Y-axis power feed

What hardware is needed to bolt on a y axis power feed (i.e, OEM Bridgeport power feed)? I would like to think all you do is pull off the existing handwheel and bearing plate, put on the power feed, put the handwheel back on, and that's it. Could it be that straightforward?

You mean like a 6F powerfeed? You need a totally different screw, i dont have the dimensions of it. I do know that its shorter, like the X axis screw with a 6F/8F. In the past few years we have only seen maybe 3 of those style powerfeeds.

If its for like a Servo style powerfeed, there are gears and shims you need, but it is pretty straightforward.

Jon
H&W Machine Repair

Seems to be of the same general vintage as a 6F but for the Y axis, and with a separate on/off power control box. There's a short shaft sticking out (it would be on the opposite side of what's seen in the picture) and it has a 1/8" (approx) hole crossdrilled through it. Looks like it was made for a coupling that connects the crossfeed screw to the drive. I would prefer not to hack my existing crossfeed screw, so does anyone still have one that fits this setup?

Also, the existing (manual) crankhandle will not fit on this drive. Whatever handle or wheel that came off this thing had a much larger bore, it fit the shaft seen in the picture. I am trying to locate one of those as well.

I have one of those here, I also acquired the X drive at the same time.
I havnt got around to mounting it,its only been maybe 8 /9 years,
But the X went on right away. I sawed the exsisting X screw, made a adapter,
roll pins thru screw and adapter,been good ever since.
so,with all that said, I assumed same for Y?
It was a chitting feeling sawing the screw,but all was well.
Gw

GW,

Yep, that's what I expect I'll have to do, too. But I'll get another Y screw to hack.
Can you tell me how the crank handle mounts on the Y-drive? There's no woodruff key, so is it just tightened on with the nut?
-Don

Looks to be a freewheel handle, same as the X axis one, so presumably goes on in the same manner.

Mine has been waiting 3 years to be fitted so got a long way to to catch Greg. I'll have a look tomorrow and see if its fairly obvious how it all works.

Been chickening out on cutting my feed screw too. Mostly because the one that came with mine looked to be a bit of a bodge job and wasn't sure if it had been cut right to copy from. Imperial screw but my Bridgeport is metric so not bolt on. Need to sort handle and the power feed selection relay board too.

Clive

The crank handle shaft is 1" Dia and has 4 holes 90 deg apart. I'm guessing that any handle sitting on that shaft would have to somehow lock into those holes (which don't go all the way through). Set screws, maybe? But that seems a little klugey for Bridgeport, not sure what I'm not seeing here.

Born ta fly,looks to me as you have a new fangled handle drive,saftey type .
,you have not used one of these "safety handles"?they came about maybe in the 80s? I think you need one of these different/safety handles ,yep.
You may well hate it for two days but after you wont even know its different.
My X drive is safety, my Y drive(still in box)has a woodruff key to hold it, I looked after you ask.
To be honest, I would prefer a safety handle on the Y drive to stop it from grapping my shop coat/coveralls by accident.
So,NO SET SCREWS ,get the rite handle bud.
As far as cutting the screw to make it work, Take the dress off and cut it!!
teasing you there.But why bother fetching another screw? you have one.
Best of luck sir!! it was fun to hear of someone else with same issues.
Gw

Safety handle has a spring loaded plunger running down the handle side arm. Handle itself sits in a bore and is free to rotate. Handle shaft has a D shaped section above the plunger. In the normal, safety, position the plunger is held up against the flat of the D by a spring so it is clear of the four holed bush and spins freely. Twisting the handle drives the plunger down to engage one of the holes enabling you to turn the feed-screw. Something of a knack to keeping the handle twisted so it stays properly engaged when turning the handle. Common to find a groove worn around the bush where folk have not kept the twist on properly so the plunger becomes disengaged scraping round the bush. X axis one on mine had a groove around 3/32 thick! How many times did it have to slip to wear that? Fortunately the bush is soft and the plunger hard so I wasn't in for a new handle.

Quite common to find the plunger stuck up due to lack of lubrication. A right pain to get it apart to free up. Especially as most of the Bridgeport manuals show no internal detail. I did eventually find a picture to help me free up mine. Basically you have to persuade the plunger to move down far enough for the handle to rotate freely. Then you can push the handle out of its bore and force the plunger out upwards driving the cap before it. All fairly slack so easy to re-assemble, and dis-assemble for lubrication, when all is free.

Official connection between drive and screw is via woodruff key just like on the X axis. Drill and roll pin implies retrofit. Mine has a plain parallel pin held mostly by hope.

Clive

GW, Clive,
Thanks for all the info, guys. I never heard of one of those things until now. All the handles on the machine now have relatively small ID holes, but this handle would need at least a 1" Dia hole.
Any idea where to get one of these things? I've never seen ball crank handle with a 1" bore, much less one with a pin-plunger.
-Don

Bore out a standard handle. Body and arms are the same for safety and fixed handles. For some reason the fixed handle currently on my Y-Axis is 15 thou smaller in ball and arms diameters than the safety ones on the X axis but I suspect thats just wide tolerances where exact size matters not at all.

Might be a cool project to convert a standard handle into a safety one. Need a couple of long drills for the plunger hole and getting the cap in the handle end ball to fit real nice could be a challenge. Have to make the handle fitting spigot longer and larger diameter too which could turn out "interesting".

I assume you have a 6F power feed on the X-axis already. If so you'd normally have safety handles on both ends of the X axis. Gearbox type power feed never got them and 6F units were introduced with same fixed handle but soon (2 or 3 years?) switched to safety type.

Clive

My X axis has an 8F power feed and safety handles, but they are of a different type. I will try to locate the correct handle for this Y axis drive is possible. Otherwise, yes, I'll end up adapting a standard handle. In that case I kinda like the idea of a fixed wheel (set screws) with one of those spring-loaded handles that flips back against the wheel. But first I want to see if I can find the original widget. Not as simple as I thought it would be, I should know by now

-Don

I got lucky and found a handle that matches my setup. Now I see what y'all are talking about when you refer to the retractable locking pin. Looks like a pretty solid little piece. Never worked with one of these before, looking forward to trying it out. Seems like the pin stays in as long as I'm cranking it and pops out when I let go. In other words, it doesn't stay locked. I guess that's normal.

Does anyone have a picture or description of the Y-axis trip rod setup? I don't have these parts and I'm trying to envision where & how everything would bolt up.

Sorry for delay, been busy spring chores,
I have some of the pcs if not all for , for Y trip assembly. I don't post pictures here,
I don't know how, if you want to pm your number, I can and will send you pics and any data you request on phone.
Yep
Gw

GW,

PM sent.

-Don

Got it all bolted up & running. I do get the same momentary hesitation as with the X-axis drive when I turn the speed up too quickly, not sure if this is normal but both the X and Y axis drives seem to do it. Y-axis seems to growl a little in one direction, so I need to take a peek inside. Oil level is correct, so maybe just a bearing. But overall, I like it a lot. Just need to get a stop rod setup so I don't accidentally crash something.

Greg White said:

Sorry for delay, been busy spring chores,
I have some of the pcs if not all for , for Y trip assembly. I don't post pictures here,
I don't know how, if you want to pm your number, I can and will send you pics and any data you request on phone.
Yep
Gw

Click to expand...

Hi Greg, mind sharing the Y feed linkage photos with me?
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