Noisy Bridgeport

P

plongson

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FINALLY...addressing my noisy Bridgeport problem. It got so bad I almost needed earplugs. Getting all the bearings from H&W, sealed on the spindle and all six in the pulley area. The spindle was really the source of the noise, they were pretty shot and the OEM. The BP is mid 1970's vintage.

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Please post more pictures and descriptions the rebuild process if you can. It could be very helpful to someone needing to do the same. Thanks!
 
Youtube is a grate resource on this looks good OP. Wish I has a BP that needs bearings.
 
Out of town now but when I get back I'll take some pictures of something not mentioned anywhere, critical to removing the spindle... It sure had me baffled for a while. Gimme a day.
 
I got back and took a couple of pictures. This is something I found that could be a big problem when dropping out the spindle. See the attached pictures, but the socket head that holds the quill stop knob protruded into the quill housing where the bearings and spindle shaft are. I got it apart but I did whack on the spindle shaft harder than I liked to. If the socket head had been backed off a couple of turns, the spindle would have dropped out. This is just a FYI and a heads up for future disassembly. The bolt was also VERY tight and I had to apply just a bit of heat (on the back side) to get it to let go...

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OH MY HECK!!!! Finished the BP project and I FORGOT just how quiet a beautiful Bridgeport can be! It is absolutely silent!

They are so wonderfully designed and crafted, a real joy to work on because EVERYTHING JUST FITS!! The tolerances are so precise for each component...slip fit, press fit...and it mostly only goes together one way.

I've gotten so fed up with cheap imitation crap trying to mirror solid American made machines, this project just made me smile.
 
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