# BP Power Feed



## Kroll (Feb 25, 2020)

Guys I had posted this question while back at to what PF for the BP,got alot of good answers and ideals.Well I am now ready to pull the trigger and was wondering if anyone can talk me out of buying this model? I know its mde over seas but I am just a once in while kind of guy so what do ya'll think about this choice? I has the torque,and price looks right. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32700484779.html


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## darkzero (Feb 25, 2020)

I have that brand on my mill/drill. Same brand that Shars sells. I wanted an Align but I was on a budget then & they only came green for the mill/drill. I've had mine for 7 yrs now & it has never gave me a problem. I even purchased a spare gear for it but have never broken the original one.


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## DavidR8 (Feb 25, 2020)

At the risk of hijacking, would that fit my RF @darkzero?


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## darkzero (Feb 25, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> At the risk of hijacking, would that fit my RF @darkzero?



Not that particular model no. You need the one that comes with the bracket to mount on the table & comes with the gear adapter to replace the handwheel.









						282.15US $ 1% OFF|Alsgs Al-310s 110v / 220v Horizontal Milling Machine Power Feed 450 In-lb Power Feed Machinery For X Axis - Level Measuring Instruments - AliExpress
					

Smarter Shopping, Better Living!  Aliexpress.com




					www.aliexpress.com


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## DavidR8 (Feb 25, 2020)

Thanks Will, <hijackoff/>


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## Winegrower (Feb 25, 2020)

In my limited experience, all imports are pretty much exactly alike.   Would appreciate any data to the contrary.


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## projectnut (Feb 26, 2020)

I just purchased an Align model 500P for my Bridgeport.  They aren't all that expensive.  I purchased one on eBay from Clark Machinery for less than $300.00









						Items for sale by clarkmachinery | eBay
					

Shop eBay for great deals from clarkmachinery!



					www.ebay.com
				




They have less expensive brands for about $150.00


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## Kroll (Feb 28, 2020)

Guys,plans change.After doing more research and projectnuts link I order the Align 500p It did cost little more but Clarks(seller) also carry’s parts.And there’s a Youtube on installing power drive.There’s nothing wrong with the one I was going with at first,price was good and I have it bout six days but none of that had anything to do with my choice.It was watching the Youtube and parts being local.So I should have it Wednesday,no there won’t be a Youtube of unboxing the Align


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## BGHansen (Feb 28, 2020)

I bought an import power feed for the Z-axis on my Bridgeport (build thread below).  I use it EVERY time the BP gets fired up and have had no issues so far (2+ years).  Sure beats the heck out of moving the table up and down 0.1" per crank.  Really "loved" tramming the knee manually when installing a DRO scale.  

Bruce









						Z-axis Power Feed install
					

I absolutely hated hank cranking the knee on my Bridgeport mill.  Might be old age or the fact that I work for a living to afford some conveniences, so I bought a Z-axis power feed unit from All Industrial Tool supply as a belated birthday present to myself.  Don’t mind birthdays so much when...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## Kroll (Feb 28, 2020)

Bruce that is on my want and to do list after X. While I have only player around with my mill on couple projects I can now understand why others is adding a PF to Z. I am going back and read your post on your Z,thanks for responding


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## projectnut (Feb 28, 2020)

Bruce you are a bad influence on us old timers.  Real men have a strong left arm, and can spin the Z crank handle at about 200 rpm's.  We don't need no stinkin power feed on the Z axis.  However I must admit that after 20 years at work with with no power feed on the X axis, and another 20 years in my own shop, I finally broke down and purchased one.  I suppose once it's installed  the next step down the slippery slope will be  Z axis power feed.


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## zamboni2354 (Feb 28, 2020)

I added it as well. It's so nice!! I saw your write up and video before i did mine. It was helpful! Thanks!
Jeff in Long Beach
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk


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## Kroll (Mar 1, 2020)

Look what showed up on Sunday was not expecting this till Wednesday Yahoooo WOOP-WOOP


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## projectnut (Mar 1, 2020)

I received my Align 500X power feed yesterday and attempted to install it.  Unfortunately I ran into a snag.  Not with the Align unit, but rather with the machine itself.  When I got the machine some 20 years ago it was missing the bearing, housing, scale and crank handle on the right side of the table.  It was originally fitted with a Bridgeport F8 table drive that had long since disappeared.

I measured the gap and machined a shaft and coupling to extend the leadscrew through a new bearing plate and mount a new scale and crank handle.  All has worked fine, but here comes the rub (literally).  Although the shaft I made works fine with the manual handle is a bit too short to install the new power feed.  The crank handle will literally rub on the face of the power feed box.  It's oh so close, but not quite long enough.

I've seen adds for replacement shafts, but most are in the $75.00 to $100.00 range.  That seems like a bit more than I want to spend at this stage.  I'm wondering if anyone here has run into the same problem, and if so did you make your own extension shaft, or were you able to find one at a more reasonable price?  I'm not averse to making a new slightly longer shaft, but would like to know how others (if any) have addressed the problem.

The other slightly disturbing problem is that the only installation instructions for the X drive appear to be a single picture in the included manual, and a video with Chinese narrative, and English sub titles.  That wouldn't be so bad IF the parts in the kit matched the parts in the video and/or instructions.  The kit includes a number of shims not addressed in either the manual or the video, and is missing a spacer ring shown in the video.  It also has an extended hex nut not addressed in either place.

Maybe I missed more recent videos, a newer manual, or maybe old age has just caught up with me.  In any case for those of you that have installed the X feed kit are there videos or instructions out there that actually match the parts that come in the kit?


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## Kroll (Mar 1, 2020)

Well Project I have the same problem,boy I was not figuring on that after watching the Youtube on how easy it is.Dang bad luck. Wind been taken out of my sail


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## projectnut (Mar 1, 2020)

Well in my case I think it's literally back to the drawing board.  I'll draw up a new shaft.  Make it about an inch longer than the current one and reassemble everything.  Once I determine exactly how much longer the shaft should be I'll cut it to length and thread the end.


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## Kroll (Mar 1, 2020)

I'm guessing I'll have to do the same thing,the lead screw I guess is 3/4 so I'll have try make something that fit and with slot for a key and setscrew. I have check see what I got laying around to give it a try,but that be a project for another day maybe when I'm off for week. About how long did you make yours,I guess it would be the same as if I had the old PF on there.


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## projectnut (Mar 1, 2020)

Kroll said:


> I'm guessing I'll have to do the same thing,the lead screw I guess is 3/4 so I'll have try make something that fit and with slot for a key and setscrew. I have check see what I got laying around to give it a try,but that be a project for another day maybe when I'm off for week. About how long did you make yours,I guess it would be the same as if I had the old PF on there.



The lead screw on my machine (1972 Bridgeport series I is .812" (13/16") with an 1/8" key which makes things a bit tougher.  I'll either have to make a new coupling, or get a 3/4" one and bore it.  Part of the current problem is that whoever bored the original coupling was off center.  The bearing in the manual setup could absorb the off center with no impact on the effort needed to crank the handle.  The power feed has much closer tolerance and binds slightly with the off center shaft.  

I made an offer on 2 new couplings.  If the seller accepts the offer it shouldn't take long to make a shaft and complete the job.  If he doesn't accept the offer I'll be making some out of DOM tube.  That might take a while with all the other things going on around the house right now.  At least for now the original manual crank handle is back in place and working fine.  Since I've done without a power feed for 20 years another few days shouldn't make much difference.


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## Kroll (Mar 2, 2020)

Well I was checking prices for new lead screw since mine has wear which is in center.But those cost 285.00 so that’s out question for me.Going pop that coupling off then try measure the shaft


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## projectnut (Mar 2, 2020)

To minimize the effect of the wear you can replace the brass nuts.  In most cases there's more wear on the nuts than the lead screw itself.  The X axis nut is a little over $37.00 from H&W machine repair.




__





						Leadscrew Assembly
					

Leadscrew Assembly




					www.machinerypartsdepot.com
				




If yours is an older machine with a single "split nut"  the nut can be removed and totally separated at the split and reinstalled.  Mine had the split nut.  I separated it into 2 pieces some 15 years ago and reduced the play to about .008".  They come new from the factory with .003" to .005"


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## 38super (Mar 2, 2020)

Power Feed
					

Been wanting power feed in X and mostly Z.  Bought a pair of 150in/lb units designed for a Bridgeport ($254 ea, free ship).  Proto work is done and tested.  Final assembly is waiting on lead screw ball bearing and a couple don't drill that just yet holes.  So, below is a list of make, modify and...




					www.hobby-machinist.com
				




This is an adaptation of a BP PF to a Rockwell mill.  150in/lb, $250 ea.

GGGRRrrrr: just looked at fleabay, same PF is $100 cheaper, must be the flu.


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## Janderso (Mar 2, 2020)

I bought the Precision Mathews version for my X axis on my full size Sharp BP clone. It works but I had to fuss with the shims and the lead screw extension needs to be remade or replaced. It's not a very standard operation. It seems like this subject causes a lot of frustration to many of us.
I paid about $275 as I recall.


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## chips&more (Mar 2, 2020)

Did you have an original power feed on your BP? IMHO that was the best power feed you could have used. Yes, they had original problems, but when corrected, they are the BEST! And no, you cannot just remove the original power feed and put on an Import. The original BP feed screw feed screw for use with an original power feed has a totally different end on it. Sorry, cannot just swap out. IMHO, you should fix the original power feed you have.


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## projectnut (Mar 2, 2020)

The power feed on my machine was missing when I purchased it.  Over the years several times I've tried to buy an F8 power feed, but the asking price for those available was more than I paid for the machine.  There's currently one on eBay with an asking price of $1,850.00.  That's way more than I'm willing to pay.

There were at least half a dozen laying in a supply room at our local technical college.  They had all been replaced by Servo brand power feeds.  There was nothing wrong with them, but the department head wouldn't sell them.  There was a disagreement between him and the powers that be.  He thought if they were sold the money should go into his budget since the original expense came out of his budget.  The powers that be wanted the money from the sales to go into the general fund.  As far as I know they're still setting in the supply room, because neither person has changed their mind as to where the money should go.


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## Kroll (Mar 2, 2020)

Projectnut I just check mine and it is also 13/16 dang the bad luck I guess,I wish there was a simple answer but looks like a shaft needs to be made but dang how long does it need to be? Well I am off next week so going to give my beginner skills a try.


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## jmarkwolf (Mar 4, 2020)

I bought the Align for my tired old Bridgeport X-axis. When I sold the Bridgeport it bolted right up to my new Acer 3VS.

Just for your info.


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## projectnut (Mar 4, 2020)

jmarkwolf said:


> I bought the Align for my tired old Bridgeport X-axis. When I sold the Bridgeport it bolted right up to my new Acer 3VS.
> 
> Just for your info.



I installed mine last night after watching the Align video.  Although the video audio was in Chinese there were English sub titles.  It came with a number of shims for spacing the gears and the dial.  The subtitle when installing the shims mentioned there should be little or no noise when operating the unit.  Unfortunately there was no audio demonstrating what level of noise should be expected.  I have a small amount of gear noise, but couldn't come up with a shim combination (with the supplied shims) to totally eliminate it.  I'm not sure if the noise I have is normal, or I need to create a combination of shims to totally eliminate it.  Any help would be appreciated.


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## jmarkwolf (Mar 4, 2020)

I don't believe you can get rid of all the noise. The first time I installed my Align was on my Bridgeport and the noise was a nuisance, but every thing worked fine. When I transplanted the Align to my new Acer I was more careful selecting the shims and I was able to reduce the noise significantly. I had actually forgotten the noise was even there, but like I said I don't think you can get rid of all of it.


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## projectnut (Mar 5, 2020)

jmarkwolf said:


> I don't believe you can get rid of all the noise. The first time I installed my Align was on my Bridgeport and the noise was a nuisance, but every thing worked fine. When I transplanted the Align to my new Acer I was more careful selecting the shims and I was able to reduce the noise significantly. I had actually forgotten the noise was even there, but like I said I don't think you can get rid of all of it.



Thanks.  I'm going to run it for a few days to test everything out.  If I feel the noise is excessive I'll try reshimming the distance between the power unit and the lead screw drive gear.


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## finsruskw (Mar 5, 2020)

projectnut said:


> Bruce you are a bad influence on us old timers.  Real men have a strong left arm, and can spin the Z crank handle at about 200 rpm's.  We don't need no stinkin power feed on the Z axis.  However I must admit that after 20 years at work with with no power feed on the X axis, and another 20 years in my own shop, I finally broke down and purchased one.  I suppose once it's installed  the next step down the slippery slope will be  Z axis power feed.


You mean there are actually STEPS on that slippery slope!!!
News to me!!


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