# Another hobby machining guy in Central Alberta



## Chipper5783 (Aug 20, 2018)

I got started into machining in the early '80s.  I thought it would be somewhat of a career thing, to compliment my other trade, but that isn't the way things went.  I ended up with a whole lot more formal education, but have kept that first lathe and enjoyed machining as a hobby.  At times it seemed like I was hauling a boat anchor around the country, having moved 3 times over the years.

Sometimes the lathe would sit idle for a few years, but I never gave up on the interest in making stuff.  About 6 years ago I added a work shop onto the garage - and ramped up the machine & tooling acquisitions.  I troll through the usual used machinery opportunities; Kijiji, auctions, word of mouth.  Other than that first lathe, everything else has needed a fair amont of attention - strictly speaking, that is my hobby, fixing up the old machine tools I've dragged home.  As the saying goes, "rarely does anything ever leave the building".

There is getting to be a small fleet, but is still keep looking for more machines that I could fix up.  Even though I have two projects in progress: the surface grinder and the VMC.  The VMC will drive an upgrade to the 3 phase system (probably cost more than what the VMC did).  I suspect most everyone else here also has an endless project list- but that is no barrier to adding onto it.

Anyway, good to see that there are a few other hobbyists in the area.   I'd be interested in hearing from any in the cnc community that are familiar with BP's DX-32.

Regards, David


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## Janger (Aug 21, 2018)

Welcome aboard David. Nice to hear you've been building a great shop. What's a BP DX-32? I have a home brew CNC Mill. Some other guys on here have various sizes of CNC gear and various types from small to full size Haas.


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## Chipper5783 (Aug 21, 2018)

The BP is a Bridgeport VMC-1000/22.  It is a pretty standard full feature industrial machine of late 1990's vintage: 1000mm of X travel, 15 hp spindle, 20 tool changer, chip conveyor, flood coolant and full cabinet.  It is not all that large a machine, but with the enclosure it takes up quite a bit of floor space.  I saw it run a few times, but I have not sorted the power just yet.  This one has Bridgeport's DX-32 controller which is basically another G code, with some minor syntax differences (compared to the G code associated with other controllers).  I understand they were also offered with a Heidenhein.


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## CalgaryPT (Aug 23, 2018)

Welcome David.


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## Janger (Aug 23, 2018)

@Chipper5783 David are you in the Calgary area? I'd like to see your mill sometime... I looked it up and it looks like a good machine to me.


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