Bridgeport spindle bearing Upgrade positive experience

[carlsbad]

I can highly recommend C&M spindle in Tualatin OR for Bridgeport spindle work. I know a lot of people here have Bridgeports and thought I'd share my experience. As you know, you can knock your spindle out in 10 minutes and send it off to get rebuilt or reground so it is a very easy upgrade.

A few years back, during my divorce, my Bridgeport sat unused for a few years. I didn't realize there was a leak in the roof that dripped off a beam right above the spindle. The bearings got wet, rusted, and when I started up the machine they disintegrated almost immediately. I bought bearings and replaced them (not cheap) and had more runout that I wanted. So I started looking at having the spindle reground. I found C&M and called them. They offer an upgrade for the bridgeport that uses 4 lower bearings instead of 2. I decided to spend the money and get it done.

How to Replace Spindle Bearings - C & M Precision Spindle

www.cm-spindle.com

The spindle came back with .0001" total runout. I've been extremely happy with it for years.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago...hogging out over 100 cubic inches of steel for a project for my neighbor that I should never have agreed too...taking aggressive cuts at low speed with a large roughing endmill I forgot to lock the stationary axis and the big endmill pulled the slop in the leadscrew in and put it over the edge into a crash. All the torque at low speed bent the spindle and I had .001" tro. Called up C&M to ask if this is too much to grind out and they said nope, they've done worse. Turnaround was 3 days and cost was--get this--free. they guarantee their spindle set up even if you tell them it is your fault. Spindle came back and has .0001 tro again. wow, that was easy.

Anyway, I know there are lots of options out there and wanted to share one that I recommend.

I have no affiliation with them and they don't even know that I'm writing this.

--Jerry

 

[rwj]

Gotta love companies that provide such great support and services! I make a point to support them in lieu of others!

 

[BigBlueandGoldie]

You mind telling us how much it cost? Shipping cost?

 

[carlsbad]

Seems the original upgrade (bearings and a very light grinding in the new bearings) was around $600. Call them for current pricing. I wouldn't do it unless/until you need new bearings.

Shipping it back to them cost me $23. They get a better rate so they charged me $13.72 to ship it back.

--Jerry

 

[hoz53]

I can highly recommend C&M spindle in Tualatin OR for Bridgeport spindle work. I know a lot of people here have Bridgeports and thought I'd share my experience. As you know, you can knock your spindle out in 10 minutes and send it off to get rebuilt or reground so it is a very easy upgrade.

A few years back, during my divorce, my Bridgeport sat unused for a few years. I didn't realize there was a leak in the roof that dripped off a beam right above the spindle. The bearings got wet, rusted, and when I started up the machine they disintegrated almost immediately. I bought bearings and replaced them (not cheap) and had more runout that I wanted. So I started looking at having the spindle reground. I found C&M and called them. They offer an upgrade for the bridgeport that uses 4 lower bearings instead of 2. I decided to spend the money and get it done.

How to Replace Spindle Bearings - C & M Precision Spindle

www.cm-spindle.com

The spindle came back with .0001" total runout. I've been extremely happy with it for years.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago...hogging out over 100 cubic inches of steel for a project for my neighbor that I should never have agreed too...taking aggressive cuts at low speed with a large roughing endmill I forgot to lock the stationary axis and the big endmill pulled the slop in the leadscrew in and put it over the edge into a crash. All the torque at low speed bent the spindle and I had .001" tro. Called up C&M to ask if this is too much to grind out and they said nope, they've done worse. Turnaround was 3 days and cost was--get this--free. they guarantee their spindle set up even if you tell them it is your fault. Spindle came back and has .0001 tro again. wow, that was easy.

Anyway, I know there are lots of options out there and wanted to share one that I recommend.

I have no affiliation with them and they don't even know that I'm writing this.

--Jerry

Thanks for sharing that. I have a original style SB13 lathe the spindle needs reground on. Mabie they could do it. I would also need the sleeve bearings though, either make them or find someone to.

 

[tobnpr]

Thanks for sharing that. I have a original style SB13 lathe the spindle needs reground on. Mabie they could do it. I would also need the sleeve bearings though, either make them or find someone to.

Check it out on the SB forum at Practical Machinist.
If you're referring to the plain bearing older lathes, I suspect would be a matter of line-boring the headstock and making custom bronze bearings to fit the diameter of the re-ground spindle.

Doesn't take much on the older machines to get to a point where it's not financially "sensible"- but sometimes we do it anyway...

 

[hoz53]

Check it out on the SB forum at Practical Machinist.
If you're referring to the plain bearing older lathes, I suspect would be a matter of line-boring the headstock and making custom bronze bearings to fit the diameter of the re-ground spindle.

Doesn't take much on the older machines to get to a point where it's not financially "sensible"- but sometimes we do it anyway...

You’re right that’s what it would take. oh and the cone has bronze bearings in it to which would need to be replaced. I go back and forth between thinking I’ll fix it and thinking I’ll just part it out. Need to make up my mind for sure. Thanks

 

[hoz53]

Check it out on the SB forum at Practical Machinist.
If you're referring to the plain bearing older lathes, I suspect would be a matter of line-boring the headstock and making custom bronze bearings to fit the diameter of the re-ground spindle.

Doesn't take much on the older machines to get to a point where it's not financially "sensible"- but sometimes we do it anyway...

Thinking about it some more— I have checked out the forum on PM, but its been awhile. The bed also has wear grooves in it and the tail stock has significant wear on the bottom. You know the score on these machines- usually a number of things to fix.