Bridgeport for Beginners!

Hey Zap! Eat your heart out man!! No more burnt fingers! I ran 220amps on some bronze tonight and the only heat I felt was radiating on the scrap piece! Only downside, the cooler is loud full time! Now I see why this old tony removed the fan for some computer fans. If it bothers me enough, I might consider the same thing.



After reworking the shitty HF mig cart, it takes up little space this way.



Series 20 CK torch. I like the rigid head, but need some shorty back caps.

 

Oh man that looks like a nice setup. How much did that beut run you? One of these days I want to upgrade too

 

I paid my ass off. Cooler, torch, coolant and a bunch of gas lens parts~$750. I only went with HTP because the electrical hookup for the cooler was one plug, clean and simple. I would recommend looking at the cheaper coolers on Amazon and save your self a few hundred bucks. From what I read, getting your hands on the correct pump can prove to be expensive. I think its low flow, but high pressure. Whatever you do, CK is the only torch to buy. Usaweld.com has the 20series rigid head with 12.5ft long on sale now for $183. I am a little sideways as the torch only came with one long ass back cap. The tiny and middle size caps are just 3bucks a piece. I hate it when companies cheap out and I have to place yet ANOTHER order! I would have rather paid 6bucks more, got all the back caps and been done. Time is money!

 

I wouldn't mind making my own cooler at some point. 700 is a decent chunk of change man. I need that for milling/tooling at the moment. Still browsing the local offerings while continuing to save more. Probably in the next 2 months or so I'll find something I like and buy. I still like the cincinnati mills. But Bridgeports would be easier to repair if needed. Would like to get a 3 phase and then upgrade to CNC. So I'm looking at 5-6 grand for that. May take me a couple more months to save up.

 

Hey I just bought a couple pairs of these cheap magnifiers, they are the cats ass! The guys at our jewelry shop are digging them! If you are sick of your optivisor, try a pair of these. Very comfortable and super light weight.



https://www.ebay.com/itm/303971577420?hash=item46c61e2e4c:g:B0sAAOSw0WNeaprI

No I'm not selling these, but I did order a backup pair.

They even feature the "optigrab" for those of you that have seen the jerk!

 

That scared the bejesus out of me, please don't post images like that!!

I wonder if I can get them over here, I've got three different presciption glasses but I'm still blind as a bat.

 

I'd send you a pair if the shipping wasn't so damn high. Tubalcain had these on his channel recently and thought I'd try them. I'm glad I did.
Check you local fleabay, I'm sure they will make it to your land soon enough.

 

Anyone have any thoughts about a CXA qctp for my 13" swing lathe? My buddy has a new HHIP with 5 holders and he's been trying to get me to take it from him for 6months. Up to now, I've been using my little axa aloris and I think it's not long for this world. I'm noticing the handle is locking down further and further around the post. I've pulled it apart, looked for wear, cleaned and lubed and yet it still does this. I kinda think a bxa is the correct size for my lathe, but here is a picture of the CXA sitting on my post. Other concerns is larger holders = larger tools and more expense. I seldom turn on anything bigger than a 6inch diameter, so I think the CXA would be fine. Penny for your thoughts?? And if anyone has any interest into this HHIP, please let me know. If I don't keep it, I'm sure I can get someone a hell of a deal on it. I think it was north of 5bills when it was bought. It's brand new and the block hasn't been cut yet for the T slot. My buddy says, fk it and cut it to fit my lathe. I just need a push in the right direction.

If I do go with B, I'm looking at the cheapy bostar BXA and again, I'll need to buy a shitload of holders. This stuff never ends.
Note in this photo, I've only got 2inches of travel toward the front, this is why I think the CXA is kinda overkill.
Thanks!

 

I have a BXA size on my 10" South Bend Lathe. I wouldn't go any bigger than the BXA on this size of Lathe.

 

Thanks Bruce. That's kinda what I'm thinking. I'll go shopping for a BXA.

And seriously, if anyone wants this new HHIP with 5 tool holders, let me know so it doesn't end up on ebay.

 

Get the Aloris BXA wedge over the plunger style. At the very least get the post, you won't be sorry. Also get your most used toolholders by Aloris , and then with the seldom used ones you can save with imports, but as soon as you see the difference you will be convinced.

 

I have an Aloris AXA now.
And it's got this issue. I wonder if they sell parts for these? From what little searching I did, I don't think they sell wedges and I'm certainly not making them even if I thought I could.
I've had 2 pretty good parting incidents that resulted in a pretty good loud bang and broken tools. SO maybe I had something to do with mine acting like a fool.
There is a hilarious diatribe on practicalmachinist involving a 10cent aloris washer. The thread was a dumpster fire with those "professionals" over there. Grab a beer and read it if you need some cheap entertainment.

 

Why can't I ever find stuff that's not hours and hours away? Bought this 612 today sight unseen. Now I just have a 14hr round trip to go retrieve it.
Fingers crossed it's not a turd. I'd be a little more suspicious if it had a fresh coat of paint on it. Anyone got a spare wheel cover laying around?

 

Thats about what it takes to drive across Texas don't it, Thank goodness you have a truck, always have a truck is my rule.

 

Nope, no truck. With the amount of rental car points I've earned, I can drive a hertz or enterprise car for the next year for free.

 

Now isn't this some bit of kit???? Strange they don't really advertise, no yt channel that I can find and none of the usual yt "stars" showing this kit either.
Not cheap, but not out of the question either. I'd sure like to see one installed or hear from someone that's spent the money.
http://www.dunbarrollers.com/index.htm

 

Surely you could buy your own loose needle rollers, cut some slots in a phenolic sheet spacer and DIY your own version. Heck, even some 1/16" thin aluminium angle in the V groove with roller spacer slots.There would be the need to run narrower rollers in the V to give the correct height offset as they run at a 45 degree angle compared to the flat way rollers. This may mean getting some special diameter rollers made. Edit: if the V rollers are at 45 degrees then they would need to be 0.707 times the diameter of the flat 0 degree rollers ( I think...). SO for 6mm rollers on the flat you'd need 4.242mm rollers in the Vees, that way the 45 degree vertical slice of the rollers gives 6mm height offset.

https://www.lily-bearing.com/needle-roller-bearings/loose-needle-rollers/

The Makino C40 tool and cutter grinders use precision balls on tool steel grooves in that manner:

 

Very nice... but not the cheapy I bought. Dunbar makes a roller bearing kit for it. My question is how shitty can your machine be and the bearing kit improve the situation?
I'm still waiting to hear from my seller to make pickup arrangements. Fingers crossed.

 

On the road again...

 

OMFG, its alive and silent!


I couldnt resist and had to drive whatever that wheel is across some steel. I have no dresser and only half a clue, but I can't complain one bit.