New to me Bridgeport Mill

[Susquatch]

Try this:

BP Vari-Drive low range (60 to 500 rpm)
https://streamable.com/p504tv

and this one:

BP Vari-Drive high range (500 to 4200 to 1000 rpm)
https://streamable.com/pv2rnq

I also like your open speed dial too. Mine would be more readable if it were open like that. I think it got destroyed rubbing on the inside of the cover.

My casting has the pointer, but it gets covered by the cover. I'd also need a different dial since mine has two windows on opposite sides for high and low speed.

 

[RobinHood]

My first attempt at a video - so beginner’s luck I guess.

I think what I am hearing in your machine is possibly worn reeves drive bushings and / or top head bearings. It is really hard to say. Might have to tear it all apart and inspect it in detail.

I took my mill apart and cleaned everything when I got it (except for the spindle bearing cartridge - which I left alone). It had been lubed with grease just about everywhere they could get it in. Big mess and difficult to clean all that stuff out. Once it was reassembled and lube with the proper products, it ran much better and the sliding surfaces are buttery smooth.

My mill was built in 1967. So a bit older than yours. Also do not have the chromed ways.

 

[Susquatch]

My first attempt at a video - so beginner’s luck I guess.

I think what I am hearing in your machine is possibly worn reeves drive bushings and / or top head bearings. It is really hard to say. Might have to tear it all apart and inspect it in detail.

I took my mill apart and cleaned everything when I got it (except for the spindle bearing cartridge - which I left alone). It had been lubed with grease just about everywhere they could get it in. Big mess and difficult to clean all that stuff out. Once it was reassembled and lube with the proper products, it ran much better and the sliding surfaces are buttery smooth.

My mill was built in 1967. So a bit older than yours. Also do not have the chromed ways.

I would not disagree with you. And mine might be newer, but yours has been looked after.

I noticed a few other things that could be contributing to the clatter. For one thing, the sheeve belt seems to flap around a fair bit even though the sheeves themselves "SEEM" rock solid. The visible amount of flapping seems to be proportional to the clattering noise. I'm guessing that the belt took quite a beating running against the motor sheeve spring instead of being engaged in the sheeves. I may have done that myself with the testing I did before I found that problem. But I'll also bet big bucks the previous owner's partner beat the hell out of it. Physically, the belt looks good - almost new. Might have even been replaced with the motor. But there is a lot of fresh rubber in there, so it can't be perfect.

I'll change the belt if I tear it down. But for now I just want to decide which mill to keep.

I befriended a fellow at Teco Westinghouse who said he would try to find a good used motor for me for the Hartford. I already know that it needs the back gear bearings changed but hopefully little else. Time will tell.

The other thing I noticed is that the Drawbar seems to bang around a fair bit when it's tight or loose. There is a washer (or something) down inside the spindle that isn't centered. Removing the Drawbar improves the overall clatter too.

Does your neutral work on your right speed selector? Mine won't stay in neutral. It slips into high-speed the first chance it gets.

 

[PeterT]

My mill was built in 1967. So a bit older than yours. Also do not have the chromed ways.

Your '67 mill sounds pretty darn smooth in both low & high gear modes. Remind me again what is the motor situation on this machine - stock, 1P?, 3P?, VFD?... etc

 

[RobinHood]

Remind me again what is the motor situation on this machine - stock, 1P?, 3P?, VFD?... etc

It is the original dual voltage 220/440V, 1.5hp, 3 phase motor. I run it off a VFD.
In both videos I only used the vari-drive to adjust spindle speed.
The motor always runs at 60 Hz. Never gets hot - even when using it for hours on end (like gear cutting).

 

[Brent H]

@RobinHood : my mill sounds much like yours throughout the speed changes (1981). The only “ knock” sound I get is at the very top end speeds and I know it is the draw bar as it has a slight bend.

 

[Susquatch]

@RobinHood : my mill sounds much like yours throughout the speed changes (1981). The only “ knock” sound I get is at the very top end speeds and I know it is the draw bar as it has a slight bend.

Well that's two that sound the same. That makes them a great reference for me to use to assess mine.

I may go ahead and try using the machine a bit while I wait for a motor for the Hartford.

I may also order or make some of the missing or broken parts that affect the usability if the machine.

Again, thanks for that!

 

[Susquatch]

Can anyone describe how the high low neutral Lever on the right side of a J2 vari-head Bridgeport works? Mine will not stay in neutral. I can hold it there, but there is no detent. If I leave it in neutral, it switches to high as soon as the spindle starts to move. I can't tell if that's by design or not and I can't find anything that tells me how it should work.

 

[Brent H]

@Susquatch : there should be a detent that stops the handle from popping up into high gear - a pin in the lever arm sets into the detent.

In the books you recently received there is a section on how to adjust that specific lever for proper operation.

 

[RobinHood]

Further to what @Brent H said, the detent plate is considered a “consumable” as the locating holes wear out - especially if operators let the pin drag while they move from one position to the other.

Have a look and see if you have a “ramp” worn out of the neutral hole towards the HI range detent. This will cause the lever to slip to HI as it is spring loaded in that direction.

You can make a new strike plate, buy one, or repair the one you have to solve the problem.

 

[Susquatch]

@Susquatch : there should be a detent that stops the handle from popping up into high gear - a pin in the lever arm sets into the detent.

Have a look and see if you have a “ramp” worn out of the neutral hole towards the HI range detent. This will cause the lever to slip to HI as it is spring loaded in that direction.

You can make a new strike plate, buy one, or repair the one you have to solve the problem.

So it seems apparent to me that my "strike plate" is totally missing.

I looked at the parts book and it does not appear to be shown!

Yet, it does show up in the drawing that you provided. I highlighted it in with a blue arrow:

So I'm not sure how to handle this one. I could probably make something if I knew what the part is supposed to look like. I can clearly see that it should be a simple block that slides in the gear selector and is locked in place (adjusted) with an Allen set screw. In fact, the set screw is still there. But how and where does the selector engage the block?

Further, it looks like the Hi gear detent is also part of the sliding block. So without knowing what the original looks like or how it works, it's probably something I should buy instead of make. If I can find it. As I indicated above, I couldn't find it on machinery parts.

It also seems a bit odd for it to be a consumable but yet not be shown in the parts breakout.

Maybe it's yet another one of things for me to ignore for the time being till I decide which mill to keep.

 

[Brent H]

 

[RobinHood]

“Consumable” was perhaps a little too strong a word to describe the plate. It does last a long time if treated properly. I have seen them in poor condition or missing (broken?) like yours on mills much newer than mine.

That’s what the plate by itself looks like.

 

[Susquatch]

View attachment 15890
View attachment 15891

Cool. I can make that pretty easy I think.

The high speed hole looks centered, and the neutral slot/hole looks like it might be reversable to get it a little further away if needed. Am I imagining that?

 

[Susquatch]

“Consumable” was perhaps a little too strong a word to describe the plate. It does last a long time if treated properly. I have seen them in poor condition or missing (broken?) like yours on mills much newer than mine.

View attachment 15893

That’s what the plate by itself looks like.

Ah, I see. No sweat. I understand the nuance.

In your photo, it looks like the plate and the adjusting block come as one assembly. That explains why I couldn't find the small block by itself.

The truth is, that even looks like it's one piece. But I think I can just barely make out the lines between the block and the plate. Or am I just imagining that?

 

[YYCHM]

Part # 54?

 

[Susquatch]

Part # 54?

That's what I called the plate in my discussion above. The slider block is what I couldn't find.

But that's probably it if @RobinHood's photo is correct. If so, the plate and block both come together in one part.

 

[RobinHood]

Just looked at your picture again. Looks like there are in fact two parts to this: the HI position and Neutral are determined by an adjustable, hardened plate. The adjusting / retaining screw is indicated by the red arrow.

Here is what the hardened plate looks like.

The hole is tapered from the top 0.300“ to 0.265”. The plate is 0.687” wide (to fit the mounting slot), 0.760” tall and 0.190” thick. The cut-outs are 1/2 the plate thickness deep, diameter of 0.500” (r = 0.250”). Have not yet determined where the circle centers are located (they are off the edge of the part for sure).

So no need to make the whole plate, just the missing insert will do.

Hope that info helps.

 

[Susquatch]

Just looked at your picture again. Looks like there are in fact two parts to this: the HI position and Neutral are determined by an adjustable, hardened plate. The adjusting / retaining screw is indicated by the red arrow.

View attachment 15894

Here is what the hardened plate looks like.

View attachment 15895

The hole is tapered from the top 0.300“ to 0.265”. The plate is 0.687” wide (to fit the mounting slot), 0.760” tall and 0.190” thick. The cut-outs are 1/2 the plate thickness deep, diameter of 0.500” (r = 0.250”). Have not yet determined where the circle centers are located (they are off the edge of the part for sure).

So no need to make the whole plate, just the missing insert will do.

Hope that info helps.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. Why make more than needed.

The Adjusting screw you highlighted is the one I referred to in my earlier post.

I would never have guessed the hole depth was only 1/2 the thickness.

Not sure what you mean by tapered.

No need to do a lot of measuring. What you have done already by removing the block and making me a photo is more than I could have asked for. I'll print it out and turn it into a template that I can use to machine something from.

Thanks ever so much!

 

[RobinHood]

I would never have guessed the hole depth was only 1/2 the thickness.

That hole goes all the way through. It is not cylindrical. The diameter on the upper surface (facing us) is larger than the diameter where it comes through the plate at the back. Only reason I can think of this would be for is to center the lever pin in the hole without play.

The little cut-outs you see on the edges are only 1/2 the plate thickness.

Sorry for not being clear enough. It’s always easier to “see things” when the part is right in front of you…