So I'm a machinist now?

[SamI]

For some reason now the insert image icon is greyed out. I’ll stick the rest of the pictures in order down below.

Also out of sight is an 8” rotary table.

As I said, the real challenge was getting it off on my own the other end. I unloaded the van until only the main casting was left. Having already tried to lift it and failing I was pretty nervous.

I rigged up a strap around the tail lift and used the engine hoist to take some of the load.

Very nervously (seriously, I was sweating with nerves here!) I carefully rolled the pallet truck with the mill aboard onto the tail lift

It actually went ok. I sat the pallet down then jumped over the corner (was too scared to stand on the tail lift ) and gently lowered the tail lift a few inches. Then the engine hoist. I repeated this until the tail lift was sat on top of the legs of the engine lift. At this point I somehow managed to carry the pallet truck over the mill (I’ll feel that in the morning!) so I could use it to lift the tail lift clear of the engine hoist. I then lowered the tail lift to a couple of inches from the ground and slid the pallet truck out as carefully as I could before lowering it the whole way!

Success. Although it’s now raining hard and my machine is getting soaked which makes me a bit sad!

Anyway, using the pallet truck I managed to get it into place but had to do some head scratching to work out how to get it off the pallet. I settled on cutting as much of the pallet away as I could before lifting the mill vertically up and sliding the pallet out. Only I had put the pallet too close to the wall to do this so I had to move the whole thing back. The engine lift does not move easily when loaded! I’ll feel that too in the morning!

I finally managed to get the machine on the ground where I want it. I would try the ram but I really think that is a two man job so I’ll try and recruit some help for that next week!

And the final shot is the state of my workshop just now! It’s getting late and I’m shattered so I’m going to go home and deal with this tomorrow!

No doubt I’ll be back very shortly after with a million questions about Bridgeport’s and milling!

Thanks for reading!

 

[SamI]

And just because I’m so pleased with my buy here’s a couple of pictures of some of the tooling! It also came with a VFD which I was quite pleased with although some of the wiring seems questionable!

 

[markba633csi]

Good score! Did you ask why the knee was painted yellow?
Mark

 

[SamI]

Yes! I didn’t get a straight answer. The mill began life in the MOD where one of the machinists acquired it when he left. He had it up until a few years ago when it was sold the the chap I bought it from. I’m not 100% sure but I suspect that two machines were stripped and parts mixed and matched for some reason.

 

[hman]

Congratulations on having successfully unloaded it!!!! I don't know if I would have been so brave (foolhardy???)

Great score, by the way.

 

[SamI]

It’s funny how now I’m not confined to an office desk I somehow have less time to read through this site! I’ve been lurking a little bit not made any real posts.

I’ve finally got the Bridgeport in its final location and a DRO installed. Only thing left is to install the control pendant which I’ll do when my better half returns my drill!



Still need to do something with the cables. I snapped my M3 tap but have since got a new set.





And I’ve tidied the workshop so I can now actually get to everything! That compressor has been epically in my way since I got it. Its now nicely tucked away behind the Bridgeport.








Since then I’ve also been pretty busy! Nothing on the mill yet but I’ve got another job from that engineering company that needs a series of holes drilling. Feedback from the last job with them was good. Finish was better than the big boy machine shop they currently use so I’m hoping that I get some more work off the back of that. I think it’s their fault for not specifying a surface finish on the drawing but hey, I’m not complaining if it gets me the work! A quick chat with the guy there and I knew it was a part that needed to be aesthetically pleasing.

Other jobs include some light sabres for a chap that makes film replica items. I think these are actually to his own design. I’ve not seen the finished product in person but the pictures look really cool! But for me all I do is make the handles. Still, it’s pretty good work. Been single point threading all day! 30 internal and 30 external M32 x 1.5 threads. I’m getting pretty quick at it now! Managed to get two done every 5 minutes when I timed it.



Once I’ve threaded them they get assembled and I’ll finish turn the OD and drill a couple of holes for grub screws and buttons. I’ll hopefully get that done tomorrow.

 

[ThinWoodsman]

So... you painted your other tools to match the Bridgeport?

 

[T Bredehoft]

Bottom Picture, is the picture reversed, or are you threading left to right, or is it a left hand thread?

 

[markba633csi]

Nice and tidy shop- I can only dream about having that much room (and a decent level concrete floor!)

 

[Linghunt]

A nice table on wheels in middle would be sweet. That much open space is dreamy.