Scratch on the way

[SPM]

Hi all, I'm looking at a bridgeport mill and on the ways has a scratch or maybe it's a gouge in it. Is this a concern?

Thanks,

Sal

 

[Ray C]

The guys who really know will hopefully weigh-in on this but, my main concern would be to ensure that whatever got lodged in there to cause the scratch is removed...

Ray

 

[OldMachinist]

Chrome way machine and it looks like it has a DRO installed it wouldn't concern me if I was looking at it to buy. I'd take it apart for cleaning once I got it home even if it didn't have the scratches.

 

[Richard King]

As the guys mention pull the saddle off and clean the ways. About all you can do is to use a round cornered stone and stone the scratch on the top of the knee and the bottom of the saddle. I would also replace the way wipers and clean the lube system, replace the Bijur metering units. If left alone they will snowball bigger. There is no way to repair them unless you want to strip the chrome and scrape it. Clean it up and never use a air hose to blow off the ways. I would bet that is why they are scratched because someone blew chips under the ways when they were trying to clean the ways. Air hoses used on a machine to clean are a machine rebuilders best friend, Thanks. (just kidding)

 

[SPM]

Thanks men, I'll start the negotiations. Is there a manual that shows how to take the table off?

Thanks again,

Sal

 

[OldMachinist]

Do a Ebay search for Bridgeport rebuild manual. There are two different ones depending on what head is on the machine. They have step by step instructions on dis-assembly.

 

[SPM]

Thanks Oldmachinist, Sal