Finding or Fixing a good bridgeport vs buying a clone

[bikesandcars]

I have a very used Bridgeport I purchased to get started for cheap (not knowing better). Ways are very bad, no oiling system, the head is good.

I've learned some things using it but I'm ready for a "tight" machine.

As I see I have a few options: Find a better used machine ( around me a real crap-shoot). Find a recently reconditioned machine from a vendor (8K to 10K). Purchase a clone like a newer Precision Matthews mill.

I'm partial to American made machines, but I'm also partial to having a tight, capable and higher HP machine plus money in my pocket.

Any suggestions from folks that have been there and done that?

 

[MyLilMule]

Outside of rehabbing my own BP, I can't give you any input on what to do personally, but...

Go check out cavemanwelder on Instgram. Look at his old postings from about 7-8 months or so ago. He bought a Wells Index, USA made. Spent months and months trying to fix all of the things that were wrong with it from the factory. Ended up scraping the whole $40k machine. American made ain't all that it's cracked up to be anymore. At least Wells Index couldn't give a crap enough to machine lead screws to dimension that they used a punch and peened the bearing surface so the bearings would fit.

 

[Janderso]

Boy that’s too bad. I have heard nothing but good about Wells mills.

I had a beat up Bridgeport, my first mill. I learned quite a bit on that machine.
Good used machines are out there but it’s not easy to find a tight one.
The Taiwan made Precision Mathews knee mills are a viable option.
H&W sells reconditioned units. You are going to pay but you will have a good US made BP or clone.
I have a Sharp, 3hp, variable speed, 3,300# knee mill. I love it. I paid $4,000 for it several years ago.

 

[MyLilMule]

There's also Besmer Machine. Tim Besmer is a former Bridgeport employee and has been running his own machinery business for 30 years. He rebuilds machines as well as sells Acer machines. I'll add he's no fan of H&W and has a tendency to knock anyone who doesn't do things his way.

 

[cathead]

At the time I bought my Enco vertical mill new, I didn't know enough to determine the difference
between a good machine and something well worn. That was over twenty years ago.
Now I would have no problem buying something used after looking it over. It's getting to the
point that the manufacture location isn't very important. If I were looking around now, I would
consider both new and used and almost any brand. Most any new mill would be a better
choice if you don't know how to analyze the mechanical condition of a used machine.

 

[Beckerkumm]

I'm an old machine guy who generally stays with US, German, or British machines. Having said that, a better Taiwan machine, Acer, Acra, Kent, Webb, PM, etc are often a better value than a used Bridgeport. They are cheaper on the used market and you can find lightly used hobby machines if patient. Condition is everything so you wait for a good example if going used. I'd also look for a Lagun which is Spanish. I like Rambaudi but they are really too rare here in the US.

I have a lightly used Sharp VH25 and it is surprisingly decent and I'd take it over most Bridgeports. Dave

 

[Ischgl99]

You can try Action Machinery, they are local to you. They don’t show any knee mills in their used inventory, but might be worth a call.

Inventory – Action Machinery

www.actionmachinery.com

Another place to try is Machinery Values in Newark, NJ. That should only be about 1.5 hour drive for you.

Dealers of Used Machinery, Used Machine Tools for Sale - Machinery Values

We have the largest inventory of used metalworking equipment, plastic machines and machine tools for sale.

www.machineryvalues.com

If the head is still good, it might be worth getting the ways reground. An import mill could be many months before it arrives, so it might be faster to get your mill repaired if you can do without in during that process.

I’ll throw this out there too, if you are going new, you can decide if you want to stay with R8 or go to something like a 40 taper with some of the manufacturers.

 

[Nutfarmer]

If buying used have someone who knows what they are doing look at it. There are “ rebuilt “ machines that are just a quick paint job.

 

[sdelivery]

There's also Besmer Machine. Tim Besmer is a former Bridgeport employee and has been running his own machinery business for 30 years. He rebuilds machines as well as sells Acer machines. I'll add he's no fan of H&W and has a tendency to knock anyone who doesn't do things his way.

After 25 plus years of building new machine tools and repairing and rebuilding you learn what works what doesn't., how to predict outcome and how to repair customers machinery so that everyone is as happy as they are going to be.
It may seem opinionated or know it all ish...but it is what they pay me for. Same for Tim Besmer.

 

[Richard King 2]

I recently met on the net Tim B on the internet and talked to him on the phone. He knows Bridgeport mechanical repair. He isn't a scraper as he asked me to teach a 2 day scraping class in the spring in his shop in TN. He is going to teach 3 days of Bridgeport Head rebuilding.

Bridgeport Company is now owned by Hardinge and I have heard the new Bridgeport's are now made in Spain. For years they were made in Taiwan and they shipped them to the USA and "assembled" them in the USA so they could say made in the USA. Hurco and Milltronics does or did this too. The old Grease machines and were made in the USA. Bridgeport had a lot of issues and Textron bought Bridgeport in 1968 (google when did Textron buy Bridgeport) and I know then the mills were lightened and the machine was not the same after that. I like H&W and they have a lot of great you tube shows. It seems many rebuilders don't like others as the consider them a competitor. I like both. I also used to buy parts from Quality Machine.

My former foreman Craig Laurich back when I was rebuilding machines full time now owns a company called "Shop Services" in Northern MN and he say's he can't rebuild a Bridgeport and get a better machine then a Acer Mill. He started to sell Acer's. I know many of our members own Bridgeport's and if they were going to pay someone to rebuild one, I would consider buying an Acer or a Sharp. Those machines are made in Taiwan. I am not a fan of Chinese made machines as I have seen many and the scraping is terrible.. You should check before you buy.

I get requests from hobbyists to sell them the tools so they can rebuild their Bridgeports. I ask them are they only going to do 1 machine and if they say yes, I tell them to buy another mill. Many times one can repair their mills by replacing parts and cleaning and stoning the worn ways. If you think you can scrape it, your going to have to buy scraping tools and test equipment and that's not cheap.