Enco 16 speed 9x42 Bridgeport clone mill...needing help on ram dovetail.......

eric chilton

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hi i have a Bridgeport clone 9x42 enco mill.....it has the 2 speed motor ........i am trying to figure out the dove tail on the head ram.....im wanting to buy one of those kits that converts it to horizontal.........there are two different kits one with a 50 degree angle and one with a 55 degree angle.....ive measured this a 100 times and every time i come up with one or the other lol......my machine was got at an incredible deal....there is no model number on the tag ...and as everyone knows the manual for these are generic to all of the mills that they make.........no reference in the manual as to what the dovetail angle is.........yes i know i should just buy a separate horizontal mill but they dont come up often in my part of the country .....anybody ever used this attachment ? its r8 and turns the spindle 90 degrees .....any info would be a great help............tia ....eric...........
 
I know that you can see what you did, and how that works for you. I'm have a little trouble visualizing what you have measured, and what you are trying to buy for it. It seems like you are trying to buy another ram for the mill, but I'm not sure.

Let's break down your problem to a single thing to solve... measuring your dovetail. Are you using a simple plate protractor? can you show a picture of you doing the measuring? [it would show the object being measured and your technique...]
 
My Enco mill is a 9x42 with the model number of 100-1527 and is the step pulley model. The angle on the dovetail on my mill is
55 degrees as measured with a protractor and a small cutout angle. I did compare my dovetail to a 60 degree and a 50 degree
angle as well. I happen to have a horizontal attachment so took a photo of it as I think that is what you are considering.
Here are several photos for you:

P1020705.JPG

P1020703.JPG
I set the little triangle over the dovetail and it matches perfectly.P1020704.JPG
This is the horizontal attachment I have with the 55 degree dovetail. This head can be used for light work with just the
angle attachment or for somewhat heavier work using the ram attachment and horizontal bar. The only difficulty I had
installing this attachment on my mill was that the draw bar for my mill was too short so I had to make up a longer one.

Hopefully, Eric, this information will be of some use to you. Feel free to ask any questions you may have or send me a PM
if you like. This attachment requires a bit of set up so isn't something used often. There are times though that
it has come in handy and I am glad to have it in my collection of milling tools.
 
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If you don't have angle blocks, I'd make some to test using something like that video. 5 degrees is pretty small to try to see with a protractor in a tight space like that.

I've seen the BP right angle head, but not a setup like that. Interesting idea.
 
Cathead, does that attachment hang down from the ram on one end and connect to the spindle/quill on the other end?
 
Then it is best to make a 55 degree angle block and a 60 degree angle block and test both.... (or the first one, if it is perfect!)
 
thanks i never thought of making an angle block......the pictures in this thread is of the attachment im talking about .............
 
I see. Now the only thing I'm unclear on is how have I lived without one. What projects are you wanting the horizontal capability for, Eric?
 
i really have no projects in mind for it at the moment but i own my own shop and having the capability to have this is better than not having it at all........as they say across the pond .....just another bit in he kit........if a job comes in and i have it i wont have to wait and get it ......it will just add more versatility to my shop.................eric
 
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