Lyman MK4 Power Feed on Bridgeport

I just purchased a Bridgeport with a Lyman MK4 power feed box for the table. It is on the left of table. Seems akward at best to use for a right hand method of hand feed all of the time that I aquired over 40 years in the trade now. I can see a lot of side stepping right to left and back all of the time. I am not sure if it matters in the long run. It does work for now and will suffice.

Anyone ever move one to the right of table?? Maybe there is something simple about it and I just need to take a good look at that. It is a simple and seems well built unit.

Does anyone have any links to information on it?

I searched the forum and general conclusion is that's the way they all were made. The rest of whatever I need to know is up to me figuring it out. I like the design feature for feeding to a stop and dropping out without a micro switch.

I have one on my BP, not much out there on the Mark 4.

1oldgoaly said:

I have one on my BP, not much out there on the Mark 4.

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Feed rate/torque etc. how does yours compare to the Servo style? Just curious, since that is about all I have experienced on a series 1 Bridgeport or the clones.

FWIW, on your "handedness" observation: about 30 yrs ago I put the power feed on the left of a mill-which-cannot-be-talked-about here simply because eyeballing it and kind of "feeling how it would work" on either end, the left appealed more to me. The fact that Lymans did it that way was also "permission" although my feed was an import servo style.

I've never regretted it. it left the right hand side open for fussy/close observation of work while manually manipulating the handwheel. Even though the power feed box faces the wrong way (toward the back) on the left.

My SB turret mill came with the factory gearbox and controls on the right. Due to the way it is parked in my tight shop, that is ok because the right hand end of the table moves back in a space partially obstructed by the Rockford shaper. So the right is less accessible and I do the fussy work from the left of the table most of the time.

Major point being, it is pretty easy to adapt eitherway, and the way your machine is parked might make one side better than the other, ergonomics aside. Minor point is me, personally, I prefer the power feed on a manual mill on the left if the whole machine can be accessible out in the open.

smt

I mustve been raised wrong. After using a few horizontals and verticals without R/S handwheels, the controls at that end of my Bport are pretty useless to me.

Well it's the only one I've used a lot, it has done everything well but the speed control potentiometer is dirty or going bad. the control module appears to be a Kbic my BP is a mid 1960's J-head step pulley, it was on it when I bought it in the 1990's. I haven't fixed it cause my shoulders are bad, can't work the brake with a stick and the drawbar with the good arm. This growing old ain't for sissy's!
I do like hand feeding small things, something about a nice milled finish on the part you did by hand! Now 18-20" long stuff, well I can run the lathe while the BP is doing the long stuff!
I did get a scan from a gentleman who's name escapes me if you google lyman mk7001 you should find it or you can email me oldgoaly at gmail dot com

I bought one of these power fed units. Seems to be in good shape after I adjusted the tension on the shift gate. It did not come with the gear that mounts on the mill.
Anyone know the diameter or thread pitch for that spur gear or a source to buy one.
Bil lD.

Milling machine power feed - LYMAN, GEORGE F

Bill D said:

I bought one of these power fed units. Seems to be in good shape after I adjusted the tension on the shift gate. It did not come with the gear that mounts on the mill.
Anyone know the diameter or thread pitch for that spur gear or a source to buy one.
Bil lD.

Milling machine power feed - LYMAN, GEORGE F

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Were you able to find a suitable leadscrew gear? I just purchased a Mk7 in great condition, but missing the gear for the mill table.