New Toy - 1980 Bridgeport/Textron Knee Mill

[honda250sx]

Picked up a new toy this past week. I was installing a new machine at at new customer and asked if they had any manual machines forsale. Just so happens they had this old girl that they were decommisioning. They had just recently rebuilt the head. New bearings, bushings, seals and belt. Machine is still nice and tight. Came with a working power x-axis feed and a digital readout with glass scales. I need to order a 3HP phase converter and get it to work! Scored this for the price it was worth in scrap steel, $500.

Picture of the machine I was installing. Haas VF-11 50 Taper with 30 pocket tool changer.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0523.jpg

And my new machine!

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0822.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0824.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0826.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0827.jpg

[El Camexican]

LOL! When I started reading and saw the photo I thought you'd scored the HAAS! We had a VF-10 way back when they first came out. For the price they can't be beat. Nice score on the Bridgeport! Your client must like you a lot:beer

[honda250sx]

LOL! When I started reading and saw the photo I thought you'd scored the HAAS! We had a VF-10 way back when they first came out. For the price they can't be beat. Nice score on the Bridgeport! Your client must like you a lot:beer

Haha! I score new Haas's daily. Install and repair CNC's all over the place. I have always wanted a Bridgeport. These versitle machines built this country practically. You work in a machine/fab shop of some kind?

[El Camexican]

Haha! I score new Haas's daily. Install and repair CNC's all over the place. I have always wanted a Bridgeport. These versitle machines built this country practically. You work in a machine/fab shop of some kind?

I managed a welding & machining shop up North years back. We built bus components, electric motor frames, hydro power generating stators, industrial scaling systems, oil skimmers, boilers, you name it. Had a bunch of HAAS machines.

[jays375]

Wow looks like a pretty good deal!How big is the bed on it?Some guys say you can build your own phase converter for alot less money.The digital readout is almost worth what you paid for it.

[SWIGIN]

Very nice score!

[atc007]

What a deal!! Thrilled for you!

[honda250sx]

Very nice score!

Wayne! Got my eyes on a really sweet lathe too! Then I'll be cooking with gas. You need one of these!!

[code200k]

Im working in a machine/fab shop part time currently.It really is amazing how much can be made with these kind of machines..nice score

[honda250sx]

Finally got her inside the garage tonight after work. Had to roll her in on pipe and get her situated. Got it leveled up and indicated in to .0002 sweep in a 10" circle. Thats pretty amazing for this old girl! Just need to get my 3HP rotary phase converter and get some juice to her!

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0829.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0828.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i151/brauerpower/1980%20Bridgeport%20Mill/IMG_0830.jpg

[yaegerb]

Please forgive my lack of knowledge in machining. What can you fab with that?, pretty much anything you want? What will you be doing with it? That's one helluva piece of equipment!

[honda250sx]

Please forgive my lack of knowledge in machining. What can you fab with that?, pretty much anything you want? What will you be doing with it? That's one helluva piece of equipment!

YaegerB if you got a few minutes take a look at this youtube link. Its a good overview on the Bridgeport. Its an extremely versitile machine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn0YRgvxF6c&feature=related

I will be doing anything and everything with this.

[yaegerb]

just watched it. Yes, you can pretty much do anything with that baby. Looks like if I ever need anything machined, I know who to go to :)

[honda250sx]

just watched it. Yes, you can pretty much do anything with that baby. Looks like if I ever need anything machined, I know who to go to :)

Haha. You know it. I do sandblasting, powdercoating, machining. Lots of stuff. Hoping to get some sheet metal tools next.

[El Camexican]

[QUOTE=Got it leveled up and indicated in to .0002 sweep in a 10" circle.[/QUOTE]

What kind of level do you shoot for from end to end on something like that big HAAS? Or maybe I should ask, at what point do you say "This is as good as it’s going to get"? We had some issues with that 10 I mentioned and I'm curious to hear your number.

[WIkid500]

Now you can spend all of you monies in tooling :) You can build your own phase converter, there's plenty of diagrams in the internet to get you wired up in the right direction. They aren't rocket science. You power one phase of the motor and let it generate the other two phases.


Edit: How are you leveling the mils you setup? Laser unit? Also, do you run a ballbar test? I'm kind of curious who's tools you are using if you do. I'm in the process for looking for a new ballbar unit at work, so far Renishaw is looking the best. API sucked all around in the service department so far.

[honda250sx]

What kind of level do you shoot for from end to end on something like that big HAAS? Or maybe I should ask, at what point do you say "This is as good as it’s going to get"? We had some issues with that 10 I mentioned and I'm curious to hear your number.

ElCa, I use two very expensive FUJITA Japanese levels to earth level the machine dead nuts with zero twist. Haas is really only concerned with a 12 inch sweep underneath the spindle when tramming. On a large machine like this I will shoot with a very expensive Hewlett Packard laser and some proprietary software that I will then insert into the compensation table in the control. This compensates for every 1/2 of an inch of the ballscrews movement. This VF-11 has 130 inches of x-axis travel! Once shot with a laser I'll then verify with the machine with a renishaw Bluetooth ballbar tester to check the machine for backlash, squareness, cyclic error, circularity and a few other things. This ensures the machines accuracy is the highest it can be.

What problems did you have?

WIKid500 that should cover the bases. Renishaw all day, everyday! Go bluetooth, wayyyy better than the wired!

[cattle-dog]

One thing i have found with Jeff / honda250sx is everything he does is to perfection and he takes the time to do things to 110% or he will not do it. sometimes i think he has a little ocd in there lol , nice score jeff.

[WIkid500]

ElCa, I use two very expensive FUJITA Japanese levels to earth level the machine dead nuts with zero twist. Haas is really only concerned with a 12 inch sweep underneath the spindle when tramming. On a large machine like this I will shoot with a very expensive Hewlett Packard laser and some proprietary software that I will then insert into the compensation table in the control. This compensates for every 1/2 of an inch of the ballscrews movement. This VF-11 has 130 inches of x-axis travel! Once shot with a laser I'll then verify with the machine with a renishaw Bluetooth ballbar tester to check the machine for backlash, squareness, cyclic error, circularity and a few other things. This ensures the machines accuracy is the highest it can be.

What problems did you have?

WIKid500 that should cover the bases. Renishaw all day, everyday! Go bluetooth, wayyyy better than the wired!

That's the same ball bar unit the guy's demo'd the other day. The ball bar unit and software looked like a very nice unit. I really liked the software compared to the old crap we are using from API. The bluetoth was a nice feature too!

As for positioning lasers we have an old school HP unit that worked well in it's day. Now the software is incompatible with the new Windows. I really need to get in contact with the company to find out our options.


One of our Okuma's has a slight finish issue when milling a large circle that has a tapered sidewall. The overall circle dia. is about 20" at that point.

[honda250sx]

That's the same ball bar unit the guy's demo'd the other day. The ball bar unit and software looked like a very nice unit. I really liked the software compared to the old crap we are using from API. The bluetoth was a nice feature too!

As for positioning lasers we have an old school HP unit that worked well in it's day. Now the software is incompatible with the new Windows. I really need to get in contact with the company to find out our options.


One of our Okuma's has a slight finish issue when milling a large circle that has a tapered sidewall. The overall circle dia. is about 20" at that point.

You are exactly right with the HP laser and software. I run a dedicated laptop with windows 98 lol!

What a coincidence, I worked for an Okuma distributor for 5 years. I lived in Charlotte,NC for two years and worked at Okuma America while I was nominated for a master apprenticeship. I have many friends there.

[honda250sx]

One thing i have found with Jeff / honda250sx is everything he does is to perfection and he takes the time to do things to 110% or he will not do it. sometimes i think he has a little ocd in there lol , nice score jeff.

Thanks George. If you ever need anything, mill, drilled, threaded, etc. Let me know I'd be glad to help you out.

[Dirtcrasher]

Awesome score Jeff!! Your gonna need a bigger space soon!!