New Hobbyist with some TLC-required Machines

There are a lot of Bridgeport rebuild videos on Youtube that would be very useful to you. Just do a search in the window.

There is also a free down-loadable book on a step-by-step rebuild of a Bridgeport on-line. Might be the same one referred to by Mike_Mac above.

And since you saved so much on the purchase you may want to consider trading in your Bridgeport head for a rebuilt one at H&W.

All we ask is that you chronicle your adventure here.
 
jmarkwolf said:
There are a lot of Bridgeport rebuild videos on Youtube that would be very useful to you. Just do a search in the window.

There is also a free down-loadable book on a step-by-step rebuild of a Bridgeport on-line. Might be the same one referred to by Mike_Mac above.

And since you saved so much on the purchase you may want to consider trading in your Bridgeport head for a rebuilt one at H&W.

All we ask is that you chronicle your adventure here.
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Any idea what a rebuilt head runs if you're trading one in? Youtube has been a savior for my disassembly so far. The one video by H&W that covers the table, saddle, and knee gets you through a fair amount of the tear down. I just pulled the head off...pretty easy. And then I lifted away the ram and turret as one unit. I have to somehow get the ram free from the turret. It travels to the back to it's limit, but when going forward it binds up. Basically in the same position it was stored in all those years. When I go all the way back I feel it hit a hard limit. Going to do some reading to see what stops that ram from just sliding off the dovetail. Would be nice to pull it from the back since it's free.
 
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Ceej0103 said:
Any idea what a rebuilt head runs if you're trading one in?
Click to expand...

You could just send your head in, especially since your machine is apart and in pieces. The trade-in is $2,200 plus an $1,800 core charge. Head rebuilds for a variable speed typically are about $2k depending on what all is needed.

When I rebuilt my WB Knight #2 I took a picture of every single screw, nut, and bolt I took off and where it went since there is almost no literature on it around. Pictures are a lifesaver. +1 to all the guys saying take pictures.

Jon
 
hwelecrepair said:
You could just send your head in, especially since your machine is apart and in pieces. The trade-in is $2,200 plus an $1,800 core charge. Head rebuilds for a variable speed typically are about $2k depending on what all is needed.

When I rebuilt my WB Knight #2 I took a picture of every single screw, nut, and bolt I took off and where it went since there is almost no literature on it around. Pictures are a lifesaver. +1 to all the guys saying take pictures.

Jon
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Jon!
 
Full tear down sounds great....but I personally would take it slow. I’d start with WD-40 and Scotch-brite. That first...and maybe single sided razor blades. The reason I say this is once you tear it down.....you have a machine that may have been fully useful but now might want minor repairs. And....it’s just a pile of parts. How does one make a bushing or nut without a working milling machine.....without a working lathe.
See what you’ve got first. Clean them up and hook them up. Make sure the lathe has fresh gear oil....drain and refill. Oil every oiling point. Then see what you’re dealing with. My Clausing Lathe looked like crap. I bought it from a scrap collector and I haven’t even taken the gearbox cover off yet. The oil was clean in the gear box when I drained it and it operates properly. The lathe has check out with flying colors.
After using it for a while....I did have to replace the Vari-drive bushing.....but the point I’m trying to convey to you is if you have a pile of parts of a Bridgeport and a non-working lathe....how are you going to make a part to fix your Bridgeport. It gets expensive if you have to pay for new parts.
I can’t tell you how many times I kissed my little South Bend or Atlas lathe because it saved the day when I was repairing another machine. I’d get the lathe working first. You can do a lot of work-arounds with a good lathe. Even milling in a pinch.

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Thanks Norton. It really looked like hell. But the scrapper kept telling me he was using it until the motor locked up. I responded that it could be the motor or the Vari-drive....and Vari-Drive repairs are a major problem..
Anyway, I offered him @ 350.00
He said ok....comes out with Two 5-gallon buckets of boring bars, Aloris BXA tool holders, MT3 drill bits....and a tailstock.
And he loaded it in my truck with his bobcat 15 minutes later. I ended up using mostly scotch-brite and mineral spirits. Then WD-40 and rags.
the motor took two sealed bearings. It’s a 5903 made in 1971. I love this lathe.
FWIW, when changing the Vari-drive bushing, I had to turn it down a few thousandths to fit. Thank goodness I had my South Bend 9” lathe. And that’s the point of my reply. It’s good to have a working machine while repairs are made to other machines. Piles of parts get you nowhere.
 
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