# What do you think of this Bridgeport?



## architect (Dec 6, 2020)

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-tool-other/...ne-for-sale-1-400-only-for-2-weeks/1539339892

I was going to get a mini lathe and mill but Brent has talked me into looking out for used ones. Any thoughts on this one? It's probably 570 volts so Brent has advised me it'll be another $1500 to swap the VFD and motor.

I'll need need get a company to move this into my garage and even level it. I have friends but none of them have trucks or the know how to move or level one of these. Does anyone in the GTA can recommend someone/company to do this? I assume it'll be a few hundred bucks.


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## TOBARApprentice (Dec 6, 2020)

Millwrights to move it will be $1500. Thats what I was quoted to move a surface grinder (similar size/wt) across town in Hamilton. 


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## TOBARApprentice (Dec 6, 2020)

It’s a great deal..... if you can do most of it yourself. And 575V is unfortunate, fixable, but costly. And no DRO so..... is it worth $5000 or can you find one for $3500 - $4000 all done up. 


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## TOBARApprentice (Dec 6, 2020)

As I have learned (the hard way), “the machine is the cheap part”.


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## architect (Dec 6, 2020)

TOBARApprentice said:


> As I have learned (the hard way), “the machine is the cheap part”.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



LOL! Thanks for that insight. How naive of me thinking the machine is the fancy part. I have friends and could rent a Uhaul trailer but something like this is beyond my ability and potentially with expensive and life safety consequences so I'd rather pay someone that can do this well, including getting it into the back of my garage.

Edit: Maybe better/cheaper idea to buy a cheap 2-ton hoist/crane from Princess Auto to maybe do the final positioning and leveling myself?


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## Chicken lights (Dec 6, 2020)

architect said:


> LOL! Thanks for that insight. How naive of me thinking the machine is the fancy part. I have friends and could rent a Uhaul trailer but something like this is beyond my ability and potentially with expensive and life safety consequences so I'd rather pay someone that can do this well, including getting it into the back of my garage.
> 
> Edit: Maybe better/cheaper idea to buy a cheap 2-ton engine hoist from Princess Auto to maybe do the final positioning and leveling myself?


Not necessarily aimed at this particular project, but professionals are around for a reason 
There is a reason why moving companies or riggers or truckers have jobs 
But yes, if I can do it without paying for outside help I’m for sure doing it myself


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## RobinHood (Dec 6, 2020)

A lot of these were 220V/440V, 3 Phase. You might be in luck.

Here is another option (won’t get that advantage of a VFD variable speed though): https://www.machinerypartsdepot.com/product/SP2SP


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## Brent H (Dec 6, 2020)

It has the small pancake motor on the top so I would hope it to be 220/440 and then its great because as a belt drive you can more easily use the VFD to speed control and not have to change belts all the time.

moving it........dang........not there to render assistance


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## Sailor (Dec 6, 2020)

If I was close I would help you. I just moved another lathe into my shop by myself with trailer, crane and lowered it onto several PA heavy moving dollies with 4 swivel wheels on each. I was able to move around shop and into place. I used a 5’ bar to get enough leverage since I couldn’t budge it otherwise.


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## YYCHM (Dec 6, 2020)

"Only for sale until December 20, 2020"

Then what happens to it????


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## David_R8 (Dec 6, 2020)

Chicken lights said:


> Not necessarily aimed at this particular project, but professionals are around for a reason
> There is a reason why moving companies or riggers or truckers have jobs
> But yes, if I can do it without paying for outside help I’m for sure doing it myself



Having spent Friday morning watching a professional rig and load my 1800 lb grinder, a 4000 lb grinder and a 2500 lb press there’s no way I’d try to do it on my own. 
Having the my grinder set down on a pallet jack in my driveway was money well spent. 


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## Canadium (Dec 7, 2020)

Sailor said:


> If I was close I would help you. I just moved another lathe into my shop by myself with trailer, crane and lowered it onto several PA heavy moving dollies with 4 swivel wheels on each. I was able to move around shop and into place. I used a 5’ bar to get enough leverage since I couldn’t budge it otherwise.


I'd be interested in more details. What kind of crane? Does it make a difference if the trailer has a metal or a wood base? I understand a heavy machine is more apt to slide on a metal base. Is there a thread somewhere on this forum for how to move a milling machine?


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## Brent H (Dec 7, 2020)

If you have a fork truck moving a Bridgeport is relatively easy as you can pick it up under the ram and it is then well balanced and not "top heavy", same if you sling it for cranage properly - See Picture.  I rotated the head around when I moved mine.  Fork lifted onto a large dump trailer and then fork lifted off onto a mobile frame and then pushed into place.






This being said provided you are not moving it out of a basement!  

I have had mine into various pieces for repairs and I can tear one down pretty quickly.  If you have a good floor crane you can pull the top end parts- head, ram, turret off and the table and knee off leaving the heavy base - then you have to figure out a lift for that - could be a dolly or pallet lifter or a good sized tractor with the lift clearance.  Total weight is around 1988 lbs according to the book so you can lighten up the lifts if you break it apart.  I am sure @Dabbler has everything weighed out.


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## trlvn (Dec 7, 2020)

Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe a Bridgeport like that is well less than 3,000 pounds, total.  AIUI, most of them have a threaded hole on the top of the ram for lifting.  (Move the ram and table to balance the machine.)  How far does it have to move in the building?  Is there a loading dock?  Does the seller have a forklift or pallet jack?  Willing to help?

But, if the seller agrees, you don't _have_ to move it as one piece.  The head, the ram, the table and the knee can all be removed without that much effort.  An engine hoist ought to be able to handle the pieces except for the base.  

Craig


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## Brent H (Dec 7, 2020)

Book says 1988 lbs - so very much less than 3000


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## cuslog (Dec 7, 2020)

Yes, I would have said about 2000 lbs.
I have a 9 x 49, 3hp, single phase, vari speed - purchased brand new.
Now that I have had this one awhile, there's a couple of things I would have different if I could do it over:
I would get a 3 phase machine and add a VFD. 3ph is just a quieter, smoother motor, instant reversing (for power tapping).
I'd get one without the vari-speed (step pulley)- that's been a source of problems for me (hammering out the keyway in the vari-speed sliding mechanism. They develop a "rattle" in the head when the key gets hammered. I've replaced the key in mine 3 times in 10 years but that's only a partial remedy, the full repair would be to cut a bigger keyway into the motor shaft.
The one pictured has both of those things I wish mine had (3 phase and a step pulley) but of course, I know nothing of the rest of that machine).


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## Tom Kitta (Dec 7, 2020)

Do not forget that it has direct electrical connection - the seller may want an actual electrician to disconnect it (as in auctions).

Otherwise it feels a good price even for a beater machine. Of course you may not want a beater. 

If in good condition it is worth about 2x as much. 

Moving it on flat concrete is easy with some pipe rollers unless you have to move like 100m or so (then it will take a while).


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## Dabbler (Dec 7, 2020)

My PM945 8 X 32 (it is a Modern weighs 1400 lbs
The Hartford 7 X 42 weighs 2350 lbs (by weighing each component)
The First 9X49 weighs 3780lbs on the pallets at the shipping depot. - I had to pay partially by weight.

@Brent H That is a great diagram!  Note that it only works for the BP#1 and the smaller table models.  Bert witnessed a guy blowing out the dovetails on a BP#2 which weighs just under 3000lbs.  The rigging notes I saw for the larger mills is to lift from the bottom with the stabilizing straps on the ram....

Anyway, that's how Modern lifts mills using their shop cranes,  the sling from the bottom, and use the ram with adjustable straps to prevent tilting.

-- to get the machine on and off a pallet jack they use lifting bars.


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## PeterT (Dec 7, 2020)

cuslog said:


> I'd get one without the vari-speed (step pulley)- that's been a source of problems for me (hammering out the keyway in the vari-speed sliding mechanism. They develop a "rattle" in the head when the key gets hammered. I've replaced the key in mine 3 times in 10 years but that's only a partial remedy, the full repair would be to cut a bigger keyway into the motor shaft.
> The one pictured has both of those things I wish mine had (3 phase and a step pulley) but of course, I know nothing of the rest of that machine).



Can you elaborate on which style are you referring to developing the keyway rattle?
- by step pully I assume flip the belt from one set of sheaves to another to get speed change like machine in post #14
- by variable I assume crank-the-handle variable machine like picture attached


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## cuslog (Dec 7, 2020)

Yes, you've got it !
Step pulley: flip the belts manually
Variable: like the one in your picture, crank the handle, infinitely variable. Kind of like a snow mobile clutch, a pair of opposing cones, one fixed, one moveable, sliding on a shaft = changes dia. of the drive pulley = varies output rpm.
When mine first developed a rattle I did some internet searches and found comments re: Bridgeports having some plastic parts in there that go sometimes and replacing them was an easy fix. I pulled mine apart (took the motor off) and found no plastic parts (mine is a Chinese clone). Mine is steel "cone" pulleys, the sliding one bronze bushed to fit the motor shaft. The bushing was fine (still is) but for it to slide up and down the shaft while rotating at motor shaft speed, it needs a key / keyway with a "sliding fit". Apparently heavier, interrupted cuts (like with a fly cutter) is hard on the key / keyway. In my case it "works" on the key but also "hammers" the keyway slot wider and looser. First key I replaced was nearly sheared off as well as hammering the keyway wider. Next time mine is apart, I think I will widen keyway in the motor shaft  to the next size up and use (or make) a double sided key. The other part of the solution is to avoid "heavy" interrupted cuts.


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## Chip Maker (Dec 7, 2020)

I used a flat bed tow truck to move my Bridgeport. Winched it on with steel pipe rollers under it. Pulled it off with my atv winch working against the trucks winch. Worked sweet.


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## PeterT (Dec 7, 2020)

cuslog said:


> Yes, you've got it ! Step pulley: flip the belts manually Variable: like the one in your picture, crank the handle, infinitely variable. Kind of like a snow mobile clutch, a pair of opposing cones, one fixed, one moveable, sliding on a shaft = changes dia. of the drive pulley = varies output rpm.



Sorry for the post interruption guys, cuslogs comment caught my eye. My machine is a year-ish old (like picture). At certain rpms I hear what I would call a harmonic noise, not quite a rattle, but not quite its normal nice quiet sound. In & out very consistent. Noise tends to go away at different rpms outside a certain range, but doesn't care high or low gear, fwd or rev. Bounced off a few knowlegable guys here & also sent the audio file /pics to Modern. They said it could be minor oscillation of the sheaves, maybe motor rpm hunting ever so slightly. It wasn't deemed critical so we agreed to have someone come by for a look-see 'one day'.


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## Canadium (Dec 8, 2020)

Brent H said:


> If you have a fork truck moving a Bridgeport is relatively easy as you can pick it up under the ram and it is then well balanced and not "top heavy", same if you sling it for cranage properly -
> 
> I have had mine into various pieces for repairs and I can tear one down pretty quickly.  If you have a good floor crane you can pull the top end parts- head, ram, turret off and the table and knee off leaving the heavy base - then you have to figure out a lift for that - could be a dolly or pallet lifter or a good sized tractor with the lift clearance.  Total weight is around 1988 lbs according to the book so you can lighten up the lifts if you break it apart.  I am sure @Dabbler has everything weighed out.



Have to find out how much it would cost to rent a fork lift. The problem for me with the fork lift is I don't have any space at the sides of my driveway to position a fork lift at the side of the trailer. If you have no prior experience taking a mill apart as in my case the first time could take awhile. There is a video on Youtube where a couple of guys load and unload a Bridgeport with just an engine crane.




Looks to me like using the eye bolt was necessary with this method, the engine crane would not reach high enough if a sling was used. Do other mill makes also have a place to attach an eye bolt? Also using the engine crane presupposes you have a solid flat concrete surface to work on. I have a gravel driveway which poses more challenges.


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## Canadium (Dec 8, 2020)

Chip Maker said:


> I used a flat bed tow truck to move my Bridgeport. Winched it on with steel pipe rollers under it. Pulled it off with my atv winch working against the trucks winch. Worked sweet.


How much did the tow truck cost you?


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## Chip Maker (Dec 8, 2020)

It was only a short trip but cost $150.00. Super easy. With the loss of manufacturing in Ontario since '08 and the number of auctions, including a ton (no pun intended) of good equipment going for scrap weight, rigors and moving companies have made a killing. I know they're just doing their job, but I avoid them whenever possible. It's and expense I can do without.


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## Canadium (Dec 8, 2020)

Chip Maker said:


> It was only a short trip but cost $150.00. Super easy. With the loss of manufacturing in Ontario since '08 and the number of auctions, including a ton (no pun intended) of good equipment going for scrap weight, rigors and moving companies have made a killing. I know they're just doing their job, but I avoid them whenever possible. It's and expense I can do without.


Thats certainly a lot more affordable than a rigger, maybe one tenth the price. Did you actually drive the truck yourself or was there was a driver/operator?


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## Chip Maker (Dec 8, 2020)

Canadium said:


> Thats certainly a lot more affordable than a rigger, maybe one tenth the price. Did you actually drive the truck yourself or was there was a driver/operator?


That was with a driver.


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