There is a mill coming up at auction soon.
I would like to upgrade from my vintage knee mill and know I want a Bridgeport.
Have a few questions for the brain trust.
What series is this mill?
Is one series better than another?
And is the entire machine built in Singapore or is just the part this sticker on from there?
I like the variable speed drive. Is it as reliable as changing a belt?
Thanks for any replies.
Edit: Do you guys have any other advice you could/would offer a BP newbie?
Looks like a Series 1, 2HP variable speed head. I have a variable speed head. I would NOT want to deal with belts. The variable speed heads are more complicated internally, and the parts are more expensive, but well worth it if you ask me. BTW, these were never made to run from a VFD, you should be using a rotary phase converter (a static phase converter is a waste of money) unless you have native 3 phase power.
The Series 2 is much bigger. Much bigger. Not known to be a hobby machine. Many were CNC of some sort.
The heads were manufactured separately from the rest. There is NO way to track how old the head is, as there are no records of serial number to manufacture date. The serial number on the front of the knee can be traced. There's no way to know if the head is the original one that was on the base when originally shipped.
Looks like the head was made in Singapore. Hard to tell where the base was made. Many, many companies made the castings.
Every single part for this head is made today. Most are made by High Quality Tools in Ohio, although HQT does have some manufacturing overseas. They are sold through various distributors, H&W Machine being the most notable. H&W also has an extensive library of videos on YT on the disassembly and reassembly of this head, including what the different part numbers are.
Look for wear in the table, saddle and knee. Look for chrome ways (they are better). Check backlash in the table and saddle screws.
I paid $600 for my Bridgeport, but put about $1K into rebuilding the head - I did all the work myself. Some of it was't absolutely necessary, but I was in there, so might as well. It wasn't that hard at all. I also made a series of YT videos on what I did.
Your seeing this at an auction - the price may skyrocket as it starts to close. Although I have seen BPs sell for $250 here in NE Ohio. It's all a gamble. I paid $100 for my 6x12 surface grinder, but I recently watched one very much like it sell at an auction for $950. To someone that must have been crazy.
