B-port clone rebuild

[Hukshawn]

Well, I decided to make a new thread in the right area. This is likely to be a long process. Hopefully not terribly expensive too. Wife is mad enough how much money as time I've spent on this already.

So, the First j-head column mill.


I played around with it and noticed it has some war wounds. I picked this up from a guy a few hours away from me who retrieved it as a bit f payment for work he did in a factory. I believe he was an electrician who also built conveyor belts.

I bought it for $1450. I think it was a fair deal.
The machine is filthy, but useable as is.



I like clean machines, but usually don't wind up cleaning them up before I use them. This time I wanted to clean it up first.
So, I decided to tear it down. Found some parts that could be replaced. Some bearings, the x table brass nuts, and found the quill feed doesnt work.


The worm gear is shredded.
Also can feel some broken gears inside the quill fine feed.

To be continued.

 

[Hukshawn]

Some clean up. Parts everywhere. Started doing some painting. I chose a nice light gray. Almost comes out a bit creamy in colour. It'll look nice once done.



Finding more bearings that should be replaced :/
The bearings in the step pulley are crunchy. The bull gear and the back gear are both fine. Packed that gear assembly with new grease as someone had packed it previously. It has a gits oiler but I suppose grease is a good option too. I'll have to remember not to oil that cup. Or I'll have some sloppy mess on my hands.

I'm deep enough into the mill to find that the spindle gears sound fine. Which is a big relief. But I'll be spending quite a bit already on worm gears, lead screw nuts and bearings. And I haven't gotten into the quill feed yet, which doesn't work.



I've been talking to a local industrial supply shop who said he can get bearings but I'm worried about the actual Bridgeport items. I kind of assume he won't be able to get those items without ordering from the places I already know. And I'm trying to avoid ordering from there cause it's the states, and shipping and conversion will be very pricey.

I read somewhere either here, or the repair manual that I downloaded from here, to put fasteners and small parts in labeled ziplock bags. What a fantastic idea... and as you can see, I've been taking photos. Anything where something specific has to go back in the same place, the oiler tubes, or the motor wiring, several pictures taken.

 

[Hukshawn]

Well, Merry Christmas everyone!
I guess I know what I have to ask for Christmas... A whole schlew of parts.

Someone crashed this machine, hard.
Something look funny about this quill clutch assembly?


Maybe a closer look.




First, fairly certain the machine would have come new WITH a clutch inckuded and not a delrin spacer, and those teeth would certainly not needed to take a dirt nap and laid over like that.

Oh, and half the quill spring is missing.


So, in closing, looks can certainly be deceiving. Great machine on the surface, signs of heavy use and abuse underneath.


as the parts lists stack up, I ponder my next moves. I'm into the hundreds on that Bridgeport parts machinery website shopping cart.
How much should I replace? How much do I need to replace? Do I care that the pulley bearings I are noisy? Do really care that much about a quill power feed? Do I care about the spring loaded quill? *Sits and ponders the universe*.

I'm sure I'll replace the bearings, they're cheap and easily accessable. I need a spanner wrench to get the pulley bearings out. But I wonder about the quill power feed. Do I spend the money and wind up with a divorce? Do I just leave the machine disassembled till Christmas and ask for very strange gifts? Do I just clean it all up, paint it, and leave the power feed broken?
Honestly, I don't think I care about the power feed more than the fine feed. I would like that to work. So, from what I can see, it's just either trying to salvage that worm gear, or replace it with the bearings. OR take it all apart again during the holidays. Jebas!

In any event, I've run out of bench space till all these painted parts dry. Once they're dry I'll start putting those items back together and by then I should either know what parts my supplier can get, or have made up my mind about the power quill.

Either way, a bit disappointed. A broken key would really have been nice.

 

[RandyM]

Welcome to the world of used machinery. You are doing a fine job!

Oh, and it's funny that the teeth didn't just shear of that gear. At least you are finding the problems.

 

[Hukshawn]

I'm going to try to see if I can tap them back up and file them smooth. Then I'll have to connect the fine feed knob to that gear and I can at least use the fine feed for now.

 

[RandyM]

I'm going to try to see if I can tap them back up and file them smooth. Then I'll have to connect the fine feed knob to that gear and I can at least use the fine feed for now.

Good luck.

 

[markba633csi]

Since you don't have a knee I can appreciate the need for the fine feed, but personally I would skip the power feed feature, for now anyhow.
Yes looks can be deceiving can't they?
Mark S.

 

[Hukshawn]

Jesus... Just teeth and gums everywhere...

 

[francist]

Oh that does not look good. I was hoping it would start to get better for you. Dang.

-frank

 

[Hukshawn]

Well, some good news. The quill came out nicely and is in good shape. Bearings sound fine far as I can tell. I did not bathe that one in varsol like everything else. I left the oil and grease inside those bearings. Even if they are a bit crunchy like the pulley bearings, I don't want to know at this point. I'll tally up the parts and give a total here shortly...