CNC advice

[Hworks]

I have a brideport J1 with power feed which I do use mainly for drilling holes with, I have endmills and cutters to 3", 15" rotary table I use on occasion I repair construction equipment.
I am thinking of upgrading to cnc control but don't know where to start, whether to buy controls to add on and retrofit my mill or find a used machine?

Hworks

[awerby]

I have a brideport J1 with power feed which I do use mainly for drilling holes with, I have endmills and cutters to 3", 15" rotary table I use on occasion I repair construction equipment.
I am thinking of upgrading to cnc control but don't know where to start, whether to buy controls to add on and retrofit my mill or find a used machine?

Hworks

[You can often find older CNC machines with good iron, ballscrews, even usable motors that can be purchased for their value as scrap iron. I've even seen them offered for free, just because someone needs the space they take up. Once the controller goes bad, or is obsolete, they have little value to a modern high-end shop, but can be refitted with a PC-based control system for little money. Save your manual Bridgeport as is - you might need it to make parts for the retrofit. Look around; you'll be surprised at what's out there...]

Andrew Werby
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