how's dose a bridgeport make it self

[mog5858]

i have bean thinking about this for a wile and was just wondering what kind of extras u need to go with your mill to make a new one. has any one done this befor. i am just a dum welder hear trying to play machinist. what kind of tooling would a guy need. is it any mill that can do it or just a knee mill that can cus.

[mxtras]

This obviously stems from the the old saying that a mill can duplicate itself.

While it is possible, it's not something that anyone has likely done before. The Bridgeport mills are 'made' on much larger milling machines. A mill is capable of performing almost all of the required operations to make another milling machine (minus purchased parts like bearings and screws) but the scale, or size of the machine is not suited to duplicate its self.

A Bridgeport machine is made from castings. Some of these castings could easily fit on a Bridgeport - like the head casting or the pivot knuckle. So, the first thing you would need is a set of castings. The base casting would not be too easy to accurately cut due to it's size and weight - not on a standard Bridgeport that is. They are cut on much larger mills. Cutting the table true and accurate would be basically impossible.

It would be possible to make a much smaller version, but to have a duplicate would not be very feasible.

Scott

[widgitmaster]

There was a post on CNCzone about miniaturized Bridgeport Mills!
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Jordan.htm

I also agree 100% with Scott!

Eric

[NC Cams]

For what it would take in the way of equipment to make a single Bridgeport (even if you had engineered blueprints), you could probably buy dozens of them.....

In this case, the "make vs buy" argument tips STRONGLY in favor of BUY.

[mxtras]

You're taking all the fun out of this thread, Cams......

[NC Cams]

Sorry to put the lump in the punch bowl but I have a hard time determining if a question is "for real" or just a "stimulant for interesting conversation".

So I answer the question with a reality based answer that gives a hint as to a direction to go in the thought process that didn't seem to have been fully considered at the outset of the thread.

It takes a very good machinist with access to a good set of properly sixed machines to "make a Bridgeport". The size of the machines was outlined in post #2 and, having been in the Bridgeport mfg plant and seen what it takes to make on, the machines needed are outside the realm of reasonableness for any DIY home crafter.

If post #2 (not mine BTW) didn't take the fun out, the cost of the machines that would be needed would definitely rain pretty hard on the parade before it even started.

Consequently, it is still BUY instead of MAKE in my estimation.

Now if you want to buy an import clone and turn it into a precision machine, that is a different issue altogether....

If that's your idea of a good time, first and most important question: how much do you want to spend?????

[mog5858]

i gess should have bean more clear i was just thinking about how one would make some of the parts. like the pullyes. i gess it u when all gear would work but how would to trun down the gear blank. with out the use of a lathe. i know it would be cheapper to buy it ( allmost in every thing to day ) that's not the point i was thinking about as a skill bilding projet. i i live in canada and well we have long winters for i guy need something to do and there some prid when u can say yes i made that from nuthing. thanks for your input guys

[widgitmaster]

I have made many a large diameter rount part in a bridgeport mill using a rotary table! Milling the v-grooves is not alal that hard to do either!

[ViperTX]

mog5858.....for hobbing a gear you would need a indexable rotary table that you could mount vertically...then you would need a side or shell mill with the proper profile to cut each gear tooth.

[Willbird]

Actually I was always told that a LATHE was the only machine that could reproduce itself. That was said to illustrate that a lathe could mill, drill, thread od's and Id's...bore holes, machine tapers, etc.

Bill

[BobWarfield]

Hold on there fellas, you're taking this too hard!

Mog didn't say he wanted to make a Bridgeport, he just said he had one and wanted to make a mill with it. Far from being beyond the reach of do it yourselfers in their garages, it has been done a number of times. The best documented case I am aware of is 5Bears CNC mill, made on a Bridgeport clone that is even smaller than the Bridgie and with less capacity. Details for Mog may be found here:

http://www.5bears.com/cnc.htm

There are a number of other possibles that include making a mill that is constructed quite a bit differently than the Bridgeport, yet has similar capacities, and that could be constructed with the aid of the Bridgeport.

A good example would be a slightly scaled down version of Bamberg's 5-axis cutter mill, which is discussed here:

http://www.mech.utah.edu/.../researc...e%20Design.pdf

Here, the author favors fabrication over castings and lots of machining. He amply demonstrates his case for the result being a high performance tool, and such a design ought to be doable with a Bridgie without having giant tools such as what were used to make the Bridgie in the first place.

Lastly, there is a large gang building CNC routers, which are technically gantry mills and could be used to cut aluminum in many cases. Our old CNCZone pal Widgitmaster among many others is engaged in that past time, again using a Bridgeport clone mill.

None of this is easy, but it seems at least in the realm of possible.

Best,

BW

[garagefela]

Originally Posted by NC Cams It takes a very good machinist with access to a good set of properly sixed machines to "make a Bridgeport".

Huh.... properly sixed machines. Woduzthatmean?

Can't say I've ever heard of that saying.

Cheers.