Bridgeport Mills: Periodic Maintenance is key.

[Racey]

This machine has always been silk to run, i started noticing a slight bit of resistance on the feed handles so apart she comes.

Flush all oil passages, clean all the screws, stone all the ways, clean all the grime, replace all the metering valves, Just do general cleaning and re-assembly.

They come apart pretty easily, if you know what you are doing. You don't need a forklift or hoist, i had this apart in about 2 hours taking my time.

Almost all the problems with these machines are a result of lack of complete maintenance, they will last generations if you stay on top of them, it's when you run them with a problem that they end up destroying themselves.

 

[Racey]

These are a very special stone, not an off the shelf item, They have been precision ground on all sides, flat, square, and parallel to within 0.00005" then hinged on a lab grade A surface plate to verify flatness on all sides. When you run them along a flat surface like a bed way, if the way is flat they will not cut, but rather glide like glass as there are millions of points of contact and not enough pressure on any given point to apply the force needed to cut material. When you come across any spot of more than 50 millionths of an inch in height the stone will break it down, you can hear it and feel it. Really a pretty amazing tool.

Hard chrome still looking really good on this machine, the middle of preoiling before reinstalling the table.

 

[shan]

These are a very special stone, not an off the shelf item, They have been precision ground on all sides, flat, square, and parallel to within 0.00005" then hinged on a lab grade A surface plate to verify flatness on all sides. When you run them along a flat surface like a bed way, if the way is flat they will not cut, but rather glide like glass as there are millions of points of contact and not enough pressure on any given point to apply the force needed to cut material. When you come across any spot of more than 50 millionths of an inch in height the stone will break it down, you can hear it and feel it. Really a pretty amazing tool.
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Hard chrome still looking really good on this machine, the middle of preoiling before reinstalling the table.
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Thanks Racey, I did the same on my Ez-Trak for different reasons. the elevator for the knee was "notchy" for lack of a better descriptor. The spur gear for the driven gear was loose, and I suppose I could have pulled that out easily and moved it and then used trial and error to get it right, but I was worried about damage to the other gear, so I tore it down similarly to what your doing. It was nice to find brass and plastic chips in the knee. This a '98 machine, and the chrome ways are very nice. I've solved the knee lift issue with new gears, but you're right, these things are work horses if you maintain correctly.

 

[Racey]

Thanks Racey, I did the same on my Ez-Trak for different reasons. the elevator for the knee was "notchy" for lack of a better descriptor. The spur gear for the driven gear was loose, and I suppose I could have pulled that out easily and moved it and then used trial and error to get it right, but I was worried about damage to the other gear, so I tore it down similarly to what your doing. It was nice to find brass and plastic chips in the knee. This a '98 machine, and the chrome ways are very nice. I've solved the knee lift issue with new gears, but you're right, these things are work horses if you maintain correctly.

Yessir, contemplated fabing a chip cover for the knee spur in mine, but figured it's made it since 79 and still healthy so just cleaned it and regreased.

My bijur oiler was absolutely wrecked, I didn't even take pictures it was so disgusting, the filter looked like tobacco tar. I completely disassembled it and ran it through the ultrasonic cleaner several times and waiting on new filter elements now. The sludge in the filter elements and bottom of the reservoir were like cold fudge.

 

[79 HUSTLER]

I need to do a deep thorough cleaning of my Lagun but know that it will take me quite a while. With my luck I would have an important job for it while at the worst time.

 

[shan]

Mine has the auto Bijur deal. so there's that. This isn't a VMC, but I don't have to throw a rotary table on it. If you're crafty you can do 2d profiles. I think that's the biggest advantage. I've used H&W for parts, good people there. Oh yea, and I spent a ton on real ball screw bearings, Bridgeport screwed the pooch on that deal, but while it's apart...

 

[Racey]

I need to do a deep thorough cleaning of my Lagun but know that it will take me quite a while. With my luck I would have an important job for it while at the worst time.

I just picked up another Lagun today. Now i have to decide if which mill gets the riser block, one of the Laguns or the Bridgeport....

 

[shan]

I just picked up another Lagun today. Now i have to decide if which mill gets the riser block, one of the Laguns or the Bridgeport....

Nice, really stiff machines. Man that thing is high, that might have made me nervous, although I suppose it doesn't matter if falls from five feet or thirty.

I have a Bridgeport 4" riser for mine. I'm not sure I need it. Until I do...

 

[Racey]

Nice, really stiff machines. Man that thing is high, that might have made me nervous, although I suppose it doesn't matter if falls from five feet or thirty.

I have a Bridgeport 4" riser for mine. I'm not sure I need it. Until I do...

If you think that was scary, how about this 14 foot long Graziano, weighs about 7,000lbs

My heart stopped for a second when that thing was up there in the breeze.

 

[RaceTec]

I LOVE my Graziano's!!! Nice work, you must have one hell of a home shop!

 

[Racey]

I LOVE my Graziano's!!! Nice work, you must have one hell of a home shop!

It's more of a 'Shop Home'

That Graziano is a phenomenal machine, i was very fortunate to come across it. My only complaint is it was made for short guys, i'm 6'2", it really needs to be up about 4-5 inches, I'm not really sure the best way to do that without cutting my floor and pouring a raised slab. I'm not sure if putting it up on big feet would give me vibration issues, i've never seen it done and couldn't find any examples.

 

[shan]

If you think that was scary, how about this 14 foot long Graziano, weighs about 7,000lbs

My heart stopped for a second when that thing was up there in the breeze.

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We had a Graz 20" at work for years that I used. It was not that long, it was a 60, but damn fine machine. It looks like it has a Sorgen (not sure on spelling) collet closer on it, that's a bonus. Is it D1-8? You could do a propshaft in that thing and not have much sticking out of the head stock.

 

[Racey]

We had a Graz 20" at work for years that I used. It was not that long, it was a 60, but damn fine machine. It looks like it has a Sorgen (not sure on spelling) collet closer on it, that's a bonus. Is it D1-8? You could do a propshaft in that thing and not have much sticking out of the head stock.

Yeah the collet closer is J2, it is a Sorgen iirc, it's only a D1-6, It will do 2.25 through the spindle. Swing is a little over 26" diameter and has a running bed of about 100". Taper attachment etc, also super nice to have that removable chip pan. Makes cleaning the machine so much nicer.

 

[Toolman]

It's more of a 'Shop Home'

That Graziano is a phenomenal machine, i was very fortunate to come across it. My only complaint is it was made for short guys, i'm 6'2", it really needs to be up about 4-5 inches, I'm not really sure the best way to do that without cutting my floor and pouring a raised slab. I'm not sure if putting it up on big feet would give me vibration issues, i've never seen it done and couldn't find any examples.

Yeah, I had to raise mine up too.

 

[Racey]

Yeah, I had to raise mine up too.

I was thinkin about doing exactly what you did on that ROMI, i assume you don't have any shake problems?

 

[Toolman]

I was thinkin about doing exactly what you did on that ROMI, i assume you don't have any shake problems?

Non what so ever. Those risers are 5 in hot roll cut to 3.5 long. Then I put a 1.25 drill point divot in them for location. I like my spindle height around 46 to 48 in high from floor. I’m 6’2” tall also.