Bridgeport for Beginners!

Discussion in 'Other metal working projects' started by Jason, Dec 10, 2019.

  1. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Interesting.. I saw replacement nuts on ebay people are recommending. I'm guessing they have ball bearings or something inside?
     
  2. Jason

    Jason Gold

  3. OMM

    OMM Silver

    The R8 collet has a plug and taper fit. To properly demonstrate or test this, it should be done with a few more straight shanks in different size collets. Now to be perfectly honest you should not have more than 0.001" out of concentricity with the tool engaged at less then half inch protruding. The Mill can have up to 0.002 with side loading. This would be acceptable.
     
  4. OMM

    OMM Silver

    I make a very simple brass nut that I charge $75 USD for. It is a 1 1/4 BSW. I believe it's a 7TPI.
    7C6B05C5-99FC-4A84-AC66-CBA701EA1EF8.jpeg

    5DC687BF-0FE7-42E0-BE49-8B10C1808A43.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2021
  5. Jason

    Jason Gold

    So if I measure .0026 it's actually .0013 and that's over the 1thou right? Who's r8 er32 should I look at?

    Matt is you 75buck nut adjustable?
     
  6. OMM

    OMM Silver

    nope. But it is a surface ground dead nuts. Pardon the pun. LOL. I stamp the serial number in for every single one with my OMM. It takes me a better part of a day to make eight of them.
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2021
  7. OMM

    OMM Silver

    See if you can find a lightly used HARDINGE. If Hardinge is still making them, you will not want to pay the price.
     
    Jason likes this.
  8. Jason

    Jason Gold

  9. Jason

    Jason Gold

    SCORE!!! I stole this on fleabay for 150bucks! Still has the plastic on the travel distance meter thingamajigger. 18" height gauge.
    I've been on a mission this past week to see how far I can make a fistful of cash go! I got a set of new R8 collets from Kelly for 50bucks. (thank you sir!) And online, so far I've bought a 4jaw chuck for the lathe, er40 collets, collet blocks, a better quality R8 ER40 chuck for the mill and host of other shit. I really want to stick an ER40 setup on the lathe so I can use it to hold work. Seems like everything out there that is D1-4 mount is junk. Might have to roll the dice on that one.

    I'm sick of burning my fingers and decided to to splash out on an HTP water cooler and CK torch for the tig machine. That shows up next month. Told my wife I needed all this crap to continue on the bathroom overhaul and she went along with it.:D Call it what it is, I needed to get caught up on some shit for the garage. The way I see it, things are about to get a whole lot more expensive so if the dumbasses in washington are going to print worthless money and drive your kids into the poorhouse, FK IT, I'm smart enough to spend it wisely on stuff I need.

    Gotta find a surface plate that I can drag home instead of ship in.
    20210318_164352.jpg 20210318_171246.jpg
     
  10. Clay

    Clay Copper

    Sweet, Congratulations some good stuff.
     
  11. OMM

    OMM Silver

    Congratulations on the new height gauge. That is exactly the one I have wanted for a long time but was never willing to dish out the coin. I have been using my father's homemade one (that he made in 1969 on the right) for the last 15 years. It is accurate. But not super user-friendly. He handed it down to me when he got the one on the left. I'm still a little bit old school. Last year he gave me the one on the left. I would still love to get an 18 inch dial height gauge.

    0C0AF3C4-044F-4F79-B942-9C442F99482D.jpeg

    The one on the left was a big bonus for me as I do teach machine shop to apprentices. Teaching the vernier scale is an important skill.

    Can everybody read this in metric and imperial?

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    Last edited: Mar 18, 2021
  12. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Thanks guys. Matt, I'm going crosseyed just looking at your photos.

    Could someone please take a peek at this and tell me if this looks like the way to go. I think with this one, I can dial it in to a blonde one.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/ER40-5-SET...463320?hash=item520869b3d8:g:tlwAAOSwoHVbbfDz



    I watched Stuarts video on these and pulled the trigger. I don't want to get into a machining project. This thing looks EZ.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2021
  13. There's also a type of lathe chuck called a "System Westcott" chuck, I have a 12" made by Rohm. It comes with two chuck keys, one operates a scroll so all four jaws are moved in unison in and out. The second smaller key drives independent screws to move each jaw independently. This lets you do a batch of identical odd shaped castings in quick succession by dialling in the first casting with the independent jaws and then using the scroll key to open and shut all jaws at once. It's a three jaw pictured but there are also 4 jaw versions too.

    handy-westcott-3-jaw-chuck-d1-4.jpg

     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2021
    Jason likes this.
  14. Jason

    Jason Gold

    That's pretty friggen handy! So much to learn with this stuff!:)
     
  15. They aren't common or cheap unless you get lucky like I did, but it's one chuck type to keep an eye out for in your travels.
     
  16. Jason

    Jason Gold

  17. The only concern with the cheap 4 jaw chucks is the top speed it's rated for, as a general rule this is only an issue with 10" and above chucks. It's quite common to find your 12" chuck can't handle maximum spindle speed (which is scary in itself even if it could). With a bit of online searching you should be able to find the maker's datasheet. My 14" lathe goes up to 1800 RPM and the Chinese 10" four jaw iron chuck is rated to 2000 RPM maximum. Surprisingly the manufacturer has been in business making lathe chucks since 1943 or so and was quite well regarded. I have the 12" three jaw and the 14" four jaws chucks that came with my lathe and they are both steel body chucks, so even though worn they would be difficult to replace.
     
    Jason likes this.
  18. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Dully noted, I did see an rpm limitation for my lathe in the instructions and was for 10" and above I'm pretty sure... I was going to step up to a 10", but didn't know how well it would work on larger stuff with the jaws hanging out. And I'll be damned if I'm going to ever remove the gap. No thanks. One thing for certain, I am not afraid to send work out if need be. ;)
     
  19. Jason

    Jason Gold

    This old video is cool...

     
    Petee716 and Clay like this.
  20. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Aw man, it’s too early. This is making my brain hurt. I’ll have to watch after I’ve had coffee!

    Pete
     

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