Bridgeport Rotary Table Questions?

[BEI]

Got the table and it is nice. The person from whom I bought it retired from the Bridgeport plant where the mills and tables were made. He said the table uses 90w oil, heavier than I expected but that might explain why so many tables seep oil out the bottom if too light an oil is being used. Still trying to find a lift table that is inexpensive. Toying with idea of just making one. Don’t really want to spend my time doing that when I’ve got this, new to me, Bridgeport that I want to be playing with.

 

[Lo-Fi]

Simple: use the Bridgeport to make the lift table...

This Old Tony has a great video. Plenty of ops you can use the mill for in it's construction.

 

[tjb]

Here's my solution. I bought a headstock off a wrecked machine because I needed one gear on a Harrison lathe I once owned. Gave $300 for the entire headstock - just the gear was going to cost over a thousand. Other than that, the headstock was essentially useless until it became the drive unit for an 'elevator'. Plus I had a used 220V motor that came off a grain auger and about half the metal I needed for the frame. It lifts my 12" rotary table very easily - roll it up to the mill, lift the elevator platform, and slide it onto the table. Reverse the process to remove. Did a test by lifting a 200+ pound good-ole-boy. Biggest negative is it takes up a lot of floor space, but since my shop is converted from a tractor barn, that's not an issue. I would imagine something similar could probably constructed with a smaller footprint. I know that there's at least one elevator guy on this forum. You listening, J?

Works great.

Regards