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Question on Bridgeport Machine

Firefighter365

Plastic
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
I have welded for quite awhile but I am new to machine work - but it is something I have always wanted to learn about and try my hand at it. I recently picked up the Bridgeport shown in the attached picture. After running the serial number it is a 1969 model. The unusual feature about it is that it has a vertical stationary table which the head mounts to. The head also does not have the pivot feature like most. I have searched for other pictures of it on the internet but I only found one, and that particular machine had two heads mounted on it.

I would really appreciate it if somebody could fill me in on the purpose of this particular design.

Thanks in advance!

TJ
 

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TJ,
Two heads are better than one when following a trace or copying a part. Almost bought one of these and it had two mounted heads.
This setup does give the machine an extra large work envelope for long parts.
Otherwise look for donor parts to convert the mount so it is attached to the ram just like all the other Bridgeports.
Hey, who wants just vanilla? I'd keep it like this until there is a need for change or you are tired of kloncking your
noggin on the corners :)
John
 
Thanks for the info! The picture of the one that had the two heads on it also had the tracer attachment I believe - but I am not 100% sure what I was looking at.

I do think it is kind of cool because it is different! Do you know if they made many like this? If I ever ran into another head cheap it might be cool to mount a second one - each could be set up differently? Just a thought.

TJ
 
QT Firefighter: [had the tracer attachment] a friend Bob who had such a machine and had precision ball end probes that would would touch and probe a template part to make another..with both on a rotary table he could whip out an odd shaped part in quick time..
Also saw on the net a fellow who had hooked a DC wire to his probes,.Yes one could simply have more that one mill head.

Here one with a true tracer...
True Trace Control-Path Tracer - YouTube

Easy to program CNC but not a CNC. a TAG..You just touch and hit "Go"

Here doing 3D
Bridgeport Tracer Mill with True Trace, Synchro-Trace Attachment - YouTube

Nowadays a two or three mill head, ball screw CNC, mill would/might be the berries to run two or three parts at once..
 
Thanks everybody,

I appreciate the info! Those pictures were very helpful! I am new at this but maybe if it turns out good for me I can mount a second head sometime if I find a deal on one!

TJ
 
Thanks Greggv,

I am new at this so right now I wouldn't be ready to use a true trace. It might be something I would be interested in in the future. I have no idea how much one is worth.

TJ
 
Don't know if your machine has ball lead screws...IMHO that would make the true track better..with not I don't know how it would handle some free-play in the long travel or the cross. I would have to think about that..along with snugging the movement locks, very valuable for turning direction with considering tool force pulling this way and that.
 
The base just doesn't look a tracer mill to me. I'm thinkin' that the turret and ram got swapped somewhere along the line.
OK, somebody is going to ask: why not?
1. All of the tracers that I have seen had at least an X power feed
2. All of the tracers that I have seen had an enclosure for the electrics on the side or back of the base
3. The electical cabinet housed the motor starters for the hydraulic and heads.
4. There was usually an operators box that mounted at the front RH side of the knee.
If somebody took the time to remove all that stuff, they did a very good job.
JR
 








 
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