shoptask 3/1 lathe/mill assembly and mods

[PoppaBear10]

swansborobob:

Replace all bearings with Timkins, file the R-8 collet pin, and you may have to jack it out if it protrudes in to far, Replace those chinese piece of do-do motors with VFd's or CD around 2hp each. If you have the money, send the bed, and saddle, and Y axis to a Matchine tool rebilder and have them redo your ways they are in need of work, (this includes your tailstock). Clean out your lathe head gears there is usually sand in there.
If you have CNC goto a double ball nut, or if you can affort it, goto ground ball screws and preloaded nuts. Remake the Z axis CNC spindle driving arm with a solid steel one, the cast one will flex, set your Z axis spring where it exerts a upward force to eliminate your z axis back lash.

There are several pics of my machine on this site, my machine is not as prety as Johns, but it has 4th and 5th axis capability with a 4th axis and Trunion table.
Read-A-Head swap arm ATC and 8 position turret ATC on in the last stages of completion. BUT, knowing what I know now, I would definatly build my own from the ground up, or retrofit a Mechanically sound commercial machine........

Scott

[fastlanecafe]

Swansboro,
I spoke with JT at Shoptask about some of the above issues. It seems that the first batch of Bridgemill machines with R-8 spindle had the issue of the oversized key. That was corrected and has not been a problem since 2003. Also they have a new motor design since then as well. The Tri-Power no longer uses the older style quill with the rack drive. This has been replaced by a new quill driven by a machined steel plate directly from the mill power feed gearbox and the travel has been increased to 4". When I asked JT about the sand in the castings problem, he told me it was common in the 80's before the factory had a vibratory cleaner. However, it has cropped up again on a few machines and he is at a loss to understand why.

[dgapilot]

Fastlane,
I have one of the last Bridgemills built, delivered February 2006, and the key in the mill spindle needed to be filed down. Any R8 Collet from any source woould not fit. The previous owner stripped the draw bar threads trying to get the collet to fit. My machine hasn't developed the casting problems noted, but I do have a problem with the set screws on the saddle gibs. The casting is oversized around one of them and I can't tighten the jam nut.

David

[digitalmdj]

JT love to lie so don't believe him without asking the users. He has a problem with sand in the oil and he does not check. He justs puts oil in the gearbox. We get stuck cleaning the gearbox. Just ship the machine back and make him remove all the gears and spindle . He need to know we no longer will put up with this kind of crap.

[fastlanecafe]

DGA-
Did you buy the machine used? As I understand, the Bridgemill was discontinued in favor of the tri-power in 2005. On my machine, the gib adjustment nuts were for a 14 mm wrench and it was difficult to get the wrench on them- I just replaced them with the more common 13 mm size and problem solved.

[digitalmdj]

This is a brand new tri power. I have to fix it because JT will just send another piece of crap. I just want him to give me good castings. He always tells you he will work with you and then nothing happens. No dates of delivery or anything. He hopes you fix the problem so he doesn't have to. The man is a low life and not to be trusted. The second spindle casting had cracks in it hid by that lead paint they use. We shouldn't have to fix a new machine. I wont get my money back but warning everyone about JT will send JT a message. He should of taken care of my problem and not pulled this kind of crap. If you want the shoptask thats fine but hold JT acountable for the poor workmanship. I still think it has potential. But JT doesn't he acts so supprised when you tell him your problem. Ten minutes later someone else contacts him with the same problem and he puts on the same act with them. I will warn all of you for as long as it take to get his attention. So expect me to be here for a long time. JT is a special case and it will take alot of time to get him to change his ways. Here is a picture of the reason I have not to sent the machine back. I ordered this stuff before I found the problems with the castings. I fixed one of the spindle castings and it's good to go. But that does not in no way get JT off the hook. It cost 175.00 to fix the cracked area on the casting. JT doesn't want to pay for it so he has to get me a new casting and he can have the fixed one when he sends me a good new one. I had to fix it or I coulld not run the machine. This is what JT is known for being so slow with parts you fix it yourself.

[building it all]

where did you get the optical sensor? do you use the sensor to regulate rpms through the computer?

[digitalmdj]

It isn't a optical sensor these are two AC Tech 1 1/2 hp VFD drives with remote key pads and dynamic brakeing module. The motors are 1 1/2 hp baldor three phase motors. But if you give me time I will come up with a optical encoder for the rpm. I also have a DRO . I want the machine accurate enough before it goes cnc. Does anyone know where to get billet step cone pulleys out there. Right now I am working on a gear motor for the mill column.

[dahui]

I found some good pulleys in an ebay store ("electricmotorsite"). They are not billet, but the finish is excellent and made in canada.

I originaly got some pulleys (Browning) from MSC and the only thing they are good for are paper weights, total garbage.

[digitalmdj]

I found two 6" solid billet aluminium pulleys out of the UK. They were the right price and the shipping was cheep. They will work great on my mill and lathe motors. I am running two AC Tech VFD drives so I don't need step pulleys. I will have to rebore and key them but I have friends to do it for free. The stock pulleys are so heavy it must be a strain on the motors. I turned down the lathe spindle pulley and left two groves. But it is still to heavy. So I am removing one more and just leave one. I should get somewhere near 2500 rpm on the spindle with the 6" pulley.

[the4thseal]

may i ask where you got the motors and controllers, and how much... i would love to do this to my machine.

[digitalmdj]

The motors came from ebay $135 each. The drives we very expensive because of the electronic brake.$750 for both controllers with brakes. I just finished the spindle housing with bronze bushings and p5 precision bearings. I will start posting pictures soon . The project is moving slow. I have all the parts except a few little things. The spindle gears are now turning perfect no binding at all. The drives came from Marshall Wolf.