Bridgeport V2XT?

[KTMer]

I've always wanted a Bridgeport mill
I have the opportunity to buy a Bridgeport V2XT for a reasonable price
Is this a good mill to learn on and use for simple, one-off projects or should I look for a more basic model?

 

[KTMer]

Thanks for the quick reply Milland
I guess that is what I am asking...
Can this machine be used manually if the electronics are bad or should I look for an non-CNC machine?

 

[Rogue Willie]

The V2XT did not come with handwheels. With a lot of work you could maybe add them in the event of an electronics failure.

 

[moonlight machine]

I've always wanted a Bridgeport mill
I have the opportunity to buy a Bridgeport V2XT for a reasonable price
Is this a good mill to learn on and use for simple, one-off projects or should I look for a more basic model?

EMI in Pennsylvania has everything for the control, that's good because the control is a giant POS.I used the original BOSS control on my V2XT for several years but it was costing a shit ton of money to keep it going. I put a Centroid control on mine about 10 years ago. Best thing I ever did. Made a machine out of it, dead reliable, I use it nearly every day.

 

[KTMer]

Thank you to everybody who commented

 

[moonlight machine]

In addition to the above two comments, the usual pitfalls of a dovetail way machine apply - you need to check for excessive wear and/or rocking due to "center wear" of the table to saddle, and saddle to knee.

Also check for slop from quill to head, and that the big-ass ballscrew that drives the quill is in good shape (not pitted or otherwise worn out).

Usually the Iron on a V2xT is in great condition as the control is so bad the machine more often than not spent most of it's life unused and shoved back in a corner.

 

[moonlight machine]

Damn man, you bitter...

The one I had was bought to make a pair of Faraday Cups for a satellite mission, and it actually worked well for that job. My fondest memory was F'ing up a fairly complex magnesium housing, and deciding to finish it by engraving an off-script serial number on it.

"Oh shit".

Wish I still had it, don't know where it wound up. Fortunately I'd made extras, and the cups are still working ~28 years after launch.

Wind (spacecraft) - Wikipedia

Not bitter, like Joe Friday, just the facts. I made some very complicated molds with the BOSS control. But as it got older it started screwing up more and more. Imagine, a 3/4" ball mill doing a radius 3" down in a 3" bore. This is on a 7" diameter 4" thick piece of 304. 15 parts into the job we get a 10" rapid move on the X axis, WTF, over? Imagine the carnage. About this time it was costing 800-1000.00 per month to keep it running. The final straw was when I had a piece of aluminum in a super spacer, about 8" diameter, about 4" from the super spacer it curves in about a 8" radius. Supported by a tailstock, milling one side, turn it 180 degrees and repeat. It was a mold core for a big rubber tube. Nearly done with the first side when the control dies again. I took the whole thing off the mill and brought it down the road to another shop to be finished. When I got home I ordered the new Centroid control, I replaced everything except the spindle motor. It has been flawless since. And then for a final kick in the teeth I did a deal with EMI to buy the boss control. New mother board, axis drive boards and a mess of other parts + 3 axis drive motors. 1000.00s of dollars spent at EMI on the old control. They agreed to pay 4,000 for it and when it was time to pay the bastards would only give me 2000.00!