I Bought The Bridgeport

[eodcoduto]

I recently passed on an Index 555 mill and I am still in the market for a knee mill for the garage. I've read and read, and I am pretty sure that I want an Index machine but I would like some input from people that own one. I also need input on a Bridgeport BR2J. Somewhat locally there is an Index 845, MNTB 30 taper, power feed with a vice, drill chuck, and a couple of collets; then there is the Bridgeport BR2J with a ton of tooling, vices, rotary tables and so on. Both have their positives, both similarly priced and since this is a major purchase and my first "grown up" mill, I will take any advice/preferences you gentlemen have. I will have to get a VFD or Rotary Phase Converter with either machine.

 

[Reeltor]

I don't own either machine so I can't comment from actual use. With that said, Index is still in business and parts should be available; also the NMTB 30 taper is hands down a better system than the R8 that is on the Bridgeport. So if you were looking at two bare-bone machines at a similar price the Index would be the better purchase. The fly in the ointment is the tooling. It's easy to spend 2-3-4+ times the cost of the mill on tooling. Not all vises are the same, a Kurt is many times more desirable than a worn out no-name one so you want to compare apples to apples. Rotary Tables are expensive, buying a rotary table and a dividing head almost equaled what I paid for my mill.
I would lean towards the Index but check out the tooling for each machine. Maybe if you list the tooling that comes with each mill some comments can be made to help you with your purchase.

Mike

 

[projectnut]

I've had a Bridgeport BR2J going on 15 years and have been more than happy with it's performance. It has theR8 collet system which I've found more than adequate. Mine is a 1972 model that came from a high school. It was reasonably priced and in like new condition. In the 15 years I've had it there's been almost no maintenance cost other than grease and oil. The only thing I added was a digital readout. Other than that it's factory stock
I think you'll find the Bridgeport is the industry standard for most small commercial production and repair shops. The main reasons being cost of operation and versatility.

Tooling is inexpensive compared to other brands and tool styles. They are more capable than most machines, and relatively low cost to maintain. It's not a machine meant for heavy slab milling, or boring 6" diameter holes all day long. There are heavier and stouter machines for that purpose, but they won't fit in the same work space and will cost a fortune to tool up.

Here's a link to a brochure on Bridgeport machines:
http://www.sterlingmachinery.com/db-files/bridgeport milling machine brochure.pdf

 

[eodcoduto]

I found and read that last night, now I know it will fit under my garage door! I will have to see if I can see the machine this week, it is about 150 miles away. It also has a kurt power draw bar, mitutoyo 2 axis DRO and a few drawers full of tooling, 2 tapmatic taps etc etc.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I owned a Index 845, it was a beast- the smaller BP's can't compare- as good as the BP's are.
the Index machine was my favorite, but i had to sell before i moved a few years back.
i still want another

 

[4GSR]

One positive to an Index 845, the company is still in business today and parts are generally available. Might be pricy and made in USA. True that most Bridgeport aftermarket parts are available at somewhat reasonable price when you can find them. I'm like Mike, I favor Index over Bridgeport anyday!

 

[projectnut]

Our shop at work had over a dozen Tree brand mills and 3 Bridgeport's. I ran a Tree regularly for several years and occasionally used one of the Bridgeport's. I preferred the Tree's mainly because they were shorter (I'm 5' 8"). The Tree collet changing system was more user friendly to us short guys because we didn't have to wear our high heel shoes to reach the drawbar. (Believe me wearing high heel shoes in a machine shop can be hazardous to your health in many ways.) The Trees were more rigid and since the company was buying the tooling and fixtures cost was not a concern.

Before I retired I decided to setup my own shop. I looked for 2 years to find a Tree machine in decent shape for a reasonable price. In all that time I found several machines that were either worn beyond repair, or outrageously expensive. I gave up on that brand and started looking for either a Bridgeport or an Index. I found a similar situation for most of the Index machines. They were either badly worn or expensive. As for the cost of tooling for these, machines it wasn't as bad as the Tree brand, but considerably more than Bridgeport.
I happened across a Bridgeport that had been setting in storage for 10 years at a local high school. It was in excellent condition, for a reasonable price. The only tooling that came with it was a vise and a few worn out end mills. It cost less to purchase collets, tool holders, a second vise, a rotary table, and a few other accessories than it would have cost to purchase a badly worn Index with no tooling.

I've had the Bridgeport over 15 years and it's been a good machine. In the long run I'm happy I came across it. Had I bought one of the other brands there's no way I could afford the tooling I currently have. I've used the machine long and hard over the years. Some weeks it gets used 40+ hours a week, more often it's in the 20 hour a week range, and some weeks it gathers dust.

I had a chance to purchase a Tree brand mill earlier this year, but when I put the pencil to the cost of tooling it up I decided to stick with the machine I have, and I don't have room for a second one.. I don't think there's any job I would take on that I wouldn't be comfortable using the Bridgeport. Even at 1 1/2 HP it has all the power I need. I also like the versatility in that some jobs require a fair amount of machine adjustments to accomplish

 

[4GSR]

Even Though I prefer a Index over a Bridgeport, you can't beat a Bridgeport Mill. Been many years since I operated one. The one I operated at that time was ok and that's about it.

Here's another name to throw into the hat, Supermax and Acer, both maybe the same. A friend of mine just purchased a second hand Supermax Mill for a decent price in excellent shape, too. Another one is Gorton. They are nice mill when you can find a decent one that's not worn out. The only drawback is, the limitation tooling, B & S spindle taper, unless you get a hold of 1-22 mill with a R-8 taper spindle. Ken

 

[eodcoduto]

I am going to go check out the Bridgeport tomorrow, and then figure out the logistics of getting it home if I do buy it. The Index is nice, but the tooling that comes with the B'port would take me years to affordably buy. Plus I grew up in Bridgeport Nebraska.
Here is what I am going to see: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/tls/5749116660.html

 

[T Bredehoft]

Looks like a bargain to me.