# I powered up my Bridgeport and made a little tool storage shelf



## toolcrib (May 11, 2014)

With the spring weather I got out to my garage, cleaned it up, moved my mill out of the center of the floor and decided it was time to get it powered up.

A JNEV-101-h1 and an enclosure to keep it protected were ordered.  








The frequency drive is wired to provide 60 Hz with the FWD/REV control done through the barrel switch on the mill.  The control wires are the twisted bundle in the flexible aluminum conduit.  I have not set up an external potentiometer for frequency control, but this may happen in the future as this mill has a step pulley head.  The enclosure is much larger than needed at 6x11x20, but this should let me run with the cover on without overheating.

My practice project was a wood shelf for the small mill tooling I purchased to get started.  I figured I should start with wood to get my feel for the mill back.  I have not run one in over a decade.  This project only involved drilling holes of varying sizes for the tooling and milling pockets to store my squares and a set of parallels.







It is made from a scrap piece of oak stair tread I have been using as a jacking block for the last five years.  I think this is a better purpose for it.  The pieces on the table will all fit nicely organized. \




Here it is mounted to my garage wall and loaded up.  The pockets for the squares are only 0.2" deep, but are tight enough that the squares will not fall out.  




This is its new home with my other high use tools.  

I will say that this did bring back the feel for counting handle turns to track travel and bringing the table back to the same position.  I am feeling much more confident, and will be making a replacement foot pad for my lathe (missing when purchased) in the near future.

Andrew


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## wquiles (May 11, 2014)

Very nice.  I have one of those TECO VFD's in my bandsaw


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## righto88 (May 11, 2014)

Nice work and I enjoyed the pictures!


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## Patrick (May 11, 2014)

Way to go Andrew, doesn't matter of it's metal or wood as long as you use it and enjoy it. I have a friend who uses his Bridgeport for furniture making only and love's it.

Pat


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## Andre (May 11, 2014)

Nice work, now wait till it gets full of chips when flycutting )


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## chuckorlando (May 11, 2014)

Thats a great idea. Thanks


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