What is your opinion of this Bridgeport? Buying Advice

projectnut said:
Here's a picture from page 1-1 of the Bridgeport Installation, Operation and Maintenance manual. Note the head is upside down and blocked for shipping. This reduces the overall height by at least 2 feet, making it less top heavy and more stable.
View attachment 272549

Note the table is all the way to the rear and the knee is raised sufficiently to support the motor.

Here's a link to the manual:
http://hardingeus.com/usr/pdf/Knee Mills/SeriesIPartList4302Plus.pdf

On pages 1-4 and 1-5 it discusses proper lifting methods and floor mounting
Click to expand...


Thanks for the tip, and for the link. A major worry was relieved when I was able to reserve an electric scissor lift bed trailer. $55 for 24 hours is a deal and half, an absolute no brainer.

I will flip the head as directed, and the seller has a forklift to help me get it on a pallet I will make tonight, and then get it in the trailer. I bought a pallet jack last night, and will get a come-along today, so theoretically I can just safety it with the come-along and roll it right off the trailer. In fact, the way my drive sits, I may actually have to winch it slightly UPhill off the trailer, but chances are, I can back it up, unhitch and block'jack the tongue to the right height, drop the deck, and just roll it right off nice and level. That's what I hope, anyway.

But for sure, I'll use plenty of straps and I'll be very cautious. I've seen some big "oops" moments in my day, and participated in some truly stupid loading/unloading shenanigans, but this one is all about slow and careful. I'll leave myself plenty of time for a leisurely unload.

Stay tuned for some pics of the move tomorrow!
 
Hey folks, I appreciate the help I've received here recently and in the past.

During the process of shopping for a lathe and a mill, I was eventually convinced to forget about "9x" type bench lathes and go bigger. I found a great deal on a G4003G 12x36 and couldn't be happier.

Like it says in the first post of this thread, about a year ago I started looking at benchtop mills, and here again, people said "just suck it up and get the BP and be done with it" and now here I am, about to be the new owner of a few more thousand pounds of iron.

I'd like to say thanks, and my wife would like to say "gee, thanks a lot. . ."

Anyway, since this site has been of great help to me a few times now, and is about to get really useful now that I have a mill to refurbish, I figured I'd become a donating member and contribute a little bit more than my ignorant questions and admittedly sparkling wit. . .

Thank you, to the poeple who run this site and to the participants who make it so useful and interesting.
 
I would use Wood wedged in to support the knee off the base, saves the brass z nut.
With the head inverted resting on the table and the weight of the knee all on the z nut I’ve heard of the threads getting punched out while traveling , just saying
 
dlane said:
I would use Wood wedged in to support the knee off the base, saves the brass z nut.
With the head inverted resting on the table and the weight of the knee all on the z nut I’ve heard of the threads getting punched out while traveling , just saying
Click to expand...

I'll keep that in mind, thanks!
 
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