My new J head Bridgeport

I finally found a deal on a decent Bridgeport. 1958 J head, with a 32in table. Just the right size for my home shop. Been awhile since I been on here, hope the pic works. Bruce

While waiting on VFD, I did some cleaning and fancying up. Made a new reversing knob. All wired now and running like a champ.Bruce

Have fun with it. Nice job

If you haven't done so already, go here and get a manual : KneeMills.com - Knee Mill Documentation

Your biggest chalenge will be to make sure that all of the fittings take oil. Many machines of that era ended up being greased. It works and is better than nothing, but the table doesn't move very well. Many posts here on lubing old machines.

Also notices that machine had a "Tru-Trace" on it at one time. Lots of wear, usually in the X axis.
Gawd does that table look tiny!
JR

JRlowa, there was greased in there, I'm pumping wye oil in, may tear down over winter and clean out. Tracer has not been on machine in last 25 yrs, Gibbs were tightened by PO, a friend of mine, x is nice and smooth. And yes table is small, I run a big Sharp at work with 60 in table, or two bp clones we have, sharp and do-all, both have 48 tables. But for home use it is fine.

And I should add, for $1200.00, I really don't mind the small table!!!

For $1200 you pretty much couldn’t go too wrong.. looks pretty clean.. how does the head sound? Did it come with any accessories?
I may have been better off with a 32 inch table like that, as the 42 is a bit of a tight fit for me, but that’s what turned up near me, locally, in great shape and a fair deal.

Good for you man



Bernie

JRIowa said:

Also notices that machine had a "Tru-Trace" on it at one time. Lots of wear, usually in the X axis.
Gawd does that table look tiny!
JR

Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, what was the give away on the Tru-Trace?

crazygoat said:

Just out of curiosity, what was the give away on the Tru-Trace?

Click to expand...

Red tag under the door.
I'm guessing that the tag above the door was the original dealer and the brass tag on top was the original owner, Koppers.
JR

JRIowa, Story I was told is when Koppers went to buy a new mill, Bridgeport dealer had this as a demo of tru trace and made them a deal on both machines. This was for a maintenance shop, as Koppers here was a chemical plant. A old machinist from there said this mill sat in the corner and got very little use. When they were sold out to another company this mill came up for sale, PO bought it, sold tracer for what he paid for mill. He and my buddy, both machinist's for many years, did work on the side in evening and weekends working on Harley's. My buddy has a old M head and didn't want to keep this and sell his. So his friend sold it to me. I don't think this mill was used a whole lot and had a pretty good life.
In the 25 or so years it has been at my buddy's shop it has never had the belt changed, this is about the only noise I can hear in the head, it has a few spots missing rubber, so it ticks, one of the first things I will buy for it.