Old Bridgeport Gets New Lease On LIFE

[rb67mustang]

Here's a short video of the BP coming to LIFE for the first time in my shop/garage at 7:46 PM on September 29, 2021. I'm sorry the video is a bit jumpy, but it is what it is. Notice the cloud of dust coming out of the pulley housing when the motor started.

 

[rb67mustang]

Presently, I'm trying to free up the stuck ram. Then I'll mount the new X-axis power feed, and fix the quill feed mechanism as well as addressing the Y-axis leadscrew backlash.

 

[rb67mustang]

Here's a short video of the BP coming to LIFE for the first time in my shop/garage. I'm sorry the video is a bit jumpy, but it is what it is. Notice the cloud of dust coming out of the pulley housing when the motor started.

Thanks, wachuko, and Steve F, I enjoyed getting this Old BP running again. I hope the simple wiring diagram is a help to others like myself who are not electricians.

 

[jmarkwolf]

Presently, I'm trying to free up the stuck ram. Then I'll mount the new X-axis power feed, and fix the quill feed mechanism as well as addressing the Y-axis leadscrew backlash.

I had a stuck ram on my old Bridgeport some years back. I shot penetrating oil everywhere I could, even removed the pinion gear and shot more oil in there. Put a long bar clamp on to apply pressure overnight, and just before I was about to turn the lights off for the night, I noticed that the magic marker line I had placed across the seam had split by about 1/4". I put the pinion back in and started working it back and forth. Shortly I had the ram excursion up to a few inches. I doused it with more oil and called it a night.
Over the next day or so, I had freed it up to full excursion.
So before you start whacking on it with a BFH, try liberal doses of penetrating oil and a bar clamp.

 

[rb67mustang]

I had a stuck ram on my old Bridgeport some years back. I shot penetrating oil everywhere I could, even removed the pinion gear and shot more oil in there. Put a long bar clamp on to apply pressure overnight, and just before I was about to turn the lights off for the night, I noticed that the magic marker line I had placed across the seam had split by about 1/4". I put the pinion back in and started working it back and forth. Shortly I had the ram excursion up to a few inches. I doused it with more oil and called it a night.
Over the next day or so, I had freed it up to full excursion.
So before you start whacking on it with a BFH, try liberal doses of penetrating oil and a bar clamp.

Thank you very much for the advice, jmarkwolf. I actually took a block of wood and a 3lb hammer and lightly hammered on the edge of the ram and on a couple of places on the turret (the part the ram slides in and out on). I would never directly hammer on a machine. You mention a Bar Clamp. Do you mean a furniture clamp? I'm also not sure where you attached the clamp. I've seen a video of a guy using a nylon ratchet strap to try and move his stuck ram, and I tried that with no results.

 

[rb67mustang]

Ok, so this video says it all, and I mention the head dropping 10 degrees when I loosened the studs to elevate the angle of the head. I had to use a bottle jack to raise the head back to zero because the worm gear on the knuckle is worn out.

 

[rb67mustang]

Here's one more video from today; it's worth watching to hear my confession. BTW, the 1st run with the single phase motor was on 9/29/21.

 

[rb67mustang]

Here's one more video from today; it's worth watching to hear my confession. BTW, the 1st run with the single phase motor was on 9/29/21.

Thanks, Steve, for the like.

 

[rb67mustang]

IT'S FREE!!! The RAM is FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I made four short videos this morning after I was finally able to move the ram. I will upload them here shortly, so I don't want this message to be too long. It's as jmarkwolf mentiond, "he split the line." I think everyone with a stuck ram makes a line with a Sharpie as an indication of movement. I was very happy at 11:22 AM today when I split the line.

Image #2 my SBFH, #3 Block of wood lightly beaten by SBFH. #6&7 Before & After Scotchbrite. #8&9 Opposite side before & after.

 

[rb67mustang]

Ram fully extended moments after the first 1/4 inch of movement. This morning's progress was absolutely Great!!!