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Lifting Bridgeport so it can be leveled

moldcore

Hot Rolled
Joined
Dec 15, 2005
Location
UTAH
We have a Series II special, about 4,000 Lbs, that we need to raise to get leveling pads under. The problem is that we can't get to it with a forklift because of two other very large machines in the way. The base is resting on the concrete floor with only about 1/2" space in between the 4 corners. It's too heavy for a pry bar. Looking for a simple solution, if any.
 
No way that's too heavy for a pry bar. You need a better prybar if you can't lift it with the one you have. I move 8000 lb machines with bars.
 
We have a Series II special, about 4,000 Lbs, that we need to raise to get leveling pads under. The problem is that we can't get to it with a forklift because of two other very large machines in the way. The base is resting on the concrete floor with only about 1/2" space in between the 4 corners. It's too heavy for a pry bar. Looking for a simple solution, if any.

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they sell 5 or 6 foot pry bars, usually you pry up and stick a wedge or some wood in. and stick wood under pry bar if needed. 1/4" at a time and one corner at a time you could be a foot off the floor fairly quickly
 
That machine I'd start with a bar like this, about 4' long.

0053828-24.jpg
 
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My recommendation is to do the 1/4" increments like said above. A lever and fulcrum do a lot of work. If its to heavy for you to go 1/4" at a time get 1/4 plywood and cut squares out of it and start layering it until you get high enough for 2x4s and so on. Good Luck. Post photos when you do it :)
 
Drive wooden shim shingles under the pads for cris' sake. It's a frick'n bridgeport,

Move along..nothing to see here...
 
It's too heavy for a pry bar. Looking for a simple solution, if any.

Pry bar. Proper one. Properly used. One man task. No sweat, no strain, no significant risk.

The one it took to lift diamond safes, 5,000 to 6,000 lbs to slde 3/4" "Benelex" under them fit into a suit-jacket pocket.

Same one can get my machines - 2 and 3 times the mass of a featherweight Bee Pee - as high as I need to get a jack at them.

It.. is ...all... about.... where... the ...FULCRUM is to get favourable one-hand-lift RATIOS.
 
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they sell 5 or 6 foot pry bars, usually you pry up and stick a wedge or some wood in. and stick wood under pry bar if needed. 1/4" at a time and one corner at a time you could be a foot off the floor fairly quickly

Steel wedges and shims when starting out. Wood, later.
 
Bridgeport doesn't need to be leveled unless you have special reasons.

Actually, having a machine level could be very handy in setting up a job, since you gain the ability of using levels to correctly align the piece (many times-e.g. when roughing castings-the surface to be used as reference is not conveniently located to measure either from the spindle or from the table).

Paolo
 
Bridgeport doesn't need to be leveled unless you have special reasons.

True. You don't want the machine to be able to rock however, it should be very solid. Either way, truly level or not, steel, or even hardwood shims in the four corners will be a much better system than adjustable leveling feet with rubber pads. Might as well sit the machine on a stack of kitchen sponges rather than that route. If we are talking about all steel tapered wedge type machine footings, that's a different story of course, but I can't imagine anyone using them under a BP.
 
Might as well sit the machine on a stack of kitchen sponges rather than that route.

Stuff and B****Y nonsense. Cease robbing toilet-seat bumpers and kiddie-nursery play-pen stick ons and go get the real McCoy.

INDUSTRIAL "feet" have only enough resilience to conform to rough or pebbly surfaces - if even they need to do - resist slip, and absorb a smidgen of vibration.

They do not wobble about like a "stack of kitchen sponges". At... ALL.
 
Stuff and B****Y nonsense. Cease robbing toilet-seat bumpers and kiddie-nursery play-pen stick ons and go get the real McCoy.

Hey man, I use what I gots! My machines are nice and level, my toilet seat, well... Had to get the parts from somewhere.:D

Anyway, being that it's a BP we are talking about, really don't matter at all. Column, and therefor accuracy, will be uneffected either way, don't really matter how you support the base, toilet seat bumpers, hockey pucks, or directly on 12" of reinforced concrete.

I've never been a big fan of those supposedly "vibration dampening" leveling feet. In my experience, they usually have the opposite effect. I seem to be joined in this mind set by all the machine tool makers that I am aware of, all their publications recommend their machines being installed solidly on a floor and leveled with either shims(in specific locations), or jack screws provided in the machine base. Never read anywhere to put some chunks of rubber in there.

Only thing the rubber feet are any good at in my book is vibration ISOLATING, which is a much different animal and vibration dampening. If you have a machine that creates a lot of vibration, by all means, use rubber pads to isolate it from the floor so the vibration is not transmitted through the shop.

I always get a kick out the guys who have the rubber feet under a lathe, or other flimsy bed machine, and are trying to level it. Just not gonna happen!
 
my toilet seat, well... Had to get the parts from somewhere.:D
Hockey pucks are actually not a joke. Buy a dozen of the "practice" ones (no molded logos) off ebay, even used, Stiff buggers, so they beat all Hell out of those blister-packed stick-ons on the wall at Big Box.

I've never been a big fan of those supposedly "vibration dampening" leveling feet.
To be fair, most of mine are steel to concrete. Their value is in the screw-jack more than the "foot". Just because I CAN work with pry bars and shims does not mean I exactly get great orgasms from doing so.

Instead of going for the shim and pry-bar and jacks collection, one puts an electric or air wrench to the jackscrews, raises the machine, slides skates under it, drops the load onto the skates, and is off to the races in a matter on a minute or three, no sweat raised and even the 'tool' has no real weight to it.

As to leveling being a "joke"? The two 10EE had 3-point "kinematic" structure. Good enough an idea I've basically converted most other machines to at least a passing resemblance to it. Result is permanent skates in general on EVERY machine, and I LOWER the jackscrews to switch from fixed pad to rollers for travel.

Limited space. Declining muscle power. Increasing laziness. Everything here has to be configured for ease of movement.

I can "garage" many machines, but only position two or three at a time to be in most-effective alignment for active use.
 
The two 10EE had 3-point "kinematic" structure.

Indeed. They are a horse of a different feather, and that design can't be beat! So long as you keep the load at or near the three spots it wants to be, by all means put rollers under it. Hell, put skies under it and pull it behind your dog sled while you run the Iditarod, machine won't care a bit and hold tenths the whole way, providing a long enough extension cord! Most lathes though, and other machines with a less than square foot print, not so much, they rely on what's under them to stay in alignment. There lies my point about keeping things rigid. They want steel and concrete under them, not rubber.
 
I had to get my Bridgeport out of a tight spot when I purchased it. I ended up tapping the 4 holes in the corners of the base with 3/4"-10. The holes, as I recall were drilled at about the tap drill diameter. I then made 4x 3/4"-10 lifting screws from all thread, by cutting to about 12" and rounding one end. I then backed two hex nuts (with blue loktite) against each other at one end, lubed the screws with a high pressure grease and threaded them into the holes rounded end down. I could easily lift the mill 6" (with care, patience, and plenty of cribbing) to get it far enough off the ground to put a big dolly under it. It worked great!! If you do this, keep in mind that a Bridgeport is pretty top heavy and work the screws around the periphery in small increments. The required torque is quite low. Just DO NOT jack it up enough to tip it over!!

Others have mentioned pipe rollers and using a pry bar to slide the mill (even with no rollers). That also works.

Anyway, best wishes (be careful),
Michael
 
Cut a length of timber so it fits under the bracket that holds the cross travel screw. Wind the knee down, that will lift the front of the machine base up. Put a round bar or length of steam pipe under the base beyond the C/L. If you then wind the knee up the front of the base will come down and the back of the base will go up. Put your packings under the back. Wind the knee back down so the front comes up again. Remove your bar or steam tube and place your packings in at the front.

It's as easy as that on a " Bridgeport " .

Regards Tyrone.
 








 
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