Installed an X Axis Power Feed on my Bridgeport Mill

[Tmate]

The Z axis power feed install sounds more complicated than the X axis. How tough is it?

 

[Winegrower]

The Z-axis power unit is basically identical to the X-axis unit, and installs just the same way, with only obvious differences.

 

[Shotgun]

Easy to install. A couple of brackets needed to have the holes enlarged slightly. Took about an hour and a half.

I did the same thing Saturday, except mine went on an RF-30 clone. It took me about 4 hours, because I had to mill a bit off the motor housing to get it to fit.

 

[BGHansen]

Here's a thread with my BP Z-axis power feed install. I was sold when I had to crank the knee up/down a half-dozen times to tram in the knee's DRO scale. Looks like from the date on the thread it's been on the mill since October, 2017. No issues so far. I just checked All Industrial Tool Supply where I bought mine. It's $326.79 shipped. When I hit the site there was a pop-up with a 10%-off promo code though as I'm not shopping, didn't check the details.

Bruce

Z-axis Power Feed install

I absolutely hated hank cranking the knee on my Bridgeport mill. Might be old age or the fact that I work for a living to afford some conveniences, so I bought a Z-axis power feed unit from All Industrial Tool supply as a belated birthday present to myself. Don’t mind birthdays so much when...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[Tmate]

Next, add a Z-axis power feed. This has really been a game changer for ease of use.

Check this out!

http://www.snrmachine.com/cybp.htm

 

[Shotgun]

Check this out!

http://www.snrmachine.com/cybp.htm

I made one of those out of a short piece of aluminum round. . . now I have a power feed installed.

Pros:
- easy to get out of the way
- can switch out to HIGH speed to move the table very quickly by sliding a button
- cheap

Cons:
- a PIA if you have been using the drill somewhere else
- can slip if you don't have it lined up just so
- you have to stand there and hold it
- it is very difficult/tedious to maintain a slow speed rate

I'd recommend making one of these if you're waiting on a power feed. It really only needs two or three teeth on it, so it is quick and easy to make up. But, keep working on getting a power feed. It's like taking a mask off.

 

[Janderso]

Here's a thread with my BP Z-axis power feed install. I was sold when I had to crank the knee up/down a half-dozen times to tram in the knee's DRO scale. Looks like from the date on the thread it's been on the mill since October, 2017. No issues so far. I just checked All Industrial Tool Supply where I bought mine. It's $326.79 shipped. When I hit the site there was a pop-up with a 10%-off promo code though as I'm not shopping, didn't check the details.

Bruce

Z-axis Power Feed install

I absolutely hated hank cranking the knee on my Bridgeport mill. Might be old age or the fact that I work for a living to afford some conveniences, so I bought a Z-axis power feed unit from All Industrial Tool supply as a belated birthday present to myself. Don’t mind birthdays so much when...

www.hobby-machinist.com

Oh my god, if my power Z ever died, I'd be shopping for another immediately. Think about how many times that heavy old table goes up and down. Especially if you are trying to keep the quill as rigid as possible.

 

[Winegrower]

I have some wisdom now about Z axis power feeds: Take the crank handle off before engaging power feed. Wow, that can hurt.

But I see there is a need here that is not quite solved. That is, it's nice to just work the power feed lever for up or down, and it moves at whatever speed is selected with the knob. That's great for rough positioning, but if you want to move the table up or down by X thousandths, the power feed is not ideal...too fast. True, you can slow the speed down to either zero or slightly too fast. So I need to put the crank on temporarily for fine tuning. And per the above wisdom, remember to take it off.

The power feed comes with a spring thingy that you can put on that pushes the crank off, so it won't stay on by itself. It's like most safety devices, so annoying I don't use it.

What I need is some way that I can use the power feed at any time and still do the fine positioning without looking around for the crank or a drill motor.

Any suggestions?

 

[jwmelvin]

Check this out!

http://www.snrmachine.com/cybp.htm

That was my first project with my mill.

 

[Winegrower]

I just checked All Industrial Tool Supply where I bought mine. It's $326.79 shipped. When I hit the site there was a pop-up with a 10%-off promo code though as I'm not shopping, didn't check the details.

I love these guys. They have surprisingly good prices and good quality, based on my actual purchases, and once I had to call them for some reason and a REAL PERSON answered the phone, knew his business, poof, problem solved.

I am not being compensated for this testimonial.