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Posted by: Mueller Feb 11 2004, 12:01 AM

Well, i finally moved up in the world and picked up a "real" mill to add to my home shop......2200+lbs of cold steel/iron

I had gotten out bid by hundreds of dollars and at the last minute, the highest bidder retracted his bid and I won it

The mill looks perfect (not at home yet, I inspected it at the shop), the biggest challange will be figureing out how to use the darn thing since it has no provisions to manually move any of the axis and the CNC controller is pretty ancient......
I'll also have to convert the main spindle motor from 3 phase to 2 phase or use a static or rotary converter........

My workshop pad should be going in this weekend, originally I was only going to pour it 4" thick, now i think I'll make it 6" thick with more rebar.........

Posted by: jonwatts Feb 11 2004, 12:04 AM

Cool, but shouldn't you have a workshop in the south bay area instead of in Antioch? I mean you're rarely home and I don't want to drive that far to play with it

Posted by: Malmz Feb 11 2004, 12:07 AM

How the heck to you move something like that?

sm

Posted by: Kargeek Feb 11 2004, 12:19 AM

You call Dunkel Bros.!http://www.dunkelbros.com/

Posted by: ChrisReale Feb 11 2004, 12:29 AM

sorry couldn't resist

Posted by: airsix Feb 11 2004, 01:36 AM

Mike, that's really cool. Congratulations. My mini-mill and I bow to you and your Bridgeport.

-Ben M.

Posted by: fiid Feb 11 2004, 01:42 AM

uhh - megasquirt man!

My brother-in-law makes components to do stepper motor control and other stuff from USB or serial.

http://www.makingthings.com

I don't think anyone has used the stuff to do CNC control, (I want to use it to do track datalogging - which noone has done either), but it is easy to use and makes the whole interfacing thing very easy.

Posted by: Mueller Feb 11 2004, 01:45 AM

darn...forgot to add the picture......the depreciation is terrible on these things...brand new $30K in 1978, I got this one for a tad bit over $1000

Dunkels is too expensive

I'm using another company to pickup and deliver the mill, $250...he has a special flatbed truck and a heavy duty forklift to assist with the chore.....


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Posted by: meursault Feb 11 2004, 03:10 AM

Ah yes. Looks like a Bridgeport Boss. My dad has one. If you want to try to modernize the control, as he is considering, you might want to check this out:

http://www.ajaxcnc.com/bridgeport_kit.htm

If your machine is a boss 8 or later, you don't have to buy the motors. Good luck.

Posted by: Mark Henry Feb 11 2004, 07:33 AM

Nice!

Not as big as the made in China chunk of iron I use, moved it with a loader. Wish it was a Bridgeport though...oh well it works.

Use a converter.

Posted by: Gint Feb 11 2004, 07:37 AM

Nice Mikey!

Posted by: krk Feb 11 2004, 09:35 AM

w00t! Way to go Mike!

kim.

Posted by: Mueller Feb 11 2004, 12:38 PM

Fiid.....

I already built a controller for my small mill/lathe.....I found the plans on the 'net and bought the parts to build it....this little box along with an old used PC (DOS, Windows or Linux) will basicly replace the two big boxes on the Bridgeport.

Currently my controller is closed loop (servo), but the Bridgeport is open loop so I will have to change a few things.

meursault...

Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO/, this is where I found my information and support......cheaper and more fun (sorta) then buying something off the shelf


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Posted by: East coaster Feb 11 2004, 03:03 PM

That's awesome if you can move it as one piece. I've moved mine a couple times now and had to break it down into 3 pieces.

Posted by: jridder Feb 11 2004, 07:58 PM

I use an Hitachi SJ100-022NFU variable frequency drive to run my Bridgeport. I got it here - http://web2.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Drives_-z-_Motors/AC_Drives_(Hitachi)/SJ100_Drives_(sensorless_vector_or_V-z-H_ctrl_modes)/SJ100_-_230V/SJ100-022NFU - about two years ago. If you go that route you need to make sure it has 1 Phase input and 3 phase output (The NFU's do and the LFU's don't).

Jonathan

Posted by: fiid Feb 12 2004, 12:27 PM

That's so hella-cool.

Rock on.

Posted by: BIGKAT_83 Feb 12 2004, 03:13 PM

Got a Bridgeport series II interact mill a few months ago. I picked this up for a song. Now all I need to do is figure out how to program and run the thing. The yahoo group you linked to looks like there is alot of good info.

Bob

Posted by: Mueller Feb 21 2004, 11:11 AM

Bringing home my new toy !!!!


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Posted by: Mueller Feb 21 2004, 11:15 AM

getting it in the garage was fun...with the door open, it was 82" from ground to door....

Bridgeport is a tad bit taller at 84" !!!!!
Luckly for me, I got the one that has the tilting head....I almost got one that was totally rigid which would require the motor to be removed (ugly job)

Notice how close to the C2
This is trusting the mover !!!!


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Posted by: Mueller Feb 21 2004, 11:18 AM

finally in the garage........

this is it's temp home until I finish my workshop....
I have a few options to get the unit in my backyard...

1)build a new concrete pathway from the front yard to the back and rent a forklift

2)get a crane to pickup and lower the unit....

#2 is about $500 so I'll be laying down concrete this weekend


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Posted by: jonwatts Feb 21 2004, 12:24 PM

That is too cool.

How many times did you offer to move the 911 while he was heading for it with that thing?

"Really, I can move it for ya"

"It's not problem, got the keys right here"

Posted by: fiid Feb 21 2004, 05:03 PM

Are you doing the YMCA dance now????







Millage people??

LOL. Nevermind......

Too cool.

Posted by: Mueller Dec 31 2004, 01:49 PM

I finally got the mill into my workshop, bad part was that I had to angle the head to get the thing out of the garage..that was easy, moving the head back to the normal position was a different story...I broke a damn worm gear behind the head

the head weighs in the 250+ pound easily.....the hard part will be getting the head off without crushing myself...I was going to build a frame to lift it off, but I was lazy and figured out another method....

...wood and expandable foam !!!!!

now the head is off and I have to figure out to access and remove the worm gear


this is a picture of the head being supported by my "mickey mouse" engineering

notice the "tilt"? for normal use the spindle should be straight up and down


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Posted by: Mueller Dec 31 2004, 01:50 PM

here is a picture of the worm gear that I have to repair/replace


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Posted by: URY914 Dec 31 2004, 02:37 PM

Wish I was closer to help out.

Posted by: McMark Dec 31 2004, 03:19 PM

QUOTE (Mueller @ Dec 31 2004, 11:50 AM)

here is a picture of the worm gear that I have to repair/replace

That's a picture? It looks more like an impressionistic painting.

Just kidding, Mike.

Posted by: PatW Dec 31 2004, 04:08 PM

QUOTE (Mueller @ Dec 31 2004, 11:50 AM)

here is a picture of the worm gear that I have to repair/replace

How do you think you'll replace/repair that?

Posted by: Gint Dec 31 2004, 07:48 PM

Andy take that picture?

Posted by: Dr Evil Dec 31 2004, 09:49 PM

Mike Mueller is a PIMP!!!!!!!!!!! If it wasn't for my good looks and hot girlfriend, I would wish I was you

Posted by: Carrera916 Dec 31 2004, 10:23 PM

Ohhh man!

Musta be hard to be so excitied at one moment when your 'new' toy got home, only to break it on the spot!......been there, Mueller!

But hey, once it's fixed, you're gonna have fun! I'm envy now that I don't have the space yet to play with something like that, too!

Hey, please do bug me if you need a hand to put the "head" back up, okay!

J