I have been given an opportunity to make an offer on an old dirty series 1 Bridgeport mill. This has a digital readout fitted. The machine hasn't been used for ages according to the owner. Trouble is, where does one start? I liked the sound on nothing, he didn't !! I hate bidding, what would be a fair price to offer?
I hate bidding as well. Best way to go is offer a quid. When he's finished spluttering and says it's worth more than that say to him, "you obviously have a price fixed to know a quid is too low so how about you tell me what you think is fair."
Often comes out more than what you were going to offer.
I went to a £100 just now, no reaction but hinted at double. None on eBay to compare, don't want to offer more for something that may be old and worthless. Is £200 too much?
When you say series 1 do you mean the old BOSS CNC mill ? Confusing with mentioning a DRO. If it's a manual it depends on slide and screw condition. If it's worn £200 will buy you a load of work.
Not sure, it says Bridgeport on the machine, has 2hp motor, powered table feed, motor mounted at an angle to the table on the left. DRO to the right of table, no wheel on downfeed for spindle, but has a lever. looks like the top one on this link, but very dirty, dust and greasy crap all over it due to no use
I paid =A3500 for my mk1...and i considered that a bargain.
This didn't come with a dro...had optical readouts...will sell them one day.
No vice
But its in quite good nick ...with minimal of wear.
It has a power feed ... That was important ...you don't want to be twisting your arm off.
It also came with one shot lube
If it didn't have power feed i would have offered =A3100 less for it
If yours has got the modern dro ...not the one that looks like a video player. and power feed....I think it could be worth paying up to =A3600 .=2E.anything less than that is a bargain
What you want to consider is how many extras its got with it ...because these will add up to quite a bit when you buy them separately .
I paid £500 for my mk1...and i considered that a bargain.
This didn't come with a dro...had optical readouts...will sell them one day.
No vice
But its in quite good nick ...with minimal of wear.
It has a power feed ... That was important ...you don't want to be twisting your arm off.
It also came with one shot lube
If it didn't have power feed i would have offered £100 less for it
If yours has got the modern dro ...not the one that looks like a video player. and power feed....I think it could be worth paying up to £600 ...anything less than that is a bargain
What you want to consider is how many extras its got with it ...because these will add up to quite a bit when you buy them separately .
Needs r8 collets Vise . Hold down set
To get you going.
all the best....mark
Thanks, no tooling with the one offered. Not sure if the DRO loooks like a video or not, small black box, not much bigger than the expected digits on a DRO
I paid £500 for my mk1...and i considered that a bargain.
This didn't come with a dro...had optical readouts...will sell them one day.
No vice
But its in quite good nick ...with minimal of wear.
It has a power feed ... That was important ...you don't want to be twisting your arm off.
It also came with one shot lube
If it didn't have power feed i would have offered £100 less for it
If yours has got the modern dro ...not the one that looks like a video player. and power feed....I think it could be worth paying up to £600 ...anything less than that is a bargain
What you want to consider is how many extras its got with it ...because these will add up to quite a bit when you buy them separately .
Needs r8 collets Vise . Hold down set
To get you going.
all the best....mark
Would it be worth getting rid of my Elliott omnimill OO for the Bridgeport ?
PS and it would cost you upwards of £150...even as much as £300 for a second hand horizontal attachment for the Bridgeport.
all the best..mark
Good advice, but I also have an Adcock and Shipley 1ES horizontal with vertical head, which I dont use that much as a horizontal, and was thinking of getting rid of that as well. Thanks Bob
I was at an auction last week where an old Town Woodhouse mill went for £210. With the auctioneer's cut and VAT that's about 285 out of the door. I think there was a collet chuck & some odd tooling included, no vice. They're very much like the older round ram BP, but IMO better & more solidly made. It looked OK, hadn't been worn out in a production shop or abused, just rather long in the tooth. Power table feed and trays for measuring rods (pre-DRO!)
Cheers Tim
Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service
If the Bridgeport is sound then 500 quid would be a reasonable price. I've seen good machines at around this price. However it could cost you a bit. If the bearings are shot then add a couple of hundred at least. The DRO may or may not be useful. Buying something as complex as milling machine unseen is something of a gamble - but I've done as much myself.
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