Bridgeport 6F Power Feed Drive Shaft Gear

I recently acquired a Series 1 BP with a 6F power feed on the X axis. The power feed seems to be electronically sound. However, the spiroid gear (drive shaft gear) is toast. I imagine it was destroyed around the same time the motor shaft was destroyed. The pinion gear on the motor shaft is fine.

My jaw hit the floor when I saw the replacement cost from H&W for this tiny gear was $231.

Are there any alternative replacements? I'd like to get it back up and working. It may be my only option, unless there is an aftermarket power feed that will work with my lead screw. I haven't taken it completely apart to see if there is any other damage. Just took off the front cover (oil had been drained) and the motor and noticed the damaged gear.

The only aftermarket power feed that comes with all the necessary stuff that I have seen is a Servo. The biggest issue with what you have is that your leadscrew actually ends underneath the table. The Servo kit for that comes with an extension shaft, but I have not seen an import brand that has one that is a "direct" replacement with everything that you need. I have talked to guys who make their own extension shafts. The replacement Servo with the entire mounting kit is somewhere in the $900-$1000 range, depending on whether you get the 140 or 150.

Just an FYI, when the 6F/8F power feeds were new, they were like $3k or something like that.

Typically what wears on the 6F is that gear, the switches, the PCB, or the motor. I have also recently seen alot of the brass bushings that the cam arm sits on have been cracked and will cause the gears to click and skip.

Jon

Jon,

Thanks for the reply. I did find someone on eBay selling NOS gears for $50 so I took a shot and bought one. It's the same part number as far as I can tell. It won't get put in for a while, though. Too many projects in front of the mill that I need to complete.

If it doesn't work, I have a lathe, so making an extension shaft is not out of the realm of possibilities. But I also haven't examined the lead screw yet. If it's too far worn (whatever that is defined as) I may opt to replace it with a full length lead screw and then replace the power feed. This is for the mill in my home hobby shop, so it doesn't need to be top of the line. At $3k new, I could probably sell the 6F with the new gear for more than the new lead screw and an import power feed.

Greg