I have an early '60s Bridgeport mill that was rebuilt by a Bridgeport service center in the late '90s. As part of that rebuild it received new X and Y nuts. I have a Servo 150 powerfeed at the R end of the table.
I've been doing a lot of drilling tube for stainless cable railing balisters, which involves moving the mill table coast to coast in the X axis a lot. This morning, with 16 holes to drill in each of 20 parts, the table bound up on me. I removed the table's X feed screw and cleaned it with a brush and solvent and blew it out, and used an ID tube brush and solvent to scrub the X nut ID. While I had the screw out I moved the table by hand, it moves smooth as silk. I blew off the screw with compressed air, and blew out the X nut. Then I oiled the screw with way oil and put all back together. Now it behaves slightly differently - cranking the table to the right is very smooth and easy like it used to be, but going to the left is smooth and hard, meaning difficult. I don't feel any grinding in my hands when I move the table to the left, it's just difficult to turn the handle.
I did lubricate the nuts using the way oil gun. Twice. I tried just using it for awhile to see if it was something that would work itself out, but it doesn't seem to be.
Wondering if somehow my Servo powerfeed is screwed up, I removed the gear that links the powerfeed motor to the table mechanically. Made no difference.
This is a serious problem for me. I need to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it.
Thanks!
Grant Erwin Kirkland, Washington