In search of a Bridgeport

Look for a Beaver MkII, better machine all round and can be cheaper than a Bridgie.

Int40 head better for tooling than Int30 but both better than R8 IMO.

Check specs for both on

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

Trouble is I'm all tooled up for R8 Peter, so it would be handy to stay with this.

Peter

You'd still be better off (both in pocket and in workshop terms) flogging the R8 tooling and buying a Beaver and tooling.

Charles

I can understand Peter's reluctance to get rid of tooling, Vince across the road here had the same dilemma with R8 and Int30, but went for the Int30 eventually and hasn't regretted it.

There is a real cost of change here, it isn't cheap to just acquire a whole new set of stuff, especially in terms of collets etc.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

Cheers Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Hi

I`ve just read in another thread that RDG have some INT 30 stuff at reasonable prices. Not sure what constitutes reasonable but I have bought bits from them before but nothing to do with Int 30. Anyway here is a link:

Paul

This tooling always seems to be very carefully targetted on price and type, so you have to watch what you are buying, and try and find a mis-spelt auction where nobody else has clocked it yet!

Int40 is possibly cheaper as it is much more widespread in commercial enterprises than 30Int which seems to have been a favourite of the toolroom boys.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

I had a look at one first thing this morning, quite local in fact only

Back to the search.

Peter

Takes a bit of luck.

We got our Int40 Beaver as the only bidder, £500 and included 2-axis DRO.

We collected it from the storage place in Coventry and trailered it home.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

It's sods law isn't it? When I wasn't looking there seemed to be loads going for about a grand or under. The market has gone a bit silly though, and it seems to be following the US price trend at the moment.

The idea of a (cheap) Beaver is looking more attractive, and I suppose an Ajax is too much to hope for.

Peter

Anyone know anything about Gate 'Profitmills'?

Peter

Better than a 'Lossmill', I should think

'Profimill' perhaps?

No help at all Tim Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

I don't know much.. I just have one :-)

what do you want to know about them ?

Basically it's a Bridgeport copy, with a slightly bigger table, and in my case metric dials etc. ( it uses some interesting bolts with metric heads and imperial threads ).

Mine is R8, but I believe most are INT.

Spares are available, and I am satisfied with their customer service.

Daft bugger You could be right though, with the prices on bridgys at the moment they are definitely a 'lossmill'!

Peter

Thanks Jonathan, some of that is exactly what I was after. Spares availability, general performance and build, and so on. Whether its going to fall apart after a while or has a proper working life.

Peter

Hello Peter I wondered if you have had any bridgeports offered to you as I am looking myself for a 48 x 9 inch bed as I need the extra travel for a particular job I just missed one on Ebay last night I have a 42 x 9 its an old one 1963 was origonaly a manual machine but I have put a align traverse unit on it the head is in good condition but the bed and knee do tighten up on extremes I will consider selling it if I can get a 48 x 9. Please let me know if you know of one please. Cheers Colin

Hi Colin

Will do, If I hear of a 48" table model anywhere in my search I'll drop you a line.

Peter

Thank you to everyone on the NG who were kind enough to keep me informed of a number of Mills available for sale in various places. I have now managed to find a Bridgeport and should have it in place next week. Thanks again

Peter

It's in now. Got a knock on the door at 7.20am this morning and 40 minutes later we were having a cup of tea after having unloaded and positioned it. Picture here:

-not roll it -along the length of the bar. Took a bit of shove from the 2 of us to get it moving but after that it was a piece of cake. Once through the door and past the myford and grinder, stuck 2 more lengths of bar underneath but angled off about

Probably won't have it running until I find a converter in the next week or so (its a 2-speed motor) but that will give me time to try and organise things around it first.

Peter