# Resurrecting A Project Long "dead"



## Paul_NJ (Jul 16, 2015)

I began this thread over on the Van Norman forum because what I bought more years ago than I can recall, is a Bridgeport M head mounted in a VN 1/2 base.  And it's been sitting in my barn workshop, in pieces, since.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/now-heres-a-diamond-in-the-rough-project.36774/

I actually began to clean up the head today.  Seems like you guys over here would be the best place to begin asking questions about the M head, as part of the reason it's sat so long is that I'm much more experienced restoring old tractors than machine shop equipment.

First, does the serial # tell anything about the machine's age? . .




Second question:  I'm doing some disasembly for cleaning, inspection, and painting . . . the motor came off easy enough . . . would I upset any critical alignments if I remove the 4 nuts from the face of the machine in the attempt to remove the (heavy, solid) support bar that holds the head to the base?

I'd like to get the aluminum pulley housing off also . .  . I've been looking for disassembly/maintenance instructions for the M head on the internet, but there seems to be much more info on the J head, than this one.




This will be a winter project, but seems like it would be fun to work some tasks in now.  Glad I found this site, and forum.

Thanks


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## AR1911 (Jul 17, 2015)

This is timely. I also have an M-head waiting for installation on a Clausing base. I just finished another project (Benchmaster) and am about to start this long-delayed Clausing/M-head project.

You can download the early Bridgeport manuals which cover the M-head. See if this helps.


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## JPigg55 (Jul 17, 2015)

Looks to be a 1980 model if I'm reading the chart right.
Chart link: http://www.lathes.co.uk/bridgeport/page7.html


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## Paul_NJ (Jul 17, 2015)

AR1911 said:


> This is timely. I also have an M-head waiting for installation on a Clausing base. I just finished another project (Benchmaster) and am about to start this long-delayed Clausing/M-head project.
> 
> You can download the early Bridgeport manuals which cover the M-head. See if this helps.


Thanks so much for the pdf manual!  That's a great help.  Projects do stack up, but I find talking with others renews my enthusiasm.


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## AR1911 (Aug 2, 2015)

I'm going to start a thread on my Clausing/M-head project shortly


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## DanLins (Aug 24, 2015)

I don't think that is  a 1980 serial #. On the link JPigg55 provided, it says, "*The machine Serial Number on US-manufactured examples is stamped into front of the knee casting--not the head (the head numbers are a completely separate series and have nothing to do with machine numbers). "*

So the date of manufacture of the head itself will be related more to the type of head than any serial # stamped on the ID plate. That actually appears to me to be from the 1940's or 1950's step pulley series heads.


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## DanLins (Aug 24, 2015)

After further examination, I believe this is a Model R head, given the speed ranges and general appearance.
Not sure what years they were made, but you can read more about it at http://www.lathes.co.uk/bridgeport/index.html

Dan


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## Bill Gruby (Aug 24, 2015)

That serial number begins with an "M" which signifies it is indeed an "M Head". L prefix is L Head, J prefix  is J Head.

 "Billy G"


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## DanLins (Aug 24, 2015)

Right you are. Actually that M head looks more useful than the R head....


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## comstock-friend (Aug 27, 2015)

Yep, head serial numbers are different than the machine numbers.

My head is M1998, the column is BH-663 which puts me at early 1941 (BH-657 to BH-1549)

John


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