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.........

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

How the heck to you move something like that?

sm

You call Dunkel Bros.!Dunkels

sorry couldn't resist

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

-Ben M.

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.

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.....

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:

CNC kit

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

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.

Nice Mikey!

w00t! Way to go Mike!

kim.

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 Yahoo Groups...CAD_CAM_DRO....DIY stuff, this is where I found my information and support......cheaper and more fun (sorta) then buying something off the shelf

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.

I use an Hitachi SJ100-022NFU variable frequency drive to run my Bridgeport. I got it here - http://web2.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopp...0V/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

That's so hella-cool.

Rock on.

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

Bringing home my new toy !!!!

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 !!!!

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

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"

Are you doing the YMCA dance now????







Millage people??

LOL. Nevermind......

Too cool.

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

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

Wish I was closer to help out.

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.

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?

Andy take that picture?

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

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