Advice on a BP Milling Machine

[Leaky88]

Just about got all the DEMAND maintenance done on my fleet of vehicles and I'm looking to buy a "used" Milling Machine. Always wanted one, and I'm not getting any younger.

Been told Bridgeport (BP) is the way to go for parts support. J-Heads with R8 collets is preferred.

Does anyone have info on this one? How can I find out more about it? Any assistance/advice would be much appreciated.

Here is the info I've been given so far:
-It's a horizontal milling machine that has been retro fitted to be a vertical milling machine with a Bridgeport head.
-Uses a 3 Phase motor type DIM90L4 Spec - 35B01-593. Frame - 145T-520M.. 200V. 5.9 amps. 3450 RPM. Cycle - 60. SER F - 1.20. Class - A. DES - B. Code - H.
-The horizontal part runs on a Baldor 2 hp 3 Phase motor.
-Spindle speeds - 275, 2100 and 4250. Serial - M24990.

Thanks.

Leaky

 

[BillK]

I am not sure what that concoction is but its not what you want. You want a vertical milling machine. Here is an example : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bridgeport-...475?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aed834be3

 

[Kevin54]

I am not sure what that concoction is but its not what you want. You want a vertical milling machine. Here is an example : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bridgeport-...475?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aed834be3

^^^^THIS^^^^

That mill looks like a scratch recipe that was tossed together. I don't think that is all BP, unless I never saw on like that

 

[tdkkart]

Yep, that thing is a cluster, run away fast and don't look back.

 

[383 240z]

Any of these grab your interest?


http://www.hgrinc.com/products/Mach...252-2968488865d4&totalLoaded=30&scrollY=2700&



Thats HGR. Big used industrial tool store. It's near Cleveland.

Bunch of good Wilton and Yost vices in there as well. Keith

 

[Hephaestus29]

The Bridgeport head is probably worth
more than all of the rest of it.

 

[IndyGarage]

That's an old Bridgeport M-head mounted on what looks possibly like a Rockwell horizontal milling machine. The M-Head is mounted to the Overarm of the horizontal with an adapter - that's why it looks like it's mounted sideways to the table.

The M-heads are somewhat lighter duty than the later J-head machines, but still capable.

Two problems with that setup. First, there's not a whole lot of y-travel on that table. Not a lot of X-travel either, but certainly more than the Y.

Second is that M-heads used a variety of spindle tapers - that means you may have to buy some kind of relatively rare tooling for it. If it comes with tooling that might not be a problem.

Depending on what you want to do with it, and whether it's tooled up, it might not be a bad starter machine. If it's pretty cheap, it might not be a bad deal. If it doesn't have a bunch of tooling with it, I'd pass.

 

[xxaler]

M-head is pretty limited. You only have 3.5" quill travel, and like Indygarage said, you can be limited on tooling depending on what taper it has. Three different tapers, No.2 Morse, #7 B&S, or B3 and all of which are hard to find collets for.

The fact that it's mounted on a horizontal means its mostly useless for anything of size. For small stuff with a quillmaster or something? You'll have a ball of a time, heck, take that vertical head off and you might have a good learning experience on the horizontal mill itself! All depends on the condition, weight, and price.

 

[justanengineer]

Its a US Machine Tools horizontal and has been on craigslist most of the winter. I believe it was even posted once here previously, I know it was on PM at least once. JMO and not sure what is being asked for it now, but anything over $500 is too much.

 

[kazlx]

Run as fast as you can from that.

 

[Slick111]

Pay more up front for a newer mill in better shape I looked for 4 years for a Bridgeport never found anything that was not worn out to far away old electronic displays or totally huge finally got a 2 year old ACER 3VS with tons of R-8 tooling modern DRO displays and 2 axis power drives for 7 grand yes it is made in Taiwan as is Bridgeport now any way the ACER is a very nice quality accurate machine.

 

[zkling]

Unless sub $200 pass, even then not sure if it would be fooling with. Someone stuck a bridgeport head on a old 2nd op slotting mill (see how there is only one table slot and limited Y travel).

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

I'd buy a Taiwanese copy of a Bridgeport. Years ago I made an adaptor to put a 2J head on a old Index mill at a place I worked, worked ok, but not great. Was much nicer to use one of the 4 Bridgeports.

 

[Leaky88]

To ALL,

Thanks for input on this. My reservations were confirmed by you guys and set in concrete when Seller said "NO" to Best Offers.

Thanks.
Leaky

 

[R.Anderson]

To ALL,

Thanks for input on this. My reservations were confirmed by you guys and set in concrete when Seller said "NO" to Best Offers.

Thanks.
Leaky

Out of curiosity what is the seller's set price on the frankenstein mill?

 

[Leaky88]

$600 and the offer to help move it out of his house. Judging from the picture, that would take some planning.

 

[rsanter]

I would give $150 for it in a heartbeat. Then I would part it out and make a little money doing it

Bob

 

[shocwav3]

M heads are also lacking low end speed required for some reaming operations (if you think thats an issue you may run into?). If its cheap enough the head alone is worth it.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Don't get stuck looking for a Bridgeport. Many of the clones are far superior. I have an old worn Bridgeport. Its the next thing I would like to upgrade but I will be looking at all the clones.

 

[404]

Tree milling machines are also nice. Most people know only the Bridgeport name so prices are higher. Several USA tool makers made excellent vertical milling machines. Built in power feed on at least x and y are nice to have.

A spindle taper that is still in use today really helps. R8, and the 30, 40. 50, tapers (in either NMTB, CAT, or BT). Long ago each machine maker liked to have their own spindle tapers, to force the user to buy their tooling. That tooling can be impossible and expensive to get now, IMO not worth fussing with if another machine is available.

CAT I think stands for Caterpillar Tractor, and they said to all the machine tool makers, we will only buy machines from you if they have one of the CAT spindles. So the CATs are one of the standards today.

I ended up with a Van Norman 22LU, the spindle can go anywhere between vertical and horizontal. Power feeds as well, running on a self made converter.

 

[Neppo1345]

I've been seeing this post locally since the beginning of the year.

Every time I see it, I get excited by the title and price (Bridgeport Milling Machine - $600.00), and then open the post only to be terribly disappointed.