BenchMaster with bridgeport M-Head

[Alec Ryals]

Hello All,
Well I'm new to this site and was wondering if anyone has ever seen a Benchmaster mill with a Bridgeport M-Head mounted on it, I have seen this done to a Atlas Horizontal mill.
Thank You
Alec Ryals

 

[Alec Ryals]

This fellow put his Bridgeport M-head connected to a thick plate then connected to the upper ram and one he made up above that on my Benchmaster I'm connecting the plate to the spindle bore 2 1/2" and then the upper support arm rod. Wish Me Luck
Alec Ryals

 

[Shaggy]

Hi Alec - How's that going? If I was doing that, I'd try to brace those clamp plates downwards into the column somehow with more (at least 1/2" steel) plate. Would not really like to drill the original casting, though. I've thought of raising my Benchmaster vertical head in that manner just to have more headroom, but so far the twin clamping plate idea is the only one I've seen to do it, and I'm not too convinced of the rigidity.
I do happen to have a nice piece of 2-1/2" precision ground heavy-wall tubing. Might end up mounting my 1/2" VS wood router on the end of it(!) Should be fun.
Well, let's know how it goes.

cheers
Shaggy