Bridgeport VMC for rigging costs. Worth it?

MotoX · Nov 9, 2020

Just as the title suggests, a somewhat local to me machine shop (2hrs away) is getting rid of a Bridgeport VMC 800/22 with a dx32 control. Owner says he replaced motherboard hard drive and disk drive, just needs parameters entered. He also said its getting replaced by a new machine, which is why its not running.

Rigging costs to set on my trailer are approximately 1k.

I drove over saturday morning to take a quick peek, and see if it was in decent condition. Its quite dirty but doesn't appear to have tons of hours on it. Most of the machine is there minus coolant pump, and a few non-critical bits and pieces. The iron seems decent with oil still on the ways and ballscrews, just worried about the control. Also, the CRT is bad but they had a monitor plugged in.

My main reservation is that I may end up with a paperweight if i cannot get the control sorted out. Having no experience with the DX32 or any bridgeport control, I don't know what to expect.

This will be my first personal VMC, as my shop is getting damn close to being usable(only lack the overhead door and power).

Should I save my money and wait? Or take a gamble and snatch it before it goes to the scrappers?

I already have work lined up from a friend when i get a machine up and running.

I would love to hear your $.02.

Thanks

Rob F. · Nov 9, 2020

I would do it if you are computer savy enough to get that part working. Does he have manuals and/or the parameters?

gustafson · Nov 9, 2020

will the grand hurt?

I have had two with the Heidenhain control and they are a fundamentally solid machine but slow with a slow toolchanger, and lots can be wrong. There is no bridgeport for parts, but there are aftermarket sources

not running machine is a pig in a poke, if your risk tolerance is high, go for it

Garwood · Nov 9, 2020

So your total cost is $1000? Or that's just rigging and you pay more for the mill?

I would probably pass either way, but if you can stand to lose that $1000 then go for it.

Those are not known as good controls.

MotoX · Nov 9, 2020

He has the manuals and parameters.

Yes total cost is 1k, he was gonna scrap it.

Im not a fan of gambling though, especially when i know nothing of what I'm gambling on.

If it was a Fanuc control, it would already be in my shop.

I guess if i cant get it running, i could part it out and maybe recoup some money.

Hardplates · Nov 9, 2020

$1000 is a lot to load a 7000 pound machine unless it has to travel 8 miles on skates or a bunch of other machines need to be moved. I'd borrow or buy an 8k+ forklift and get it myself if I wanted it.

If it ends up being scrap you can always get you money back if you sit on it long enough till scrap goes up. I'm up to over 40K lbs of scrap sitting now

MotoX · Nov 9, 2020

Hardplates said:
$1000 is a lot to load a 7000 pound machine unless it has to travel 8 miles on skates or a bunch of other machines need to be moved. I'd borrow or buy an 8k+ forklift and get it myself if I wanted it.

If it ends up being scrap you can always get you money back if you sit on it long enough till scrap goes up. I'm up to over 40K lbs of scrap sitting now

I agree that 1K is a lot to move it 80 feet and lift it onto a trailer, but all the rigging companies in the tulsa area that i have called have a 3 or 4 hour min, at 250-300 bucks an hour. At most i would think this move will take an hour(its just a tad tight where the machine is sitting).

Called my usual equipment rental place and they said 405 for rental and 250 for delivery not including taxes and insurance. I figured id pay the remainder to not have to worry about the headache of logistics and rigging.

Anyone in tulsa with a lift want to make some quick cash and help a fella out? haha

DouglasJRizzo · Nov 9, 2020

I say it's worth it. If you can get your hands on manuals and parameters. For $1k, only takes a job or two to pay for it, and the rest is profit.

Tony Quiring · Nov 10, 2020

If it can be powered up and boots up and runs then go to it.

Look for a rigger that can place it in your shop as better than you unloading.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

jamesclerie · Nov 10, 2020

My first machine was also a Bridgeport VMC22 I payed $5000 for it learned a bunch made money with it and when I was confident enough I bought A new machine and sold the VMC22 for exactly the same I payed for it. EMI - Bridgeport Part Details EMI is a great resource they are extremely willing to trouble shoot over the phone and have most of the replacement parts for these machines.

Fal Grunt · Nov 10, 2020

My first machine was a Bridgeport 700 something? Can't remember at the moment.

I paid $3k for it, rigging was $800, made some money, got some products started, then I bought a Brother.

I tried to sell it for awhile, it was running made goodish parts. Needed some work to be a good consistent machine. Was out of my knowledge range and I did not have time or desire to learn.

A friend of mine paid for a portion of the rigging, they moved the Bridgeport out and set it on his trailer, then brought my Brother in. I think it wound up costing him pretty close to $600 for them to drive it 50 feet and set it on his trailer. It was about $1900 total if I remember.

Most places around here are $1500 minimum, and have weeks of backlog...

MotoX · Nov 10, 2020

Can anyone tell me the best way to lower the z axis?

I have access the the bottom end of the ballscrew. It looks as though there are two wrench flats on it, but not enough room to turn it. Maybe a strap wrench?

Other option may be removing the z axis motor?

Never had to move one without some power first to prep it.

Hardplates · Nov 10, 2020

MotoX said:
Can anyone tell me the best way to lower the z axis?

I have access the the bottom end of the ballscrew. It looks as though there are two wrench flats on it, but not enough room to turn it. Maybe a strap wrench?

Other option may be removing the z axis motor?

Never had to move one without some power first to prep it.

View attachment 304286 View attachment 304287

First I would determine if it has a brake or a counter balance. If it's a brake it will likely be a bit more involved

mhajicek · Nov 10, 2020

What's your opportunity cost for the time and space? That is, what else could you be doing with that time and floor space, and would that have a better return on investment?

gustafson · Nov 10, 2020

On the Heidenhain controlled ones, there is a brake in the motor. so, it would be

block the spindle

remove the motor

figure out how to gracefully lower it

Hardplates · Nov 10, 2020

Not gonna get much more simple and controllable than a bottle jack and lots of wood, or a porta-power and hardwood if you're feelin classy

jptech · Nov 10, 2020

Make sure to tie the counterweight securely so it won't move!!! I had an old VMC moved to my home shop. Completely forgot about the counterweight. Riggers got to my house, and counterweight was laying on the deck. It got to swinging and broke the chains! Luckily, it stayed on the trailer instead of going over the side. Also, a real Bitch to re-hang!-------------- John :cheers:

MotoX · Dec 21, 2020

I took off nov 19th and made the trip with a friend of mine.Met the rigger on location and waited for them
to do their thing.

After about 2 and a half hours, it was on the trailer. Another hour or so and she was blocked in place and

secured. For Future reference, to get the z axis down I disconnected and unbolted the motor, then spun the

motor/screw assembly by hand. Apparently this setup has a brake instead of a counterweight.

The trip home was uneventful, just the way i like it.

Left her outside for for the evening and unloaded the next morning, also uneventful.

Unloading was done by the same 8k skytrack that i used to erect the shop. It's rated at 8k, but it didn't

even struggle during the lift. The riggers warehouse style 10k lift had more trouble.

I set her on some skates, and rolled in into place.

I turns out the previous owner had upgraded the pc side of the control to emi's single board computer with

flash memory, but never completed the parameter input. hopefully it won't take too much to get it back up

and running. Although under better lighting, there are more problems showing than I initially thought.

Oh well.

MotoX · Jan 5, 2021

Finally got power to the shop and also to the mill. After some head scratching and cussing, I finally got the control to boot. I had to rob a power supply out of an ancient PC. The P/S that was in the machine was rated at 300w, and the one I put in is 200w. It seems to work well though. Does anyone know what the power requirements for the control side are on these machines?

Still can't get the drives to enable, although I suspect that not having any air pressure might be a cause.
The previous owner for whatever reason, decided to cut off the air solenoids and wiring.

I've looked online for the BP part numbers(i have the right numbers), but no luck. Also just looked for something off the shelf I might be able to fit on the manifold, no dice there either but I don't know what to look for.

Can anyone snap a picture of the original solenoids and mfg/part #, or can identify what type so i can get some replacements?

I also cant figure out where this cable goes to. I suspect maybe a 4th axis, and the machine has wiring already in the cabinet for the 4ax drive. In the pic I am standing on the elec cabinet and the cable comes from the cabinet top right in front of me.

The manual stated that to verify correct phase, check rotation of the spindle motor fan. My spindle motor fan has been replaced with a single phase unit, that just has a 120v pigtail. Is there another way to check this?

Garwood · Jan 5, 2021

Coolant pump can be a good phase indicator.

No help on the missing parts, but cut hoses and wires is not a good sign. I've seen many machines where parts are robbed to keep something else more important going, but when the parts are hacked and cut away like that that's a good indicator somebody did not think it was worth fixing.

Bridgeport VMC for rigging costs. Worth it?

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