Bridgeport Value?

[smird]

I have this Bridgeport available to me. It looks like it's in fairly
rough shape. If anyone can give me some info on it
especially what the value maybe in this condition.
that would be great.

Brad Stilley

P.S. you may remember I'm the guy that had the
free Bridgeport that turned out to be a cincinatti
shaft grinder. Well this time I was smart enought
to get pictures first.

[machintek]

WoW! A round ram! I wonder what the serial number is. A long time ago BPT tried to find the oldest machine. I belkieve they found serial number 10. A lot of rust. Power feed is missing a motor. How are ways? How does the head sound?

George

[mxtras]

Is that an M-head with a J-head spindle?

Machintek - did they come this way? Sure looks like a J-head where a M-head is supposed to be...

I would guess it would E-bay as pictured for about $400 - just my guess.

Cleaned up and painted - on a good day - $850.

Re-built - not worth the effort and cost (not to re-sell).

Scott

[smird]

I haven't seen it personally yet. It's about a hour and
a half drive for me. So I figured i'd get some opinions first.

The machine is not under power so I will have no Idea
as to the condition of the head untill I buy and fire it up.
If I buy it.

The guy wants $750 for it by the time I move it I'll
have over a grand into it. Sounds like it not worth it.
Although the guy is moving so he might be motivated
to drop the price.

I only know the condition by the pictures. The
Chunks missing from the table tell me it probably
was not lovingly cared for. It currently resides
up in the mountains so the shed its in is a moist
environment.

I'll try to find the serial. It its 000000001 it
would be worth the trouble. But unless someone
suggests otherwise I'll not waste my time going to look
at it.

[ViperTX]

Tell $100 and you won't charge him for carrying off the scrap.

[mxtras]

If you don't have a mill and want one, $500 would be reasonable if the spindle spins and there's not too much damage to the ways or inside the head - which is impossible to know until you get into it. But it's really hard to say how much damage the rust has caused - the interfaces that can't be seen will be worse than the exposed surfaces - especially if it has been rained on. If the rust is caused by condensation or humidity, then the hidden areas will likely be better than the exposed surfaces. The condition of the ways doesn't look too good, but pictures can't replace a good visual inspection.

Obviously it would require some serious TLC (duh) but it would get you a milling machine and some valuable experience - if you have the time and motivation. It's a lot of work.

$750 as is seems a bit much based on the pics - hold your money and keep checking Ebay. $1000 will get you a reasonable machine if you are patient.

Scott

[machintek]

I purchsed (a year ago) a 2J head series 1 std in good shape for $850.00. I was patient and waited for the right machine at the right price.
This machine is high considering the amount of hours you will have to put in to get it in resonable working condition.
The M head had no qill feed. It was a small die-makers head.
With the type of power feed I see on this machine, it is very reasonable to also see a J head on it. I think it was manufactured toward the end of the round ram production run.
It would still be interesting to know the serial number. The first machines had the serial number on the door. Later it moved to the top of the knee.

George

[mxtras]

I love the insight you offer, George! Many thanks for posting. I worship your posts on Bridgeports.

Smird - if you have $1K to spend, keep your money and be patient. You will find a machine in much better condition if you keep up the search. I search all the time for another machine, so if I run into what looks like a good deal, I will give you the heads up.

I think I would pass on this one unless he comes down on the price ($400-$500). At minimum, you will likely spend $600 to fluff up a machine that's in reasonable condition - and the machine pictured is not what I would call reasonable condition - but it's hard to say by just looking at pictures.

Scott

[NEATman]

Machinetek-
If my memory is correct, the earliest serial number bridgeport is in the American Precision Museum in Windsor Vermont. It was re-scraped and rebuilt by a friend of mine, and I think that it is earlier than #10. Here is the website for the museum, and I highly reccomend thier annual show, which usually occurs in October.
http://www.americanprecision.org/
I'll have to check through my digital pictures, as I may have a picture of the Bridgeport. It was a small machine, and used a #2 morse taper. I think it was a 1/2HP head, and I think that it even had a shaper attachment on the back of the round ram.

Keith

[smird]

Well if the price comes down. I may buy it then. The guy is having a garage sale this weekend and thinks it will sell then. He's firm on the price. Maybe once his house sells and he's a little more desparate then he'll negotiate. I found more info at http://www.lathes.co.uk/bridgeport/page15.html
looks like it was the second model they made. If anyone want to buy this for $750 let me know and I'll forward the info.

Thanks for everyones help.

Brad

[mxtras]

SO???

What did ya do? Did ya go look at it??

C'mon - don't leave us hanging!!



Scott

[smird]

I did go look at it, got back late last night. It's definitely a pass.
It was in really bad shape. I could not fire it up. No Elec.
wired for it.

But in moving the table it felt crunchy for lack of
a better term. Definitely not smooth. There a couple of big
chunks out of the table and a lot of rust ( mostly on the surface
though).

I don't have a lot of experience with the larger machines.
I have a taig and a Harbor Freight round column mill I just finished
converting. I'll probably sell the Taig to put some more money in my
pocket so I can get a good new Bridgeport clone or a used BP
in excellent condition. I'm not very patient and I think having
a machine that I need to rebuild and then convert to cnc. Will
be too much.

Brad Stilley

P.S. I did tell him when he's ready to move and if he still
has hit let me know I'll come take it off his hands.