Bridgeport series 2 too tall to get in the garage

[Shanghyd]

I just picked up a Bridgeport Series 2 CNC mill and like the title says, its too tall to get in the gargage. My garage clearance is 7ft. This mill is 7ft 4inches at the tallest point. There is a lip leading into the garage that the mill has to go over and the pipes to roll it on will be about 1 inch in diameter.

My solution is to take the head off the machine. Not the whole J shaped head that fits onto the base, just the spindle motor and other parts of the head.

So my question is how difficult is it going to be to take these parts off?
The machine has servos. Is it possible to throw them out of wack or somehow misalign the encoders or can I just disonnect the wires and everything and there won't be a problem?

Thanks for any advice and precautions.

[HimyKabibble]

Originally Posted by Shanghyd I just picked up a Bridgeport Series 2 CNC mill and like the title says, its too tall to get in the gargage. My garage clearance is 7ft. This mill is 7ft 4inches at the tallest point. There is a lip leading into the garage that the mill has to go over and the pipes to roll it on will be about 1 inch in diameter. My solution is to take the head off the machine. Not the whole J shaped head that fits onto the base, just the spindle motor and other parts of the head. So my question is how difficult is it going to be to take these parts off? The machine has servos. Is it possible to throw them out of wack or somehow misalign the encoders or can I just disonnect the wires and everything and there won't be a problem? Thanks for any advice and precautions.

I'm not familiar with the S2, but on a S1, it's a trivial matter to simply raise the knee until the head is resting on a block of wood on the table, then just unbolt the head and lay it down. One person can do it easily in minutes. You shouldn't need to disconnect anything.

Regards,
Ray L.

[Shanghyd]

It is very similar to this one

[Hood]

Looks like a series 1 to me.
If you have access to a forklift you could do the same as I did, get the left fork just behind the head and attach to the ringbolts with a strap or rope then lift a bit. I then put a ratchet chain hoist from the other fork down to under the back of the base and tilted it , lowered it back down when at an angle so it was just clear of the ground, drove in, raised and then put it back vertical by loosening the hoist then lowered to the ground. Took about 10mins myself but if you dont have a forklift then thats not going to work and you will probably have to unbolt the head as you said and undo all the wiring to the motor and switches, there are also lube pipes to the ballscrew etc so make sure you undo them as well.
Hood

Oh BTW it would be the opposite way for the forks if the mill was facing the way of that pic, mine was the other way LOL

[Karl_T]

Originally Posted by HimyKabibble I'm not familiar with the S2, but on a S1, it's a trivial matter to simply raise the knee until the head is resting on a block of wood on the table, then just unbolt the head and lay it down. One person can do it easily in minutes. You shouldn't need to disconnect anything. Regards, Ray L.

i did a variation of this on my series 2. I welded up a bracket that held the entire head and bolted to table. Undid head and lowered table. Move machine, then raise head back in place. I kept the bracket so the next move went quick.

[Shanghyd]

Originally Posted by Karl_T i did a variation of this on my series 2. I welded up a bracket that held the entire head and bolted to table. Undid head and lowered table. Move machine, then raise head back in place. I kept the bracket so the next move went quick.

That's an excellent idea. I think that's the direction I'm going to pursue.

[Shanghyd]

When you undid the head and lowered the table did you have to twist the head so it cleared the ram? Or did you move the table forward enough that it cleared?

[Karl_T]

Originally Posted by Shanghyd When you undid the head and lowered the table did you have to twist the head so it cleared the ram? Or did you move the table forward enough that it cleared?

IIRC, Just move Y an inch or so forward after unbolt, then lower table. The machine no longer lives here so I'm not positive. I had to do the same trick with the Supermax that replaced the bridgy.

Karl

[307startup]

You shouldn't have to unbolt the head & remove it...you should be able to rotate the head as you would for drilling/machining at an angle. Just rotate the head at the ram to 90*, good to go!

[JHCHOPPERS]

We have a CNC Series II Special (4500Lbs Knee Mill) but 8 foot doors. Can you turn the head 90*

[WayneHill]

Ideas not mentioned:

Take the garage door down. Cut 6" slot into the garage door header with a chain saw. Move the machine in. Repair header. Reinstall garage door.

Or bust up the concrete floor. Dig a trench. Pull the machine in. Fill the trench in with new concrete.

[Shanghyd]

Attached is a picture of the series 2 head that my machine has. This is not my machine. As you can see the head doesn't rotate.
IF the part inside the red rectangle was disassembled then that part would come off and it would fit.
However the front part where the quill and spindle are seems rather complicated. Has anyone ever taken this part off on this type of machine?

I'm still working the bracket idea. I'm a little concerned about the stability of the head once I disconnect it from the ram and try to move the machine. I don't have a forklift or tow truck. All I have are engine hoists and pipes to roll it on.