Bridgeport Mill identification

[xxaler]

Bought a Bridgeport mill for $200. Looking for some model information if a anyone knows. The door for the knee there is a plate that says BH1247. On the head it says M2852. I know its an M head and uses MT2 but I'm looking for more information.

 

[stanleyrleonard]

First post--hope it helps: go to www.practicalmachinist.com and "search". Great site for anything you want to know about this particular machine. This machine was manufactured in 1941 [Bridgeports with a prefix of BH-657 thru BH-1549 were made from 1938 to 1941]. Hope this helps.

 

[dr_clyde]

What else would you like to know about it?

 

[xxaler]

Well, that's about all for the frame. I'll search up on practical machinist later for information on the milling head. Thank you very much for the quick help!

 

[zkling]

What else do you want to know about the machine? I'd buy it for that, if you have the space. It would make a good rough mill. It's the most bare bones, bottom of the line bridgeport, (round ram, step pulley, no power down).

What is the phase on the motor? Probably3ph?

 

[xxaler]

What else do you want to know about the machine? I'd buy it for that, if you have the space. It would make a good rough mill. It's the most bare bones, bottom of the line bridgeport, (round ram, step pulley, no power down).

What is the phase on the motor? Probably3ph?

3 Phase, yes. Been at our shop for a long time but no one around these days remembers getting it new, just it being there when they started. The old guy that is master of all here says he's used it for years for light stuff, and that's really all I want it for.

In our shop we have a dovetail ram Bridgeport J-head with belt drive and no power and we give it hell every day of the week. Heck, the most exciting thing around here since they started paving roads was getting an Excello with X-axis power feed!

Any rough idea on weight? Or what capabilities for tooling there are for MT2? Yes, I feel $200 is a good deal considering it's been well-maintained, and the table was rebuilt a few weeks prior to it being put out of service (due to getting the Excello). I rebuilt my grandfathers shop, insulated it, lighting, still rewiring and would like to get a hobby mill an lathe going in the back corner.

I've been dicking around on practicalmachinist.com but I'm not coming up with anything using the numbers I have.

 

[454ragtop]

Might think about switching the head to a J head to be able to use the much more common R8 tooling before investing a lot of $ in tough to come by 2MT tooling.
Good luck, Jim

 

[xxaler]

Might think about switching the head to a J head to be able to use the much more common R8 tooling before investing a lot of $ in tough to come by 2MT tooling.
Good luck, Jim

Thanks Jim, but trying to keep cheap for a while! J-head machines around here even well used are fetching $3000+ on classifieds!

Came with a full set of MT2 collets (1/8"-1/2"), 3/4" jacobs drill chuck, 1/2" no name keyless chuck, and MT2-3/4" weldon. I think this will do for a long time since I'm just working on 3/4-ton and below pickups. Probably going to snag the 4" rotatory and 6" Bridgeport vise with it since they've been sitting in the same container for years.

 

[rsanter]

For $200 buy it and get the vise and the rotary.
Go buy a VFD to run it, that will cost less than $200 so you can power off of single phase.
If you have the full set of collets, that's most of what you need for basic milling and drilling

Clean and lube everything before putting into service

Date on the machine is likly 40s or 50s. Look for a serial number on the knee and you can look at references on the Internet to tell you actual date of mfg

Bob

 

[xxaler]

For $200 buy it and get the vise and the rotary.
Go buy a VFD to run it, that will cost less than $200 so you can power off of single phase.
If you have the full set of collets, that's most of what you need for basic milling and drilling

Clean and lube everything before putting into service

Date on the machine is likly 40s or 50s. Look for a serial number on the knee and you can look at references on the Internet to tell you actual date of mfg

Bob

One step ahead of you. Priced out a 2hp VFD- $275 cash, plug and play.

I will definitely be taking the table off to do a thorough cleaning, most likely was lubed with grease.

 

[zkling]

3 Phase, yes. Been at our shop for a long time but no one around these days remembers getting it new, just it being there when they started. The old guy that is master of all here says he's used it for years for light stuff, and that's really all I want it for.

In our shop we have a dovetail ram Bridgeport J-head with belt drive and no power and we give it hell every day of the week. Heck, the most exciting thing around here since they started paving roads was getting an Excello with X-axis power feed!

Any rough idea on weight? Or what capabilities for tooling there are for MT2? Yes, I feel $200 is a good deal considering it's been well-maintained, and the table was rebuilt a few weeks prior to it being put out of service (due to getting the Excello). I rebuilt my grandfathers shop, insulated it, lighting, still rewiring and would like to get a hobby mill an lathe going in the back corner.

I've been dicking around on practicalmachinist.com but I'm not coming up with anything using the numbers I have.

I'd just run it as is. If you happen to come across a cheap J head, pick it up. The MT2 spindle really isn't that limiting. About the limits of the round ram actually. I have a MT2 tapered small mill and it is not nearly as uncommon as people think. Especially since you already have a decent set of collets. A 1/2" and smaller end mill will be your max for common uses and will do alot. It's not a heavy hogging mill. I think they are around 1600lbs. They are smaller than the common J head, dovetail ram machines.

 

[cptn_zippy]

Well, a $200 Bridgeport gets a "you ****" from me...have fun making chips!

 

[rsanter]

Yup, that is a good deal
I already have a J head and I would have bought it for $200

Bob

 

[stanleyrleonard]

Re: Posts #2 and #6
In my haste to be helpful, I may have unintenionally confused the issue. BPs began with BH-1 in 1938. BH-657 thru BH-1549 were mfg in 1941; therefore your machine base was mfg in 1941. Now for a few sites:

www.lathes.co.uk Specs, everything--M heads are on p. #2 of Milling, Drilling, and Boring heads--bottom of the page. Great site for specific info.
www.google.com Google "bridgeport mill M head manual [123 pp].
www.practicalmachinist.com Mother Lode of information on head conversions and just about all you would want to know about a BP--beware--thousands of posts from the finest experts in the machine tool world. As an aside, the general consensus on that site states the diffulculty in determining which base came with what head. Please use their search window for M Head specifics. Sincerely hope this clarifies my original post.

 

[xxaler]

All unloaded and started cleaning. I've already located a new motor just need to pick it up.

One thing I really would like to do is repair the missing turn-handle fine quill feed. The whole gear shaft, and handle is missing. Any leads on where I could find the shaft and some of the parts at least? Kneemillparts.com brings up nothing for this older M-head even with the actual Bridgeport part numbers from the catalog.

Table moves great, quill feeds fine, and the nasty looking stuff is coming off very easy. Not much grease underneath so I'm pretty sure it won't be much of a hassle to clean it out and move over to oil. Everything is better with pictures.

 

[xxaler]

More pictures.

Re: Posts #2 and #6
In my haste to be helpful, I may have unintenionally confused the issue. BPs began with BH-1 in 1938. BH-657 thru BH-1549 were mfg in 1941; therefore your machine base was mfg in 1941. Now for a few sites:

www.lathes.co.uk Specs, everything--M heads are on p. #2 of Milling, Drilling, and Boring heads--bottom of the page. Great site for specific info.
www.google.com Google "bridgeport mill M head manual [123 pp].
www.practicalmachinist.com Mother Lode of information on head conversions and just about all you would want to know about a BP--beware--thousands of posts from the finest experts in the machine tool world. As an aside, the general consensus on that site states the diffulculty in determining which base came with what head. Please use their search window for M Head specifics. Sincerely hope this clarifies my original post.

Thanks again, very informative and I really appreciate it! I've been bumming around practical machinist the past few days when I get a chance. A lot of hate for this head there, apparently everyone can afford top of the line machines.. haha.

 

[KMScott]

Real Nice xxaler, watch your backlash, use sharp cutters buy a good vise and have a great time. I remember when I bought my first Bridgeport in 1984.

 

[xxaler]

Real Nice xxaler, watch your backlash, use sharp cutters buy a good vise and have a great time. I remember when I bought my first Bridgeport in 1984.

It has a bit of backlash, but nothing too serious. I have quite a bit of tooling at work I don't use at work so I'll bring it home. Already have a pretty nice vise, thought I posted a picture of it already! Has yours been kicking around since 84' or long gone by now?

 

[KMScott]

I moved it up to a good friends home in Riverton WY. I have a Miltronics CNC I use now that took it's place, it is a old one, built in 1995 but works perfect for what I do. You will have a ball with yours.