Bridgeport Explorer CNCs

[arsenix]

i have recently gotten a line into a few Bridgeport Exporer CNC mills that are pretty close by to me. I can't seem to find any information about them on the web. I've inquired with bridgeport, but they havn't gotten back to me yet. Does anyone know anything about these machines? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Latu]

Hi ,

I bought a serie 1 bridgeport, and want to make it cnc.
Do you have some information about it?

aspecialy the solusion on the z axis.

and what kind of software i can use.

Latu

[arsenix]

I would search the archives for info on Series 1 conversions. There is a lot of info there and on other sites on the internet. I'm looking for info about the Bridgeport Explorer CNC's, which are different machines.

[gus]

I think the iron is the same as most late boss machines, and assume the control is PC based. I know fvery late they had extended x axis which would be handy. If they are cheap I would buy them were I you, as they should be servo machines with a good electrical cabinet, a recontrol would be fairly easy/cheap and that iron is bulletproof.

[arsenix]

I actually don't even know much about the Boss mills either. Are they similar to the series 2? Do they have computer controlled spindle speeds?

I'll have to do more research into the BOSS... is there a reference that talks about the different models? It's too bad bridgeport (or hardinge) doesn't put up reference materials about all these older products... they will probably outlast the company!

Thanks for the tips.

[machintek]

I would bet a dinner that the explorer is series 1 CNC iron. The same iron used on the BOSS series machines (3,4,5,6,8, and 9). I do not believe the X travel is extended (still 18 inches). I will check the book tomorrow. What is different is that it has the PC based DX32 control with a color CRT. I installed 3 in schools and one at a plant in MS quite a few years ago. The X axis travel was extended on the BOSS 10, V2XT and the EZTRAKs. All these had series 1 iron. NOT series 1 CNC iron.

George W.

[gus]

IIRC, there were late cnc iron explorers with more x travel, could be wrong, but I don't think so

[machintek]

Looking over my installs, I have installed 11 Explorers, with the last 3 having a designation of Explorer X26. A friend of mine will look at his book tonight and fax me the specs on this machine. I am interested that if this has extended travel, why I did not notice (or did not remember, too old?), how the extended travel was achieved, or is this a hybrid of series 1 and 2 cnc iron. The explorer 1 was limited to 18 inches in the X travel to keep the weight over the saddle for better accuracy. I wonder what is the weight limitation on this X26 machine.

George W.

[machintek]

I was informed that the X travel of the Explorer X26 is indeed 26 inches. I have asked to have the exploded view and parts list as well as spec be faxed to me. When I receive them and review them, I will know the weight capacity and what was changed to achieve the extended travel.

George W.

[arsenix]

X26 = 26" X travel? That would explain the strange designation! I wondered how they went from the explorer 1 to the X-26.

Great info!

james