Replacing bridgeport series 1 feed nuts for X and Y axis leadscrews

[adamnlazybum]

Hi all, i ordered this for my series 1 vari speed mill 2HP version and it didnt work for the X axis. I have another coming for the Y from a different company. I am hoping this one works because the Y axis is the one with 30 thou saddle play. The x axis nuts are gravy, i just wanted to have extras but these extras become tight as soon as nearly all the threads are engaged on the nuts. I feel like this means the pitch on the nuts are off. They dont work on either end, they stop at the same location yet the OEM nuts work fine.

Thoughts?? The item says for bridgeport....

 

[akjeff]

Judging from the description and wording in the ad it looks like cheap Chinese junk, to be perfectly honest. Parts like that, I'd buy from a reputable machine parts dealer, IMO.

May want to give the lead screws a good inspection as well. See if the acme threads look like acme threads from end to end. If it's really worn out, they'll start resembling V threads in the heavily worn areas.

 

[MyLilMule]

If you're not buying these from H&W Machine, Besmer Machinery or High Quality Tools, you're buying the wrong stuff.

 

[adamnlazybum]

If you're not buying these from H&W Machine, Besmer Machinery or High Quality Tools, you're buying the wrong stuff.

Hey man if you are the guy from youtube, curious lol.

Yea i bought some stuff from H&W but i wanted to give these a chance before i dropped 140 on the whole set. I dont need the X axis nuts, just Y.

 

[adamnlazybum]

Judging from the description and wording in the ad it looks like cheap Chinese junk, to be perfectly honest. Parts like that, I'd buy from a reputable machine parts dealer, IMO.

May want to give the lead screws a good inspection as well. See if the acme threads look like acme threads from end to end. If it's really worn out, they'll start resembling V threads in the heavily worn areas.

No, they look decent still, Just a slight wear. I cant really tell but im sure it gets just slightly more narrow near the center, unless im forcing myself to see it.

Aside from that, If those Y dont work, im going to send them back and buy from reputable. Ive already wasted enough time waiting for these to arrive. The Y will arrive by the 16th!!! Thats going to take a lot of time from my repair. I have some Bijur Meter Gauges that i ordered from Bijur themselves and those come on the 12th, so at least it gives me a reason to have patience

 

[markba633csi]

Bridgeports aren't metric to my knowledge, so there's that

 

[Shotgun]

"become tight as soon as nearly all the threads are engaged on the nuts. "

Define "tight". With all the threads engaged, I would think that the pitch is correct. And, you WANT it to be tight. More so on the ends, because it is guaranteed to be worn in the center. And, there is going to be some significant wear in the first ours of use, just to the surface finish.
I would be upset if it slipped on easily. I'd want it to be necessary to use mechanical assistance (pliers under a rag?) to get it to the center (worn) portions of the leadscrew.

 

[Firstram]

the Y axis is the one with 30 thou saddle play.

Is that 30 thou slop pushing back and forth or backlash on the dial? Are you original nuts split or still in one piece? Splitting them might fix you up for free!

 

[projectnut]

Is that 30 thou slop pushing back and forth or backlash on the dial? Are you original nuts split or still in one piece? Splitting them might fix you up for free!

If you have the original partially split nut cutting it in half can make a huge difference. My 1972 Bridgeport had the original partially split nut when I purchased it in 2000. It had about .020 backlash on both the X and Y axies. I split the nuts and reduced the backlash to .004 on both axies. Twenty three years later it’s up to .006. They come from the factory with the backlash at .003 to .005.

 

[MyLilMule]

Hey man if you are the guy from youtube, curious lol.

Yea i bought some stuff from H&W but i wanted to give these a chance before i dropped 140 on the whole set. I dont need the X axis nuts, just Y.

I'm just the stunt man for that YT channel.

So, to play devil's advocate, how much did you spend on the mill and what percentage of that is $140? Rhetorical question, to make a point. $140 is nothing compared to what the mill is worth and also what the $140 gets you. My advice to you would be not to scrimp on some things for it. You'll regret it (as it sounds like you might be already).