Opinion on what is wear and what’s not on Bridgeport ways

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FTlatheworks

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I am still in the process of cleaning and running power to my new to me Bridgeport. Adjust backlash and cleaning the mill up. Just doing a general check up. I was noticed some very deep ridges on the top of the ways. I don’t think that it affects the precision of the mill, but wanted to ask how that would occur? I will post the wear on the main scraped surface of the y axis ways, the second picture will be on the outside/top of the v way.
 

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All those marks are from scraping in the ways at the factory. The unevenness provides a place for the way oil to collect, which is intentional. Any place where these marks are faint is where the way material has been worn away. At first glance, it looks like your ways are in good shape.
 
Provincial said:
All those marks are from scraping in the ways at the factory. The unevenness provides a place for the way oil to collect, which is intentional. Any place where these marks are faint is where the way material has been worn away. At first glance, it looks like your ways are in good shape.
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Maybe I wasn’t clear in my post. I know the scraping appears to be ok, but the top of the ways, which I don’t think are that important, have a very large divot. By “top of the ways” I mean the surface that is to the right of the gib adjustment screw. There is a very heavy divot on that surface. You can see it in the second picture.

I have notice I’m not getting oil on the operator side x axis v, or on the y axis left side that more worn, doesnt get as much oil as the right side? Should I replace all oil lines? Or is there a standard operating procedure for refreshing the oiling system and making sure it’s flowing evenly?

This mill did not have way cover and was never cleaned. I’m trying to get all of the steel chips out of every nook and cranny, but I think I may have to disassemble down to the knee to clean it out good and stop the wear from continuing.

Also, are all mills hard to turn the y axis with the x axis all the way to the right or left? It makes sense with the leverage that the weight of the table creates, but I’m not sure if this is a sign of wear, or if that’s how all Bridgeports are?
 
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You have chrome ways. I'm envious! I think you have minuscule wear there. The area you're concerned about is not a bearing surface. The scratches are probably from swarf that got caught under the saddle. If you want to see wear, I'll post pictures of my '56's steel ways. No flake marks left, but it does what I need. Tightness at end of travel is either way wear or lead screw wear. In your case I'd suspect lead screw. If you have a split lead screw nut and it's snugged up for minimum backlash in the center, where its worn, then it gets too tight out on the ends were there is little to no wear. Same with the ways and the gib adjustment. I don't think your ways have that kind of wear. Definitely investigate the oil system. I understand that the metering orifices can get clogged. I don't have one shot oiling so don't have personal experience here.
 
As @MBuechle said, those aren't bearing surfaces.
Perhaps you removed them in the process of cleaning up the machine, but from the pictures it looks like the front way wiper is missing. Definitely need to replace that.
 
The first photo shows chrome ways. They are very hard and don't wear easily. What's UNDERNEATH the saddle is where you will see any wear.

The second photo of the top of the knee is not a bearing surface.
 
rabler said:
As @MBuechle said, those aren't bearing surfaces.
Perhaps you removed them in the process of cleaning up the machine, but from the pictures it looks like the front way wiper is missing. Definitely need to replace that.
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Yes removed all of that because the previous owner just let all the chips in the world get in every place you don’t want it.
 
MyLilMule said:
The first photo shows chrome ways. They are very hard and don't wear easily. What's UNDERNEATH the saddle is where you will see any wear.

The second photo of the top of the knee is not a bearing surface.
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Yes, but I was curious why it’s got a huge divot. It’s a good .020 deep.
 
FTlatheworks said:
Yes, but I was curious why it’s got a huge divot. It’s a good .020 deep.
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Clearance. The top of the saddle is machined the same way.

EDIT: I'm actually not sure. I reread your post.
 
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