# Mill table feed



## Allan Machinist (Mar 4, 2013)

Hello All,

I have a small milling machine Bridgeport type wich do not have table feed.

Is there anyway to retrofit some feed ? Electric maybe !

Thanks and happy machining,

Allan


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## joe_m (Mar 4, 2013)

Do you mean X/Y (left/right and back/forward)? If so then ENCO and Grizzly and maybe others sells a retrofit autofeed but the one for the knee mills costs a few hundred bucks. 

http://www.use-enco.com/1/3/mill-power-feed


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## Allan Machinist (Mar 4, 2013)

Hey there ya go,

Exactly what I had in mind !

Many thanks  :thumbsup:

Allan


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## Kernbigo (Mar 12, 2013)

Make your own, use a linear actuator,rework or remake the lead screw, add a timeing gear on it and one on the table. Mine works great just have  to come up with some electronics on ebay.


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## autonoz (Mar 12, 2013)

What about an electric window motor? I have one I was going to try and retrofit onto my mini mill. Not sure if it is strong enough though.


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## george wilson (Mar 13, 2013)

Be careful. Some of these small motors may be intermittent duty,and you don't want that for a table feed. Also,a table feed takes some power.

I made a simple,1 speed power feed for a mill drill years ago with a Bodine right angle gear head motor and a mating worm and spur gear. The spur gear was bronze. I can't recall the h.p. of the Bodine,but it was a fractional h.p. motor. You can pick up such motors at places like Surplus Sales. Mine,with the worm gear,was geared down pretty slow,but had plenty of power. I had a reverse switch on it. It beat the heck out of hand cranking,which I'd done for a few years!!

I had an idea to use a rotisserie motor to power my #4 Burke,but got the Bodine together. I don't know if a rotisserie motor would be powerful enough for something as large as a Bridgeport,but it isn't intermittent duty. My Burke table was only about 4" x 18",or so. Later,I put my unit on a mill drill.

For a long time,by now,I've gotten Servo units for my Bridgy. Have one on X and Y feeds. I have one for the knee feed,but haven't put it on yet. Fortunately,I've been able to pick up good used ones much cheaper than new ones.


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## Richard King (Mar 13, 2013)

joe_m said:


> Do you mean X/Y (left/right and back/forward)? If so then ENCO and Grizzly and maybe others sells a retrofit autofeed but the one for the knee mills costs a few hundred bucks.
> 
> http://www.use-enco.com/1/3/mill-power-feed




If you buy one of these get the one that has the little yellow box with the wires.  That is the feed stop solenoid.  It's real handy you can set the stop to turn off the feed if you need to walk away from the machine for a bit.


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## Kernbigo (Mar 13, 2013)

This is the working product using the linear actuator. I have one for sale if any one is interested. $30.00 pluss shipping ph 815-389-1870


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## Bill C. (Mar 15, 2013)

Kernbigo said:


> This is the working product using the linear actuator. I have one for sale if any one is interested. $30.00 pluss shipping ph 815-389-1870



Make sure whatever you choose to use that you install kill switches on both ends of the table travel.  Also double check that all the table clamps are released before engaging.  I wiped out the feed nut on a BP at one shop I worked in because one clamp was not released.  Also turn off the power to it before walking away. If the feed knob is bumped or not on zero you may have a crash. Good luck


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## Allan Machinist (Mar 17, 2013)

Bill C. said:


> Make sure whatever you choose to use that you install kill switches on both ends of the table travel.  Also double check that all the table clamps are released before engaging.  I wiped out the feed nut on a BP at one shop I worked in because one clamp was not released.  Also turn off the power to it before walking away. If the feed knob is bumped or not on zero you may have a crash. Good luck



Thanks for the advice !

Regards,

Allan


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