Bridgeport Rehab - or How To Lose Your Wife In 10 Days

Lots of greasy goodness! Enjoy your new toy; looks to be in great condition
 
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Ive begun taking some of the top end apart for cleaning. I am a little intimidated by a full top end rebuild, but I a may tackle it regardless. Ive ordered a few replacement parts. The quill feed trip lever dog bone thingy was broken, the micrometer scale was missing and replaced with this contraption

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I kind of like this idea and may keep it. I still want the original scale though. I've also ordered new way wipers and some replacement screws for a few slotted fasteners that were mangled either during installation or removal. Ive also ordered a Tico L510 220v to power the motor. Those should all be here in a few days.

But alas, I must go out of state to visit family so this project will be on hold for a week or so. I'll post some more updates when work resumes.
I wouldn't bother with a new scale, just order the digital dros that fit , or make your own.
 
I wouldn't bother with a new scale, just order the digital dros that fit , or make your own.
This came with an original Bridgeport branded Tektron DRO for X&Y axis. Seems to work fine although I didnt check it for accuracy. Part of me wants to keep this for the nostalgia, but I may swap it for a newer 3 axis model.
 
This came with an original Bridgeport branded Tektron DRO for X&Y axis. Seems to work fine although I didnt check it for accuracy. Part of me wants to keep this for the nostalgia, but I may swap it for a newer 3 axis model.
I am talking to replace the quill scale. There's no need for an analog scale, the digital are very good. A mitutoyo, or other quill dro will be better than the scale.
 
You guys guilted me into finally attaching the cheapo battery powered quill DRO (glorified caliper) that’s been rattling around in a drawer for years.

I only own an offshore bench top square column mill with a two axis DRO. Until now I’ve been relying on the dials and gauge pins in combo with the quill stop.

Today I just attached it with hacked together scrap to get the dimensions right, but it seems to work. I promised myself I’d make a cleaner mount but it’s at least 50/50 it stays like this for a few decades.

Somewhat alarmingly, the dial and DRO don’t seem to agree. The DRO reads about 1-2% less travel than the dial.

If it was reading more travel, I’d attribute it to being somewhat off vertical, but since it’s reading shorter, and the discrepancy is suspiciously close to the difference between 25mm and 25.4mm, I now think I’ve discovered the source of some puzzling errors in projects past.

There needs to be a word for a 25mm “inch” — none of mine are fit for polite company.

I’ll indicate it in the morning to see if that’s indeed what’s happening. It’s too hot in the shop atm.

There are 100 divisions on the dial. I’ll bet real money they made the pitch of the quill’s fine metric (like 0.5mm) and geared it to get 2.5mm per rev with a dial labeled 0.100”/rev. Any takers?

Anyone need 25mm collets marked 1” or 12.5mm collets marked 1/2”? I’ve got both free for the taking.
 
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Wait, who? Oh right, the wife. Shes somewhere beyond the gates of the hell here.

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Had an extra child lock laying around. This keeps me safe while I play with my toys. She was opposed to the purchase of the mill. Has been ever since I started floating the idea around. But the crafty man that I am, I finally agreed to let her buy the new MacBook she's been wanting forever. Two days later I showed up with a grin on my face and rusty mill in tow. She was less than thrilled, but didn't have much ground to stand on. This thing cost less than her computer after all, and its a business write off.

Much to her chagrin, I spent two full days in the shop, neglecting both wife and child, for there is a new love in my life. I shall call her Bridgette. Bridgette Port.

My wife was being a good sport this weekend, but I could tell she was biting her tongue. That's 2 days down and 8 to go. Im taking the family on a trip to visit the in-laws who live out of state, so hopefully that will buy me some extra shop time when we return.
Ok, you can get a new MacBook for around $1,000 (or less), so you got all this for less than a grand???
 
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