Bridgeport Mill project

[Roger 1]

This spring I picked up this old Bridgeport mill along with some other used equipment. I decided to freshen it up with a new coat of paint and this is what happend.

[Roger 1]

I still have a long way to go but I'm making progress...

[kevnmcd]

WOW! Great job!

[Roger 1]

wow looks good. Epoxy?

Thank you. No, believe it or not it's just plain old Rustoleum oil based enamel thinned with acetone. It takes a long time to set up and it never really hardens but it's really chip resistent and great for indoor shop equipment.

[RiverDave]

WOW!!! Looks great!

RD

[=River Perfection=]

Came out nice!! We have an older Makino surface grinder that got the same treatment. The guy that did it for us used an epoxy, but that looks just as good. Just be careful if you use a coolant mist. Many water soluble coolants will eat the rattle can paint right off that thing.

[Roger 1]

Came out nice!! We have an older Makino surface grinder that got the same treatment. The guy that did it for us used an epoxy, but that looks just as good. Just be careful if you use a coolant mist. Many water soluble coolants will eat the rattle can paint right off that thing.

Thank you for the compliment and the heads up about the coolant. I didn't use rattle can paint on this one, (not that there's anything wrong with that), but Rustoleum that came out of a gallon can thinned with acetone. It seems to be a little better grade once it's had some time (a lot) to set up. I have some equipment that I painted about 20 years ago and it's held up pretty well and is a little more chip resistant than epoxy (not as hard). I'm sure that it will dull down a little with time but I expect as much. At the end of the day it's still Rustoleum and has its limits.

I just ordered some more small pieces today and will post more pictures as the project progresses.

Roger

[rivermobster]

Thats gonna be bitchin when it's all done! :thumbsup

[Racey]

That is straight up bitchin! I can't believe how much casting flaw there is in the base of the mill, i wonder what the reject factor was on those castings.... i mean if that flaw was over on the Z way it would be totally useless..... that's CRAZY!!!!

Very cool project. You're the one that also rebuilt that Apex sander right?

[Roger 1]

Yes, I'm the one that did the Apex disc sander. Thanks for the kind words.

Roger

[Roger 1]

I was pretty surprised to see how many slag inclusions that the casting had as well. They didn't spend much time prepping the casting either and had what I'm sure was a great big bucket of green putty to make it all smooth. That crap didn't feather well either. So, I started grinding as much as I could so I didn't need as much putty (bondo) as they used.

Racey;
Yes, I'm the one that did the Apex disc sander..I'll never learn......:D

[Racey]

I was pretty surprised to see how many slag inclusions that the casting had as well. They didn't spend much time prepping the casting either and had what I'm sure was a great big bucket of green putty to make it all smooth. That crap didn't feather well either. So, I started grinding as much as I could so I didn't need as much putty (bondo) as they used.

Racey;
Yes, I'm the one that did the Apex disc sander..I'll never learn......:D


If you have the time, equipment, and knowledge to invest in rebuilding these machines for your owner personal use that is awesome :thumbsup I don't think you could make any type of living out of doing it just because of the sheer amount of labor involved, but when you are doing things for yourself that doesn't matter so much :cool:

[RiverDave]

Are you regrinding / scraping the ways? As well are you putting in new lead screws etc?

I just brought an another mill into my shop.. My personal mill has all ballbearing / ground lead screws in it.. I'm sure this new one doesn't..

I can't afford to put the good stuff in it, but I'd like to make it as nice as possible...

Suggestions?

RD

[Roger 1]

Are you regrinding / scraping the ways? As well are you putting in new lead screws etc?

I just brought an another mill into my shop.. My personal mill has all ballbearing / ground lead screws in it.. I'm sure this new one doesn't..

I can't afford to put the good stuff in it, but I'd like to make it as nice as possible...

Suggestions?

RD


I'm not re-scraping the ways because I don't know how to do it. I wish that I could. I used a stone to knock down any burrs or high spots that were on them and got the sadle and table traveling real smooth. I replaced the cross feed nut inserts with the newer two piece units so I can adjust them a little tighter to make up for the wear. Money is very tight right now so I have to limit myself on what I do with it. I know that it will be able to more than match my limited machine tool ability once it's up and running.
I restored the one shot lube system that was on it and made sure that the lower cross feed nut was getting lube before I put the table on. That took a lot more work than I had anticipated due to the fact that it was never right from day one.
I'll try and get some updated pictures posted soon. As it stands I have re-installed the turret, ram and adapter
as well as the saddle and bed. Today, I'm working on getting the DRO sensors put back on and the cables routed in a somewhat orderly fashion.
I think that I'm going to put the head on it and see that it functions properly before detailing and repainting it. I'd hate to make it look nice only to find out that it needs to be torn down for repairs.
Thank you for the interest.

Roger A. Holmberg

[RiverDave]

Please take a lot of pictures and detailed instructions on replacing lead screws, etc.. etc.. I think I'm going to take this one apart. I'm not sure if i'm going to send it out to have it reground and hand scraped again or not..

The ways are smooth on it, and I know that's not a good thing.. I'm just questioning how bad it actually is.

RD

[Yellowboat]

The "texture" is there to hold oil/grease. if it still does that, I'd say its fine.

[Roger 1]

Please take a lot of pictures and detailed instructions on replacing lead screws, etc.. etc.. I think I'm going to take this one apart. I'm not sure if i'm going to send it out to have it reground and hand scraped again or not..

The ways are smooth on it, and I know that's not a good thing.. I'm just questioning how bad it actually is.

RD

I have most of it put back together so it's kind of hard to see some of the things that I would need to show you. On the other hand, these things are really pretty basic and simple to work on.
Here is one place that I have gotten my parts from that seem to be pretty helpful.
http://www.icai-online.com/?gclid=CLq9xs7_-qQCFYL75wodkWsTzA
There is another place that sells books on rebuilding these things and I'll try and post that one in a little while. You can always give me a call and I will be glad to offer any advice that I can. Please be advised that I don't do this as a living and just sort of end up doing this sort of thing out of nessecity.

Here is a place that sells the books....http://www.machinerypartsdepot.com/site/1478157/product/BRM-J

Call me if you need help.
Roger (815) 939-1114 (Shop)

[Roger 1]

Here are a few pictures that are more recent. It's a little further along that the last picture would indicate. About all that's left to do is install a new power cord and fire it up. I had the head on it and found a few pieced missing from the quill feed trip mechanism and replaced those and got that adjusted and working properly. I will post more when it's totaly finnished.

Roger

[Roger 1]

Power feed unit.

[Roger 1]

A few more...

[RiverDave]

Wow that is coming out nice!!

RD

[Roger 1]

Thanks Dave!

[rivermobster]

Wow that is coming out nice!!

RD

X2 :thumbsup

[Roger 1]

Finnished!

[RiverDave]

I would pay you to do that to mine.. LOL I'm concerend it wouldn't come back as accurate as it is now though..

RD

[Roger 1]

I would pay you to do that to mine.. LOL I'm concerend it wouldn't come back as accurate as it is now though..

RD

Thanks but with all the time this one took, it would be cheaper to buy a new one.:(

[CoolCruzin]

nice nice nice.
Hate to see hot oily chips/coolant hitting it.
I had one that looked like that at one time.Makes me want to clean up
the one I have.

[sergeantmike]

"I'd hate to make it look nice only to find out that it needs to be torn down for repairs.
Thank you for the interest.

Roger A. Holmberg"

Roger.... I met a guy in the '70's who built his own telescope... everything other than grinding the lenses. His name was Harrison something... Amazing attitude toward precision workmanship.

Seeing your work on this project is, for lack of other words, beautifully precise. I think you two would have gotten along well.

You and Harrison have more class and ability in your toe nail clippings than I have in my entire body.:bowdown::bowdown:

[Roger 1]

"I'd hate to make it look nice only to find out that it needs to be torn down for repairs.
Thank you for the interest.

Roger A. Holmberg"

Roger.... I met a guy in the '70's who built his own telescope... everything other than grinding the lenses. His name was Harrison something... Amazing attitude toward precision workmanship.

Seeing your work on this project is, for lack of other words, beautifully precise. I think you two would have gotten along well.

You and Harrison have more class and ability in your toe nail clippings than I have in my entire body.:bowdown::bowdown:


WOW. Thank you for the kind words. I'm working on a small tool room lathe now and have just about gotten this equipment restoration bug out of my system.

[rivermobster]

Wow. That came out bitchin. Your not gonna use it are ya?? It's too purdy to get all dirty!!!

Great job. :thumbsup

[Roger 1]

Wow. That came out bitchin. Your not gonna use it are ya?? It's too purdy to get all dirty!!!

Great job. :thumbsup

Thank you and yes, I'm going to use it...but I really don't wanna'.......lol.

[jryan11518]

If the people you got it from could only see it now. All they would be able to say is no way you gotta be kidding me. That cant be mine? good work

[Roger 1]

If the people you got it from could only see it now. All they would be able to say is no way you gotta be kidding me. That cant be mine? good work

Thank you, the person that I bought it from is a very good friend and has been aware of its progress all along. I'm in the last stages of finishing up the small tool room lathe that I bought from Him as well. I'll start a new thread on that as soon as it's up and running.

Roger

[Roaddogg 4040]

That mill came out pretty well. I'll give ya a hundred bucks for it only if you teach me how to use it...;):D Awesome job...

Steve

[The Doctor]

Wow Roger! That's impressive work! Let us know if you ever get bored and would like to go through another like that one. :D

[Roger 1]

Wow Roger! That's impressive work! Let us know if you ever get bored and would like to go through another like that one. :D

Thanks but I think that this one will last me a while.:D