• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Another “What Mill” Thread

Just bought a BP Series II and yes, its a big, heavy machine but its surprisingly easy to move with a few guys and a pry bar...oh...and a 70hp New Holland tractor with forks on a front end loader. Yep, we took my tractor down to move it out of the seller’s garage, onto a trailer, then picked it off the trailer and move it into my garage. Will see how big a deal it is to move it from the garage into the machine shop as soon as I get the extra lathe out to make room! :-)
 
Just bought a BP Series II and yes, its a big, heavy machine but its surprisingly easy to move with a few guys and a pry bar...oh...and a 70hp New Holland tractor with forks on a front end loader. Yep, we took my tractor down to move it out of the seller’s garage, onto a trailer, then picked it off the trailer and move it into my garage. Will see how big a deal it is to move it from the garage into the machine shop as soon as I get the extra lathe out to make room! :)
I'm a hairdresser in New Jersey-----No tractors.:rolleyes:
 
Buy the clausing, dump the motor and add a dc motor so you have vari-speed. Being able to "spin the dial"for the needed spindle RPM, it very nice (and needed) feature.The fact that this is a knee mill makes it much more versatile to you. Yes it has a MT2 spindle taper, big deal, collets are out there, plus you are doing gun smithing, not production work.
My BP mill has a MT2 spindle, and 1/2 up 90vt dc motor on it, plenty of tourqe to pull large end mills thru deap heavy cuts.i also run a MT to ER collet adaptor works perfectly.
The other thing to consider with the causing, the machine comes well tooled.

Aaron
 
Buy the clausing, dump the motor and add a dc motor so you have vari-speed. Being able to "spin the dial"for the needed spindle RPM, it very nice (and needed) feature.The fact that this is a knee mill makes it much more versatile to you. Yes it has a MT2 spindle taper, big deal, collets are out there, plus you are doing gun smithing, not production work.
My BP mill has a MT2 spindle, and 1/2 up 90vt dc motor on it, plenty of tourqe to pull large end mills thru deap heavy cuts.i also run a MT to ER collet adaptor works perfectly.
The other thing to consider with the causing, the machine comes well tooled.

Aaron
Thanks bud! Definitely something to consider. I'm gonna reach out to you today.
 
I'm a hairdresser in New Jersey-----No tractors.:rolleyes:
Ok, I can see that being a problem....but I bet you got some high school or college football players nearby....when I bought my first lathe I hired four lineman from the college football team where my wife is a professor. They simply picked up the lathe, set it on the trailer and I handed them a few Cecils and they apparently had a pretty good kegger that evening. Where there is a will, there is a way....... :-)
 
So....

It looks like I'm gonna get a Bridgeport. It's, oddly, the least expensive option. Plus, I have R8 collets and some other odds and ends floating around. I found a nice variable speed machine that I can get into my garage for less than the base price on a PM bench mill. It seems to be a no brainer. If we wind up selling the house I'll put the mill up for sale for short money and will just get out from underneath it. Honestly, I'll worry about that when the time comes.

Pics on Monday afternoon if all goes to plan. If not, I'll look some more.
 
So....

It looks like I'm gonna get a Bridgeport. It's, oddly, the least expensive option. Plus, I have R8 collets and some other odds and ends floating around. I found a nice variable speed machine that I can get into my garage for less than the base price on a PM bench mill. It seems to be a no brainer. If we wind up selling the house I'll put the mill up for sale for short money and will just get out from underneath it. Honestly, I'll worry about that when the time comes.

Pics on Monday afternoon if all goes to plan. If not, I'll look some more.
Awesome, you wont regret it once you use it;)
 
I'm not in a rush, but if anyone wants to toss their vote in the hat for an inexpensive DRO set up for a hobbyist/amateur 'smith, please do.
 
I'm not in a rush, but if anyone wants to toss their vote in the hat for an inexpensive DRO set up for a hobbyist/amateur 'smith, please do.

Dros Pros. Learn how to do a few things before you get that. I just spent $600 on my $1000 Bridgeport.
 
I would definitely go for a DRO, but I would not be trying to 'save money' on that part. It's like buying cheap calipers. Sure they may be great...for a while. Wont last like an expensive Starrett or high end Mitutoyo.

A DRO needs to be very precise and repeatable. A decent 3 axis set up is gonna start at around $500 and go up from there. The glass optical DROs are the most accurate, but good magnetic DROs can do a good job as well. Hardest part about the install is coming up with adapters and/or spacers to mount the slide bars properly and evenly. You will have to improvise for sure. You will be drilling and tapping the mounting holes in the mill frame for mounting rails and cable clamps. If you have an innovative mind that can think outside the box, you'll get the job done just fine. Dont forget that when mounting it, YOU HAVE A MILL IN FRONT IF YOU! :) You can make custom brackets and adapters right then and there if you have the proper raw material on hand. I had to make a custom adapter plate for my table X axis power feed limit switch when I installed it and made custom spacers for mounting my DRO rails.

PS: Keep the DRO sensor cables away from the motor power cable or you can get interference from high in-rush current when turning the motor on.
 
Paid for and awaiting delivery.

9x42 Bridgeport Vari-Speed. Machine has original paint. Also very strong flaking/scraping on the ways. It's in pretty decent shape and should serve me well for the time being. I'm thrilled, excited, and nervous about the purchase. I hate spending big money and don't do it lightly. But I'd really like to move forward with some things and this should make that happen.

Pics when she arrives.
 
So you’re getting a Bridgeport and selling your Harrison M300...what are you doing for a new lathe ?
Looking...
If no one picks up the Harrison I'll keep it. I really want a H10. I'm sure someone will tell me the Harrison is a "better" machine, but I have my reasons.
 
Looking...
If no one picks up the Harrison I'll keep it. I really want a H10. I'm sure someone will tell me the Harrison is a "better" machine, but I have my reasons.

The operator is the difference between those two machines.
 
Paid for and awaiting delivery.

9x42 Bridgeport Vari-Speed. Machine has original paint. Also very strong flaking/scraping on the ways. It's in pretty decent shape and should serve me well for the time being. I'm thrilled, excited, and nervous about the purchase. I hate spending big money and don't do it lightly. But I'd really like to move forward with some things and this should make that happen.

Pics when she arrives.


By the time you add up the cost for all the tooling, vices, jaws, blocks, etc, you need to complete various projects and tasks, the cost of the mill itself wont seem so bad ;)

But it's worth it. I dont regret a single penny spent on my mill or all the tooling that cost nearly twice as much.
 
If you are referring to a South Bend Heavy 10 in your post above, PM me, I have one that I would like to sell. I am located in New Jersey.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,784
Messages
2,203,611
Members
79,130
Latest member
Jsawyer09
Back
Top