Bridgeport for Beginners!

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

  1. Yep...all manner of steel scraps are going to be surface ground now: better make some parallels for the mill vise so you can stack a few thicknesses to get the right height.

    P.S. definitely jealous :D
     
    Jason likes this.
  2. Jason

    Jason Gold

  3. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Nice. Who needs one? You do! I’m glad it set up easily for you. That Lazy Machinist is a great asset to beginners like us.

    Pete
     
    Jason and Tobho Mott like this.
  4. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Decided to pull the chuck and see whats what. The wobbly handle was pissing me off and I've never been inside a mag chuck before. Looks pretty clean under the chuck.

    20210528_001441.jpg

    Bottom of the chuck
    20210528_001506.jpg

    So the chuck came apart easy with the mag off and removed the screws on the bottom. Couple of light taps and off it came. There was very little oil left inside, so I'm guessing I came along at the right time.
    20210528_183931.jpg


    Here is the camshaft that is causing the wobbles. Yeah she's pretty roached.
    20210528_202154.jpg

    Instead of making a new one, I decided to weld it and turn it on the lathe.
    20210528_205823.jpg

    Barely able to hold it, I pulled this off and it was a great fit in the side of the chuck! No points for pretty.
    20210528_215310.jpg


    The handle was really bad in the outside part that gets pinned to the camshaft. It's steel so I welded the sides and milled it to fit the handle. No more wobbles. After adding some new O rings behind this, I tanked it up with some stinky 90weight and put it back together. I filled the base about 3/4 full with oil and set the top on. The fun part is bolting it back together without flipping it over. I have no idea if any of this is correct, but the chuck works like a dream so I'll call it a win. I'll grind it in later after I go through the machine. Lots of cleaning still to go. Grinders are NASTY creatures!
    16222722030941285822092686170183.jpg
     
  5. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Things are starting to get a little crowed on the electrical side in my world and in hind sight, maybe a rotary phase converter might have been the way to go. But, I am a one man show and never have more than one machine running at once so I'm going to stay with the VFDs. I now have 3.:oops: I have 2 240vt outlets on the wall. One is a 50amp and I use that for either the welder or the big kiln.
    The second outlet (30amp) is REALLY BUSY! The air compressor usually stays plugged into this. So when I want to run the mill, I unplug the compressor and plug in the VFD for the mill. Same for the lathe if I want to use it and now there is this surface grinder!:( I've got 4 big ass 240vt plugs stuck on the end of heavy romex attacking me every time I crawl behind the compressor!:eek: See the issue?

    Someone please give me an idea to end this nightmare. ON a good note, the wall that the 2 outlets are currently installed is about to come down when the back shower wall invades my garage space.:( So I could just stick them all next to each other, shove 4 outlets on the same 30amp breaker and just live with all 3 VFDs running when the breaker is on. While I would never be running 2 machines at once, I'm pretty sure an inspector far down the road would give it the stink eye.

    Option 2, And I'm kinda thinking this is the way to go, is to run one fat romex to a board with a cheap sub panel, 4 breakers and 4 plugs. Then I won't have to play the plug game like Lisa below!

    PLEASE HELP ME! lmfao!

     
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2021
  6. Last edited: Jun 1, 2021
  7. Jason

    Jason Gold

    DAMN! 200bucks?
     
  8. Heavy duty silver contacts. You should be able to get something off ebay or surplus.

    This one can be disassembled and reconfigured, it looks like it can have up to 8 positions (judging by the blank contact spots) and they are paralleling three sets of contacts to get the high current rating. $40 and the risk you have to take to pull it apart and reconfigure it. I've pulled similar units apart and combined bits to get what I need, they typically have detent stops to limit positions that can be moved to get more positions.

    https://www.surpluscenter.com/Elect...en-200-Amp-1-Normally-Open-40-Amp-11-3479.axd
     
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2021
  9. Jason

    Jason Gold

    How about this. I wire up a plug for the existing 30amp outlet on some #10 romex.... It will feed 4 junction boxes co-located some place convenient each with a dryer plug like this.. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-...LecH9twQzeAyySsih6hoCiVMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
    Then each machine will still have it's own plug feeding the individual VFD's. And at each VFD, I'll use a 30amp switch like this. https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-3032...9f5cd251fc8c41c450cea7f&qid=1622606990&sr=8-2

    As I wander from machine to machine, I can just throw the switch. This will kill the VFD power. And worse case, if I don't, I just end up with a couple of VFDS sitting there doing nothing. I am really good about shutting off 240breakers when I leave the garage. I simply do not trust these cheapo chinese VFDs.
     
  10. Jason

    Jason Gold

    It does appear I could add 2 more 240 circuits, but I'd rather not. 16226111521055753878703146880517.jpg
     
  11. That would work fine and save going to and fro to a master switch, worst case is too many things get turned on and pop a master breaker for the circuit.
     
    Jason likes this.
  12. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Yeah, I get plenty of exercise going to the back of the garage, behind the lathe, around the compressor and over the welding table just to swap plugs. It's a real pain in the ass and it's going to end NOW! Thanks Mark, I just don't want to litter up a wall with a bunch of 240 plugs. That would surly attract unwanted attention if the wrong a-hole looked at it. There is the right way, the wrong way and the you are not explaining the right way to the assclown that should know the difference. People today are still under the impression that every 240 plug in the US must be on it's own dedicated circuit. Only because they have been looking at it for years, they believe it is gospel.
     
  13. The current reasoning over here is that the circuit breaker limits the current, there's nothing to stop you from having twenty x fifteen amp power points on a single 15 amp breaker for a single circuit as the breaker will protect things if too much current gets drawn. Any decent sparky worth his salt will recognize your issue and be able to come up with a decent, sensible solution.
     
    Jason likes this.
  14. Peedee

    Peedee Silver

    I agree with Mark, as long as the breaker protects the down-stream. We run 240v rings here rated at 32A with a dozen or more 13A outlets. The combined rating of the cable feeding the rings can handle 32A, any more and the breaker pops. You have some funny rules though so might be best to run it past a local sparky.
     
    Jason likes this.
  15. crazybillybob

    crazybillybob Silver Banner Member

    Jason it's ok to have a "Temp" distribution box on a plug. So in theory you could have that big 50 amp plug connected to a sub panel that feeds 3 30 amp dryer type outlets one by each machine. The "sub panel" could be a disconnect box but with a plug is doesn't have to be. but with connecting it to 30 amp outlets it should have a 30A breaker for each outlet. Don't mount the subpanel or it's no longer temporary.

    Code very by place so what I can get away with here in Rural Ohio doesn't mean you can get away with it in you location. Even if you can get away with it the insurance agent might not like it when you file the house fire claim. Do not take this as professional advice (I'm not a professional) . All my comments are for "entertainment" anything you do is on you!
     
    Jason likes this.
  16. Jason

    Jason Gold

    I'm not really concerned with over loading this "temp" multiple outlet fancy extension cord. It will live on the 30amp circuit and I'll probably just mount it all to the side of the drill press to keep it off the floor. At least that thing is 120vts. lol.
     
  17. Jason

    Jason Gold

    My ridiculously tall height gauge finally has a home! Picked this surface plate up in Austin today for a hundred.
    I don't even know what .00005 is, but it's gotta be pretty damn small!:eek: A lab was closing down and the vultures were circling the carcass!

    20210610_035626.jpg Screenshot_20210609-175036_Samsung Internet.jpg


    So I guess when you can shave a gnats ass, you need someway to measure it? Bought this on Fleabay.
    I think that's enough friggen zeros?:confused::oops::D
    If any one needs their gnat's ass shaved, I might be your man!:p

    s-l1600.jpg
     
    Clay, Tobho Mott and Mark's castings like this.
  18. That looks like a grade "AA" surface plate: 35-100 microinches.
     
  19. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Hell and I'm happy when I'm within a couple thou. :oops:

    I'm amazed at the deals I'm seeing out there and I'm really not trying to look. I swear! It really is a good thing I dont have a bigger shop, it makes me be a little more selective what I allow to take up valuable real estate in the garage. But I'd kill for another 500sq ft.
     
  20. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Nice finds.
     

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