , what is your opinion on an XYZ machines?, I have one and I'm a bit of a novice in machining. It will be milling a certain amount of hardox and wondering is it up to the job

I'm only a simple farmer so defer to more experienced men but if I was paying for the inserts I wouldn't be milling much hardox, try to design to avoid?
Going full circle, if I did have to mill something horrible I'd be glad I wasn't doing it with a BP.

 

[davidroberts30]

I'm only a simple farmer so defer to more experienced men but if I was paying for the inserts I wouldn't be milling much hardox, try to design to avoid?

should be fine with correct feeds and speeds, you can get exotic metal inserts

 

[Swarfmonkey]

Cemented carbide inserts are fine for hardox. That said, tip geometry, speeds and feeds, and having a decent flow of coolant are critical. This datasheet should help you out.

 

[Hardweld]

Thanks very much for the information , very helpful. I will have a little more confidence when facing the daunting challenge of milling hardox , it sure does make the mill work

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Not sure where to put this if here or in the bodging!!! Anyhow, just before Christmas wanted to get the hedgecutter going but the “dipper” ram was shall we say well coroded. Stripped it down and by some pure luck found a 1 3/4 rod from another ram.

Now the end where gland goes was totally different, did consider machining it down and weld the gland on but took it up to the local machining wizard to screw cut. Unfortunately it would not fit in his lathe and in a nice way he persuaded me to pull my finger out and learn how to screw cut! So, back to drawing board and a few offcuts of 45mm bar in the lathe we set out practicing. Had to order proper tips for the job as normal diamond tips were struggling with the 16tpi pitch! Also learned that a metric lathe will only cut imperial by leaving lead screw engaged and reversing spindle!!! Machined an off cut down, cut a gutter for the tool to stop and spent an hour or two here and there fiddling!!

The results were surprisingly good so cut the eye off the doner rod and set about to machine that one down

Got it down to size then went for it and cut a thread!!

Unfortunately the ram was much harder than the practice pieces and was wearing the tips out even with copious amounts of rocoll cutting paste so the thread is not quite as clean as I had hoped.
Will just need to sort out seals and eeld an eye back onto other end now! Very glad that I tried and wil be trying again with something else!!!

 

[davidroberts30]

Not sure where to put this if here or in the bodging!!! Anyhow, just before Christmas wanted to get the hedgecutter going but the “dipper” ram was shall we say well coroded. Stripped it down and by some pure luck found a 1 3/4 rod from another ram.
View attachment 1165468
Now the end where gland goes was totally different, did consider machining it down and weld the gland on but took it up to the local machining wizard to screw cut. Unfortunately it would not fit in his lathe and in a nice way he persuaded me to pull my finger out and learn how to screw cut! So, back to drawing board and a few offcuts of 45mm bar in the lathe we set out practicing. Had to order proper tips for the job as normal diamond tips were struggling with the 16tpi pitch! Also learned that a metric lathe will only cut imperial by leaving lead screw engaged and reversing spindle!!! Machined an off cut down, cut a gutter for the tool to stop and spent an hour or two here and there fiddling!!
View attachment 1165471View attachment 1165470
The results were surprisingly good so cut the eye off the doner rod and set about to machine that one down
View attachment 1165469

View attachment 1165467View attachment 1165466View attachment 1165465
Got it down to size then went for it and cut a thread!!
View attachment 1165464View attachment 1165463
Unfortunately the ram was much harder than the practice pieces and was wearing the charp tips out even with copious amounts of rocoll cutting paste so the thread is not quite as clean as I had hoped.
Will just need to sort out seals and eeld an eye back onto other end now! Very glad that I tried and wil be trying again with something else!!!

Recently
Both sprayer gullwing rams badly corroded and leaking so 2 new 1.25 inch rods...

 

[Swarfmonkey]

Also learned that a metric lathe will only cut imperial by leaving lead screw engaged and reversing spindle!!!

If you're going to be doing a lot of that then it's worth keeping an eye out for a second hand retractable tool holder.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

If you're going to be doing a lot of that then it's worth keeping an eye out for a second hand retractable tool holder.

It’s a lathe we have at work but have been looking at a lot of toys that could be useful!!! I’m going to experiment a bit with metric pitch next to check the accuracy of the lead screw dial gauge but if it didn’t have ao much of a step it should of been possible to wind the tool out of work everytime then stopping and reversing. As it was I was having to stop the apindle about 5 cuts from the gutter every pass!!!

 

[Wombat]

Looks good, used to do a lot of rams like that. Just buy a length of chrome cut to rough length and machine the ends.

 

[Swarfmonkey]

It’s a lathe we have at work but have been looking at a lot of toys that could be useful!!!

That way lies madness and financial ruin. Before you know it you'll have acquired a Multifix toolpost, an Ainjest high speed threading attachment, and a hydraulic copying unit

I’m going to experiment a bit with metric pitch next to check the accuracy of the lead screw dial gauge but if it didn’t have ao much of a step it should of been possible to wind the tool out of work everytime then stopping and reversing. As it was I was having to stop the apindle about 5 cuts from the gutter every pass!!!

That's where a retractable tool holder really helps out. Run the lathe nice and slow and flip it back when you've reached the end of your cut, also means you don't have to worry about winding the cross slide (or compound, if you're doing it that way) out and then back in plus whatever you're adding for the next cut.

 

[tomlad]

Need a photo i think

 

[Mur Huwcun]

That way lies madness and financial ruin. Before you know it you'll have acquired a Multifix toolpost, an Ainjest high speed threading attachment, and a hydraulic copying unit

Is that before or after we sort out the Cinccinati Miller, find a nice iron worker, a plasma table, 8ft guillotine and press brake and set of hydraulic rollers……

 

[Swarfmonkey]

Quite a shopping list there!

 

[Fendtbro]

Recently
Both sprayer gullwing rams badly corroded and leaking so 2 new 1.25 inch rods...View attachment 1165480View attachment 1165481View attachment 1165482

You can stainless rod for applications like that. No idea the cost tho