Anyone know the weight of the knee?

MyLilMule said:
I'm not going to rethink it, because I stand by my opinion. The only thing I might have clarified is to say there isn't sufficient force. Especially when you're talking about reducing wear on maybe $200 in parts if you had to buy them new, that might wear out once every 50 years or more. My Bridgeport is from 1976 and when I disassembled the knee, the bevel gears were in perfect shape. Could they have been replaced prior? Possible, but judging from the conversation I had with its original owner at the time of purchase, I don't believe that to be the case.

FWIW, I am still interested in seeing the solution to this as I find it interesting just the same.
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Well I have rethought it many times, first mine is an Excello 602 from 1964, you ain't gonna buy anything like gears for 200 dollars, that is if you can even find them, the little spindle return spring is over $100. Second I am not doing it primarily to save the gears but to reduce the crank up effort which is significant from the bottom. But my point is that if the gears are turning the nut to lift the knee the gears are seeing significant pressure. I would rather spend $150 bucks now to accomplish two goals than gamble on the future of the gears. Remember its an old gal with almost zero parts support.
 
vecair said:
I am going to add two gas struts to mine to help when cranking up the knee and also to take the load off the gears. I need to supply the approximate weight to the strut company so they can supply the correct one (or two in this case.)
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This Old Tony (on YouTube) added one of these to his Maho project in one of his videos, probably "Z-Axis" in the title. You might want to find it and see if he can add anything to your decision making.
If I have time this afternoon, I will try to find it and post it here for you

Bernie
 
The common import X axis drives are rated as 150inlb., I bought and modified a $130 450inlb version for the Z axis on my BP, and it works very well. When I went through my BP I found the Z axis drive gears to have virtually no wear. Can't guarantee that it will be the same in your case, but for $130, and having a powered Z, I would consider it. Mike
Some info on my installation.
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/thr...in-your-shop-today.67833/page-689#post-962736
 
7milesup said:
Not necessarily. I think @vecair has a valid concern and point.
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Folks have pointed to the fact that 50 year old mills and other machines have no unusual problems with grating and knee lift nuts, I had a mill that is now nearly 120 old used daily with no problems with nuts or gearing, my present mill, a 1943 vintage B&S, worked ceaslessely at a local Navy yard cranks easily up and down and has no problems. If the maskers of the machines thought there was a problem, they likely would have provided a solution such as counterweights.
 
It's somewhere around here:

I think there may be another video before or after this one that shows the install etc

Bernie
 
vecair said:
Well I have rethought it many times, first mine is an Excello 602 from 1964, you ain't gonna buy anything like gears for 200 dollars, that is if you can even find them, the little spindle return spring is over $100. Second I am not doing it primarily to save the gears but to reduce the crank up effort which is significant from the bottom. But my point is that if the gears are turning the nut to lift the knee the gears are seeing significant pressure. I would rather spend $150 bucks now to accomplish two goals than gamble on the future of the gears. Remember its an old gal with almost zero parts support.
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On my excello 602 I removed the handle and put on a drive shaft for a makita cordless drill. Works great. I added handles for fine adjust.
 

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vecair said:
Well I have rethought it many times, first mine is an Excello 602 from 1964, you ain't gonna buy anything like gears for 200 dollars, that is if you can even find them, the little spindle return spring is over $100. Second I am not doing it primarily to save the gears but to reduce the crank up effort which is significant from the bottom. But my point is that if the gears are turning the nut to lift the knee the gears are seeing significant pressure. I would rather spend $150 bucks now to accomplish two goals than gamble on the future of the gears. Remember its an old gal with almost zero parts support.
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Fair enough. I didn't see in your OP that it wasn't a Bridgeport. That's on me for making that assumption.

Like I said, I think it's an interesting addition. ON MY BRIDGEPORT (emphasis for clarification) I do not see the wear on the bevel gears being an issue. That being said, raising the knee is my least favorite thing to do with it. The gas shock addition would certainly make that easier.
 
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