so how do the square column mills compare to a bridgeport??

[fast89]

I've been wondering this for a while. I have a Bridgeport although i really didn't want a 2000lb machine. How do the Zay and IH machines compare? Does anyone have experience with both to give some comparison? I liked the idea of a benchtop that could be broken down more easily than a bridgeport but i've heard about sooo many quality issues. It's hard to beat a bridgeport for a home shop. I bought mine for $1600. it needed a little tlc but it's coming along. It seems like the benchtop mills would be easier and cheaper to cnc too.

[BobWarfield]

Bridgie guys will tell you there is no comparison--Bridgie wins hands down due to mass and fine American craftsmanship. You're a Bridgie guy now, so that's your story and you are sticking to it!

I'm a square column guy. My story is supposed to be that the Bridgie wouldn't fit, or I couldn't afford it. It can never be that I thought the square column was better than the Bridgie. It might sometimes be I didn't think I had the talent to restore the Bridgie and wanted to get started making chips sooner.

LOL,

BW

P.S. I'd be curious to know from an objective source what the real diffs are, but this is the Internet, and there are no objective sources! LOL

[fast89]

Well i do have some import too. I have a grizzly mill lathe combo. It's the mid sized one, not the $900 one. It is a miserable mill and an ok lathe i can't complain too much, i've made alot of chips on it. The bridgeport however cuts metal like hot butter. Very smooth finishes with a 3/4" end mill.

[BobWarfield]

Is it an actual Bridgeport, or clone? If actual, I assume it was purchased used? What did you do to restore it to operating condition?

I have no experience with round column mills such as you describe, so can't comment there. The IH mill will take a big cut with a nice finish. I regularly use a Lovejoy 225 3" 7 insert face mill to square blocks. I would expect the Bridgeport can take quite a bit more depth of cut due to rigidity.

Another significant advantage of the Bridgeport is range of speeds. The top speed of the IH out of the box is 1500 rpm, which is really too slow to be ideal for a lot of aluminum work, IMHO.

Best,

BW

[fast89]

I didn't have to do much to my genuine bridgeport. It really just needed cleaned, the head lubed, and new way scrapers. My grizzly mill lathe combo is the one where the mill head is fixed height. The only z dimension is with the quill and we know how bad that is.

[phantomcow2]

They really don't compare. The IH mill probably comes the closest to comparing though. But I don't think it is fair to ask it to compare, a bridgeport is 3x the mass of even the largest benchtop! Still, some of these benchtop mills have a great amount of capability. My X3 can take some pretty aggressive cuts with a 1" endmill. Figure a bridgeport has such a huge capability, even if you divide that in half you are still left with more than acceptable performance. My basement is not a real machine shop, I can settle for a benchtop .

[geo.agun]

I have a Bridgeport, it is accurate, can take a hefty cut, it is big. If I am working in stainless or hard metals I will use it, or if I am doing something large.

Limitations to consider for square column mills.
1) Do not get a gear head machine, they are noisy, they do not go fast enough. I have an older belt driven square column and a newer gear head machine. I think the gear head will make me go deaf. The top speed is not too good when using small cutters in aluminum. Small cutters = high speed = noise
2) The spindle is a given distance from the column. That is it. My newer mill to, get good use of the entire table top I am constantly moving out off the end of the ways and binding becomes an issue that last inch or two.
With my Bridgeport for rely big pieces I can clamp down the part, work as far in as possible, then relocate the head further out and continue to work the part.
3) Vertical adjustment is a lot more problematic in the square column mills, my new mill worse than the old, the new one has a rack and pinion, they ought to be strung up for that one, the old has a stationary vertical screw and a captured nut in the head that when turned that raises and lowers the head. It is a lot more controllable. Even so, it can be hard to get that one mill increment.

Hope this helps.

[cncJerry]

there is no comparision between a bridgeport mill and a dovetail column mill when you are trying to get it down the steps, disassembled, with a handcart.

I wanted a 3000lb bridgeport clone, I have the space, but it would have quadrupled the cost to have it rigged into my shop which is three floors down with outside access on a hill.

Jerry

[in2steam]

This would be like comparing a toyota pickup to a Ford straight truck .

They both move things and do it well, one just can do a lot more at once.

I can park a toyota in my drive way.

The straight truck cost 4x to operate.

I could keep going.


chris

[fast89]

I really would like to use an IH mill. They seem the most intriguing to me and probably the best comparison to a Bridgeport. Anybody near Baltimore, MD got one? I'll let you try my Bridgeport.lol

[cncJerry]

I looked at the IH dovetail mills. They are ZAY 45's and the last guy went out of business or sold to someone else. I hear that they had good support and are looking for orders.

I opted for a Grizzly G0519 R45 clone with the 3-phase motor. I was originally scared off from the motor but then I bought a Hitachi VFD for taking 220 to 3-phase for $210. This gives me variable speed, variable torque, almost instant reverse, modbus computer control of spindle speed, etc.

Not in Baltimore but lived in that area from 89 to 95. Now in San Francisco area, but if you are ever out this way...


Jerry

[wizard]

One way to look at this is that Bridgeports are old school. That is they represent the machining arts from an era long ago. Box column mills, especially when CNC'ed represent, newer approaches to metal working.

Now you are all about to say: "You can CNC a Bridgeport!!!", which is entirely true. The difference as I see it is that a well done CNC implementation eliminates the need for many of the adjustments that a Bridgeport has. Thus a box column mill, when CNC'ed, can be an economical alternative to the machining intense construction of a Bridgeport or clone.

Now some have mentioned the weight advantage of the Bridgeport. That can certainly help if th weight is in the right place. A well engineered box column mill however can put more of its weight into its simpler construction. Now at the low end there are not to many importers of larger box column mills that match the Bridgeport in mass, but that doesn't mean that they are not available. What I'm trying to say is that comparing a Bridgeport to a bench top mill is not exactly fair is some respects.

dave