Bridgeport on wood floor joists and plywood???

[Mainer]

There is more to life than getting "a good deal."

Assuming the machine is in good condition, and it probably is, $5K may be a bit high but not totally outrageous. Other B'ports in other places may be had for cheaper, but you have a chance to buy THIS one that includes delivery and installation. I assume the DRO is a well-known brand, Acu-Rite or similar. That's over a thousand bucks of value. How much is a power drawbar? $500? How much would it cost to hire a rigger to move it?

How much is the machine worth to YOU? That is all that matters. Be aware that in 20 years the fact that you paid $5k or $4k won't matter a bit. Amortized over 20 years, an extra grand is 50 bucks a year. That's one dinner at a nice-ish restaurant per year. Even in 1 year, you won't care what you paid.

You can always dicker politely: "Is there any chance you can come down a bit on the price? I'd really like to buy it, but my budget is limited. $5000 is probably fair, but it would be quite a stretch for me to come up with that much."

 

[vascon2196]

He also told me "don't worry about the dough"...give him what I can now and the rest when I have it. I thought that was nice of him.

I called a few local cement suppliers and they all sell 5-yard minimums at a cost of $500. I would only need 2-yards for my slab.

I would have to purchase 70-bags at 80-lbs. per bag to do it myself.

Looks like I'm going to have to enlist my friends and make a few beer runs!

 

[Sshire]

What Mainer said. If the BP is in good shape, do it. After you make the first few cuts and realize that 2000+ pounds of iron allows you to do big cuts without thinking or tiny cuts and moves with a lot of precision, you won't even think about the $

 

[kvom]

WRT the slab, my RR club is building a car storage barn and pouring the slab in a series of 10x10 sections. If you can get gravel, sand, and cement delivered, your slab can be poured in a few hours. We used a motorized mixer from HF. For one load from thre mixer we add 15 shovels of gravel, 10 of sand, and 6 of cement. Three of us finished pouring one section in about 3 hours (does not include any form work).

Obviously the premixed concrete in bags is easier, but lots more expensive.

 

[MachineTom]

Seeing that you live in MA, likely there is building code to follow. Since a BP is about 2K lbs, you will need support for everything,, building and machine. If they allow slab on grade for an outbuilding, meaning no below frost level footing. I would dig down to 6" and 2' wide, tapered to grade in the center then pour a floor about 12" thick tapering to 6" in the center, so overall 6" above grade.

That would need 2 yards of concrete for a 7 x 12 pad. That would be alot of premix bags like 144 if you get 1/2 cubic foot a bag. Depending on the distance to the concrete plant, rediimix delivered, or in one of those tote trailers would be the way to go. Mixing 2 yards by hand or with a small mixer will be a real heavy job for 1-2 people, but doable.

A BP fits best backed into corner of small buildings, 45° to the walls. this will eat an area of about 6 x 6, which is half the size of the shed.

 

[Swifty]

A BP fits best backed into corner of small buildings, 45° to the walls. this will eat an area of about 6 x 6, which is half the size of the shed.

I agree with putting it in a corner, unless you plan to machine very long items it saves a lot of space. The back of the ram is in the corner, just make sure that the table movement doesn't hit the wall.

Paul.

 

[Wizard69]

Here is what I know so far.

Serial # 2J-107413-2,

DRO installed,

Pneumatic Draw Bar System,

Vise Attached,

Purchased new,

No power feeds,

42” table,

Price includes delivery and installation (5 to 6 miles)

It might be worth that $5000 if the draw bar system and DRO are of good quality.

 

[Wizard69]

I'd like to be the dissenting voice with respect to putting a Bridgeport in a corner.. I don't like that arraignment at all, besides what did the Bridgeport do to deserve such punishment?

Why don't I like it.
1. Access to the back side of the machine for cleaning and the storage that always seems to end up there.
2. Once you have a mill big stuff happens. You don't want to limit your ability to use the machine to do unplanned things.
3. Access from the table ends. Sometimes the view is better from an end of the table.

 

[MachineTom]

No crunch issue at all, from the corner of the walls to the Y axis handle is 6'. From the center line of the machine at max Y movement to the wall is 5.5' and at min position about 50". With a 42" table max centerline distance to the X Handle is 40". If the work won't fit that , I just grab the crowbar and move the bugger until it does.

 

[vascon2196]

Just poured the slab at 7FT x 12FT x 6in deep, with 6in of stone underneath. I rented a mixer from Home Depot and had them deliver two pallets of 80lb bags. The slab is also has steel mesh and robust footings in each corner.

The slab had to be moved from the back yard (250ft from the driveway) to the front yard (20ft from the driveway). Due to several factors, the rigger did not feel comfortable moving the mill to the original back yard location.

As long as the structure that house's the mill "looks pretty", my wife does not mind it sitting in the front yard (off to the side).

 

[vascon2196]

The slab is poured...left wall, right wall, and back wall complete.

Tomorrow I give the call to deliver the Bridgeport.

Once the mill is in place, the front wall and roof will be built around it.

Last, the wiring.

Pictures to follow.

 

[vascon2196]

My Bridgeport arrived yesterday...very exciting!

The most frustrating thing so far has been explaining to people what the machine is and what it does. Not a single family member understands why I needed "such a big machine".

If I have time tomorrow I will post some pictures.

 

[Sshire]

Can't wait to see the pictures!
When some people saw mine, they wanted to know why I had such a big machine to make such little engines.
The other advantage is that it will hold down the new shop in a windstorm.

 

[Sshire]

Chris
Forgot this.
http://www.machinerypartsdepot.com/site/1478157/product/BRM-2J

http://www.machinerypartsdepot.com/site/1478157/product/BRM-J

THE book, not just for rebuilding, but repair and maintenance also.

The people at H&W are very helpful. They have lots of info on their website and all Bridgeport parts. No connection, just a happy customer.

 

[vascon2196]

Wow, thank you for those links Stan.

Their website has a lot of great information, I am going to book-mark that one.

Forgot my camera at work and I have no camera phone...hopefully pictures will be taken this week!

 

[vascon2196]

I finally got around to taking pictures! Each weekend has been filled with building the "home" for the Bridgeport and since I am building it myself it has been taking a while.

I dug the trench for the electrical wire today and decided to take a break from that and snap a few quick pictures. I have not had a chance to clean the machine yet so it may not look as pretty as it should.

Just happy to have it.

 

[Tinkerer58]

No point in cleaning it the first time you use it it will be dirty again LOL.

Just like to know if your building the shop around the machine what happens when you decide to move, you leaving it behind LOL

When people ask you why you want such a big machine for little engines I always say you can make small thing on big machines but you can't make big thing on small machines, I'm slowly working my way up.

Good looking shop and machine.

 

[vascon2196]

Thanks for the kind words!

We plan on staying here a while (the next 30 years at least), I'll worry about moving then if I have to. Unfortunately the only thing I could do was build a small shed around the machine once it arrived.

Someday I hope to have a 2-car garage with an area in the back for a proper home shop.

Take care.

 

[Sshire]

Looks great, Chris!
Love the collet. If it's the same dealer, they're still in business

http://www.brodeurmachine.com/pages/cfHome.cfm

One tip. Open up the top of the Bijur oiler, take the case off the BP and clean out the gunk from the bottom. Refill and pump a bunch of times to clear out any old lube.

Also, I notice you have the 2J2 head. That's what came with the 2hp version. It has the rabbit and the turtle and 2 windows on the front to see the RPM numbers. Mine is the 2J (1.5 hp) with a round dial on the front. Unless you really have a desire to see what's inside that case, do not turn the speed crank unless the motor is running. If you do. The cable will wrap itself backwards around the crank pulley. My dealer told me this about 20 times.

Good luck with it.

 

[vascon2196]

Thank you Stan. Yes, I purchased the mill directly from Brodeur Machine (I worked there for 5 years as a CAD designer). I gave the owner a call to see if he knew anyone who was selling a used Bridgeport....he said he was selling (2) of them at the end of the summer!

I called at the right time.

Thanks for the information on the oiler and on the dial in the front. There is a metal plate warning to not rotate the dial unless the motor is on. I will make sure not to fuss with that.

Well, I was in the midst of completing the electrical trench when it decided to down-pour. I may have to wait another week until that project is done!

See you this weekend at the engine show!