What goes in the threaded holes above the fine-feed wheel?

[ErichKeane]

So you can see 1 of the holes in this image,directly up from the fine-feed wheel handle, right in the little 'jut' in the casting. There is a second hole a few inches below it hidden by the handle in this picture.

I've found a number of pictures where Bridgeports show these holes as well, but never anything mounted in them! Does anyone have an idea what they are for?

 

[T Bredehoft]

Just a guess, how about a scale alongside the screw which travels up and down with the quill. To tell the operator how deep he's drilling, etc. Or to assist in locating the stop for the quill.

 

[ErichKeane]

Just a guess, how about a scale alongside the screw which travels up and down with the quill. To tell the operator how deep he's drilling, etc. Or to assist in locating the stop for the quill.

There is already one of those on the right side of the wheel (though, annoyingly the scale is broken up into quarters, then 50 tho increments, likely to match the depth stop, which is 50 thou per rotation).

I thought it was some sort of data plate or something, but could not find one populated anywhere on the internet.

 

[MyLilMule]

These are set screws that captures shafts that are part of the power feed mechanism, if these are the ones you are talking about.

 

[ErichKeane]

These are set screws that captures shafts that are part of the power feed mechanism, if these are the ones you are talking about.

View attachment 401885

Those are! Thank you! I thought there was going to be some accessory I didn't know of, and never noticed the seat screws in there. Definitely explains why all the clones have it too!

Thanks! Mystery solved!

 

[jmarkwolf]

Those are! Thank you! I thought there was going to be some accessory I didn't know of, and never noticed the seat screws in there. Definitely explains why all the clones have it too!

Thanks! Mystery solved!

I have the same mill and have the same holes as well. They both have set screws in them. My first guess at the function was securing some internal mechanism.

ErichKeane, have you figured out why our Acer Emill has that arbitrary time-out period after using the brake, before you can re-start the spindle again?

 

[ErichKeane]

I have the same mill and have the same holes as well. They both have set screws in them. My first guess at the function was securing some internal mechanism.

ErichKeane, have you figured out why our Acer Emill has that arbitrary time-out period after using the brake, before you can re-start the spindle again?

I don't have that mill, it is just what I found on google when searching for a picture of what I meant. My Birmingham mill doesn't have the 'brake cuts the power' feature, so I'm not sure why that would be.