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I guess this is a good place for this topic.

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,708
191
Mahoning Co.
Went to an auction today and I'm now the proud owner of a Bridgeport vertical mill. It's an older, basic model but a friend who has a machine shop looked it over and said it was in great shape. I ended up with a bunch of tooling, a Bridgeport vice, rotary table, boring head and a big assortment of end mills, cutters and drill bits.

So I'm now thinking about what gun parts I need to make.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Shoot Buckrun a PM. I have seen his workshop and I believe Beener has too. He might steer you in the right direction with some ideas!
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
Now I'm officially friggin jealous! :tantrum::tantrum:

Actually, I'm happy for you man! That's a great thing. Excellent!
There's a lot of cool stuff you can do with 'em, you'll find it really handy.
Just make sure you use it to it's capabilities, and don't let it be just a big drill press. :smiley_coolpeace::smiley_coolpeace:
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,738
274
North Carolina
Good for you Sam.... If you have any projects where you need some help I do labor really (free) cheap lmao .... Plus I owe you for the rabbit hunt.....
 

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,708
191
Mahoning Co.
Unfortuately I'm getting it at a bad time of year to spend much time playing with it right now. I'll have to do some rearrainging in the shop to make room, maybe I should feng shui the shop while I'm at it. ;-) It's 3 phase (I have a phase converter) so a little wiring is involved too. They sold few really nice lathes cheap, one very nice 16x54 Monarch sold for $850 but I'd probably have to hook it up to my tractor's PTO to run it.

Dan, I know what you mean about using it as a fancy drill press, we joked about that before I bought it.
 

Buckrun

Junior Member
I didn't know anybody else on here had the same affliction as me. My mill is a enco drill mill. It is a pretty big one 2 hp motor. I am happy I have it but it is frustrating at times.

Like my father in law use to say. I wish I had yours and you had a better one. I’d love to have a knee mill. Just can’t afford one and don’t have room right now.

Do you work as a machinist? I have never had any kind of training. Just flying by the seat of my pants. Learning as I go. but have been having a ball playing in my shop.

This year I haven’t had time. I usually get all my real chores done and start playing in the shop around the first of the year. This year our basement flooded in Feb. and I have been working on the clean up. Now it is gardening time so I missed out on shop time.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Now it is gardening time so I missed out on shop time.

I am calling BS on you Steve! It is too wet to garden. lol

I won't hi-jack anymore. I knew you and Sam would have some stuff to share with your toys and hobbies. You guys are impressive. I have zero skill, knowledge, or desire to even try it. I will just buy my "fire sticks" already assembled. lol
 

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,708
191
Mahoning Co.
Do you work as a machinist? I have never had any kind of training. Just flying by the seat of my pants. Learning as I go. but have been having a ball playing in my shop.

No, I'm a farmer but I did take machine trades at the vocational school(30 years ago). I've had a small Atlas/Craftsman lathe for years but it has issues the keep me from doing some stuff(barrel work) I'd like to be doing on it.

I looked up the sn and this Bridgeport was made in '61(I was made in '62) it's the small (9x32) table, 1 HP, and has the step head (move the belt to different pulleys to change RPMs). It has about .020 backlash in the X and Y axises (should be .005) but there is adjustment to correct that. This cost just about the same money a new Enco mill/drill would cost.
 

Buckrun

Junior Member
Your the same age as my little brother. I am a 60 model. I think the mold was cracked when they made me! LOL My first lathe was a Atlas 12" I still have it but I do most of my work on my Grizzly 12 x 36. I think it is a model 4003.

Does your Atlas have the change gears for threading? I bought all the gears for mine but it was a pain in the rear to set them up. Changing gears wasn't that bad. My eyes are getting so bad I can't read that darn chart on the door.

Sounds like you got a good machine for a good price. Once again someone I would like to get together with to talk and share info with is really far away.

Here is a sight I go to when I am working on the gunsmithing / building.

http://www.homegunsmith.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi