# What is the circular mount on the rear of a Bridgeport Ram?



## lindse34 (Nov 20, 2012)

When I first got my Series 1 I tried finding what can be done with the mount on the rear of the Ram but never got anywhere. It looks like some kind of an attachment would bolt on but I have never seen a mill with anything on it. What is it used for? I assume the turret can be rotated 180 degree so it is over the table.


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## DMS (Nov 20, 2012)

It's for other heads, like the slotting head. You rotate the turret around so that it is over the table so that you can use the other head.

Here is a picture of one with the slotting head attached.

http://industrialmachineinc.com/Machines/Bridgeport Vertical Mill Slotting Head.htm


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## dickr (Nov 24, 2012)

The slotting on the back goes up and down like a small hammer. It was used for broaching square corners on keyways, etc. You would grind a HSS tool bit, put it in the holder, locate where you wanted the slot or keyway or what ever you wanted square then move the table in small increments as it cut the slot moving up and down. I never saw very many of them in all the shops I was in but in a one or two man shop they could be very handy. 
More Greek huh.
dickr


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## Tony Wells (Nov 24, 2012)

They're like a light duty vertical shaper, more or less. I've used one a number of times. Pretty handy if you can get one, and don't have a shaper.


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## Charley Davidson (Nov 24, 2012)

Benny has 2:*****slap2: Maybe I should do some trading with him and mount one on my other Bp that's missing parts.


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## Tony Wells (Nov 24, 2012)

You should if you don't have a shaper.


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## lindse34 (Nov 25, 2012)

Hmm, that attachment would be money well spent for custom small jobs. Take the money spent on a broach set and save it for that. Another item added to the wish list.:whistle: I swear there are drug addictions cheaper than the machining bug.


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## Metalmann (Nov 25, 2012)

Those slotters were lifesavers in a lot of situations. Not all shops had them, though.


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## brucer (Dec 7, 2012)

we had an old bridgeport at work years ago that had a large boring head mounted on the rear of the ram..


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## Mike Nash (Jan 5, 2013)

DMS said:


> It's for other heads, like the slotting head. You rotate the turret around so that it is over the table so that you can use the other head.
> 
> Here is a picture of one with the slotting head attached.
> 
> http://industrialmachineinc.com/Machines/Bridgeport Vertical Mill Slotting Head.htm



Another attachment was the cherrying head.


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