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New to me Bridgeport mill, this beginner has questions.
- Thread starter jason867
- Start date
I just ordered way & spindle oils, as well as a replacement wiper kit.
So, the corkscrew to rotate the head just freespins for me, here's a video.
I was thinking a stripped gear at first, but after looking at parts diagrams on H&W Machinery, I now believe it to be just a sheered shaft key.
So, the corkscrew to rotate the head just freespins for me, here's a video.
I was thinking a stripped gear at first, but after looking at parts diagrams on H&W Machinery, I now believe it to be just a sheered shaft key.
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- Apr 30, 2015
- Messages
- 12,313
The rad/dia switch would be for if the DRO was used on a lathe- specifically the cross slide movement vs. the diameter of the workpiece
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2015
- Messages
- 12,313
That's it, just a X2
For milling machine you keep it on rad (unity gain)
For the other issue, you might have a stripped gear- hope for the best but prepare for the worst
For milling machine you keep it on rad (unity gain)
For the other issue, you might have a stripped gear- hope for the best but prepare for the worst
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- Joined
- May 7, 2023
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- 2,242
Be careful tilting the head until you figure out what’s going on with that worm gear.
If it’s in there but inop you probably won’t be able to rotate the head at all.
If parts are missing or damaged it could just flop over to one side unexpectedly when it begins to tilt.
If it’s in there but inop you probably won’t be able to rotate the head at all.
If parts are missing or damaged it could just flop over to one side unexpectedly when it begins to tilt.
I was definitely worried about that happening when I went to tram the head to the table.
I chucked a long-ish 5/8 scrap rod into the head. Instead of clamping the table vice onto the rod, I tightly clamped a matching pair of scrap steel blocks on both sides of the rod in the vice, leaving the rod free to move, but only about an inch either way before being stopped by the blocks.
I then carefully loosened the four face bolts on the head until it was able to rotate. It rotated freely, within the bounds of the vice & rod.
I straightened the head by eye, and tightened the bolts some to hold it still.
I then carefully removed the rod & vice, and chucked up the starret indicator to sweep the table. But before I did that, i tightened a ratchet strap around the motor to the back of the ram, as a little insurance in case I lost control of the head. I should've used my cherry picker instead, but it wasn't handy at the time.
I then very-carefully loosened the bolts to the same point where i could just nudge the head earlier. I would look at the dial, tap the head some with a brass hammer until the dial moved, tighten a head bolt, then sweep the table. Then carefully loosen the bolt and do it all again.
Long story short, i got my head trammed in to the table! I'm confident it's within a thousandth all 360* around, and maybe within a half thousandth (reasonably confident).
I'm pretty confident that it's within a half thousandth in each axis separately.
Got my vice remounted and aligned too.
I neglected to take pictures of the setup, only videos after tramming.
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I thought about pulling the head off and fixing the worm gear, using a mount to pull the head off with the table. But I reasoned that it would be a lot of potential headache, and some expense, when I may never actually need to rotate the head at all. So I decided to try tramming it in as is. I marked an X on the broken wormscrew nut to remind me it doesn't work. I can always fix it later.
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