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Is this J or M head?
- Thread starter FlyinChip
- Start date
- Replies 8
- Views 1,504
Clive603
Titanium
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2008
- Location
- Sussex, England
J head. Best introduction the Bridgeport species and variations is : - Bridgeport Milling Machines
Clive
Clive
Larry Dickman
Titanium
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2014
- Location
- Temecula, Ca
Looks like a "J" head. Here's a simple way to tell. Is it useable for ANYTHING? If yes, it's a J head. If no, it's an M head.
Spyderedge
Titanium
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2013
- Location
- NY
The M head isn't the worst thing in the world. For strange work where it's required to move the head in every direction known to man, it's quite nice to have. J heads are much heavier and awkward to contort.
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Okay thanks. I don't know how to tell if a machine is any good or not, but I have an opportunity to buy the J head for $1, 200 or an M head for $500. The Jay had has a vice on it.
I know the M head collets are less common, but they are available cheap anyway.
I am not going to use this machine very much but I do need one. That even though I'm reading that the J head is heavier Duty, I'm not exactly sure what that means or specifically what exactly you cannot do with an M head.
I know the M head collets are less common, but they are available cheap anyway.
I am not going to use this machine very much but I do need one. That even though I'm reading that the J head is heavier Duty, I'm not exactly sure what that means or specifically what exactly you cannot do with an M head.
M.B. Naegle
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2011
- Location
- Conroe, TX USA
M head on a round ram base is not as rigid as the J head. Collets max out at 1/2" appropriately so because there's not much you can cut with anything bigger without the head loosing tram or just vibrating around. The average round ram's table work envelop seems to have been smaller than your average Dovetail'd ram's table, which could be good or bad based on how much space you have or how much usable table you need.
I like mine, but you gotta use if for what it does. Given your prices, I'd go for the J head. The M head isn't worthless, just can't do as much.
I like mine, but you gotta use if for what it does. Given your prices, I'd go for the J head. The M head isn't worthless, just can't do as much.
JRIowa
Diamond
- Joined
- May 27, 2003
- Location
- Marshalltown, Iowa, USA
Bought the J head for 1000. As to moving it, was simple. I took the four nuts off the top section with the motor and spindle etc, and we lifted that straight up and off. Then I removed the knee gib and cranked the knee with table on it, all the way up and lifted that off. Now the machine is in three more or less equal parts of under 700 lbs each. Thanks for all the advice here...
M.B. Naegle
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2011
- Location
- Conroe, TX USA
That is one advantage to these old knee mills is that you can break them down (... relativly easily) into manageable pieces and still have a functionally rigid machine. Bed type, full enclosure CNC's, and most horizontal mills, are a bit more involved if you try to do the same.
I have a horizontal in storage at the moment that's waiting for a solution to get it up my inclined driveway into my suburban home garage that doesn't involve renting a forklift. My M-head Bridgeport went in in one piece on a pallet jack, but it was much lighter and we actually used the pick-up truck's bumper to coax it up the incline. I didn't have a portable hoist on hand, but if/when it leaves, it'll likely go in pieces.
I have a horizontal in storage at the moment that's waiting for a solution to get it up my inclined driveway into my suburban home garage that doesn't involve renting a forklift. My M-head Bridgeport went in in one piece on a pallet jack, but it was much lighter and we actually used the pick-up truck's bumper to coax it up the incline. I didn't have a portable hoist on hand, but if/when it leaves, it'll likely go in pieces.