Dom, your videos are amazing, I have refurbished many old tools and machinery. I hate seeing antique stuff lying in farmers fields just rusting away, lucky for me I had a boss that also wanted to bring old things back to life and he paid me to do it from anvils to farm machinery and even old clothes wringers nothing was to much trouble and everything came up like new, I have since retired but still fix up old rusty tools for pensioners for free. I have recently made an electrolysis tank from glass and it works like a charm, now using sodium chlorate instead of vinegar or baking soda, so thankyou for that tip it works much more efficiently and faster now. Mike..
Dom, watch Mr. Pete aka Tubalcain on RUclips, he’s a retired shop teacher and master craftsman. He explains the operation of the Bridgeport mill very clearly.
Wow ,well Dom its a great feeling when you get a new piece of kit in the workshop, and what a bit of kit it is . Hours of endless fun . Well done on the casting video very good 👍😁
Hi Dom. Just sent a screenshot to my dad. He said it's a brilliant machine and he uses a bridgeport at work. Any questions, give me a shout, and I can put you in contact with him. Keep up the great work!
I'm lucky enough to use a Bridgeport, it's green like yours, I was told that green was for the export market... The usual colour is a boring grey... I use a grey Bridgeport too!... The company i work for bought them new...I've been using these machines for 40+ years.... I bet you are whizzo with this now that this video is 2 years old 👍🏻
Really nice addition to the shop I'd say, start binge watching This Old Tony videos to learn a lot about machining and be entertained at the same time...
I confess, I did giggle when you mentioned accuracy to tenths of an inch. Even a hacksaw is better than that. Hehehe ... Looking forward to your steep learning curve !
I knew Micheal Patience very well, you are lucky to have one of his machines. He was a retired aircraft engineer and has turned out superb high class work on that machine.
"Not quite there yet" is a brilliant way to describe things. Much better than "I can't do that". Great mill! You'll work it out, lots of good films online on it and you just practice and try things. Tooling is hard, as a beginner I still struggle with what I need and should buy. But even with simple tooling and not much experience I have been able to do things on my simple mill that would have stopped me dead on my Riley project. One thing I found really handy was a collect holder and collets (I think mine are ER32) and a matching hex collet holder to go in the vice. With that you can easily make your own hex head bolts. I seem to remember the Ranalah having several of those you showed previously.
Great addition to the shop. Considering that it was used for RC engines it's never been really stressed or abused. Time to binge watch tubelcain, joe pi, and this old tony for basic & advanced lessons. Some comments on machining cast iron: Always machine dry - there's enough carbon in cast iron to act as a lubricant, but if you use oil it will turn into abrasive sludge. Make/buy way covers to keep chips off the oily ways as much as possible. Carbide insert tooling is your friend with cast iron - a multi-insert face mill that could clean up the lower surface of your casting in a single pass would be worth the high price. The casting skin is harder than the core so take an aggressive cut to get through that - tools will last longer. Try to set up a shop vacuum at the cutting tool for chip control. Hire the engineer who machined your first part for a morning and have him run through the part with you and explain what his process is as well as why he does it that way. If he's reasonable he won't have a problem with that. And get some other volunteers to do the same. Fair warning - three machinists will get you five opinions at least. You will want to make fixtures to hold the castings for some operations. You can make your prototype fixtures from mdf - with clamping going to the table, not into the mdf - it's much cheaper than metal tooling. Mdf is medium destiny fiberboard in the US, not sure what you call in the UK. Buy 1"/25mm slab and laminate to make blocks of any size needed.
Your so lucky to get an original Bridgeport there are so many copies out there I have worked on these in different companies for 50 years and original Bridgeport's are always the best. I could talk for hrs about these machines. Its not that complicated when you get into it Dom, you may even be able to bore the holes in the main frame of the Ranalah because the head can be turned horizontal, these machines are very versatile.
I had wondered about that too - but does he need to? Wasn't that the point of the lead (or kirksite or whatever it is) around the steel inserts? They'd have been set up on a jig and the white metal cast around them.
@@nongbloke Yes your right I now remember the lead being melted out, its possible Dom will have trouble to get a solid fixing for the bushes that are going in there. I know he will make a good job of it he always does.
Way beyond my skillset but I understand your joy in acquiring such a fine machine. I am sure that you will gradually learn how to exploit its potential.
I stood in front of one of these day in day out for many years. I agree, after levelling the machine up, first thing get the head squared up first. So annoying as I could easily show you how to do it, but putting it into words is another thing. First off, if you haven't already got one, go and get a "clock" aka dial test indicator. You'll need one anyway for squaring the vice up and setting things up in it. Pity you aren't still in the Southend area as I'm only a few miles from there and I would have been more than happy to help you out.
My wife and I were watching a newly found restoration show on TV recently and I saw someone that looked familiar. I exclaimed (probably more loudly than I should have since it startled the dogs) "That's Dominic from RUclips". Love seeing all of your work here and on TV.
Adam booth, Keith Fenner, look up a few of their vids, priceless bridgeport information. Also a man called tubalcane greatest of luck finding such a beautiful machine.
Get stuff Dom! I agree, anything you can do in house has to be a good idea. I had one of those some years ago, when Moved to France like an idiot I sold it!!!! I have regretted it ever since. You are going to have a huge amount of fun with that. Go for it!
Looks like a j head mill. Are you going to make jigs for machining the raw castings? If that is a j head(belt drive), there is an upgrade you will like and it is done to this type when you do not want to replace the head unit, it is a Variable Frequency Drive or VFD, it gives a wider range of speeds instead of set speeds of the stock belt drive. Hope this helps, and good look
One thing that’s been bugging me since I binge watched all the Ranalah videos last night- the tool marks on the bottom of the cradle just didn’t look right for the level of historical accuracy you’re going for. Not having a good look at the original, it’s hard to say how it would have been machined originally, but I’d suggest your best bet at this point is probably doing the bottom with a fly cutter (rather than an end mill)- which is also something simple to make and good practice for both lathe and mill skills. That’s a really, really nice mill.
Maybe you want to collaborate with some other RUclipsrs in learning how to use that thing. Alec Steele seems to be in your area. He's got a Bridgeport as well, so I guess it would be great fun to see the two of you together.
If you are anywhere near Norwich Alec Steele has a bridgeport...or he did...he certainly knows how to use one...could be a bit of a collaboration for you.
It is hard to say that "Its not about the money" when money is a factor that you HAVE to take into account but sometimes....just sometimes, its not about the money, but the skills and pleasure of doing it yourself. So much respect to you for taking this path.
As soon as I saw the first part of that machine come into view I wondered if it was a Bridgeport mill. Lovely bit of kit. I'm glad to se others in the comments mentioning This Old Tony & Adam Savage as, although I'm not a machinist myself, I spend a lot of time watching their videos, which I think is how I recognised it!
get a dial test indicator and learn how "Tram" the head so that it is perpendicular to the table in the x/y directions of travel. This is the first step
That’s a fantastic new toy for Xmas, now begins the machinists apprenticeship. I love what you are doing and enjoy sharing every step of the journey with you.
Hi Dom. Congratulations on your new purchase, you wont regret it and after you have used it a few times you will soon forget how much you paid for it. Be prepared to spend nearly as much again on tooling and accessories, you wont regret that either. I recommend you get DROs fitted for the Z axis, both on the spindle quill and the knee. In order to get the most out of the DROs you will need an edge finder, there are plenty of videos on how to use one. A boring head will very useful, get one that fits directly in the taper of the spindle. A fly cutter (not a tool used for cutting flys) that fits in the spindle taper is also useful. Eventually you are likely to need a rotary table and a dividing head or a rotary table with a dividing attachment. A 3 jaw lathe chuck to fit the rotary table is very useful. It looks like you have a good vice with the mill, a set of precision ground parallels will make the vice more useable and allow the part to be raised of the bottom of vice so cutters don't go through the part and hit the base of the vice. You are going to need a couple of different types of dial test indicators (DTI) for tramming the head and getting the vice set perfectly to the bed and all manor of other operations. You may already some DTIs with your lathe. For tooling and accessories take a look at Chronos and RDG tools. They specialise in supplying the hobbyist rather than the industrial/precision engineering companies so their prices will be lower but of course the items wont be top end quality. Also facebook market place can be a good source of tooling and accessories and take a look at www.homeworkshop.org.uk. There are lots of great machining channels on RUclips but for someone getting started in machining I think Blondihacks is a good option. You will soon get the hang of milling and be wondering how you ever lived without a milling machine for so long. Looking forward to see what you create with the mill. Good luck.
Your enthusiasm is truly infectious. A brilliant video as usual. I look forward to seeing the Bridgeport in operation once you have learnt how to drive it. Keep up the good work.
First stage RTFM next give everything a really good clean and then oil, that way you are not getting any chips into fresh oil, though it looks like its been kept in good condition, if it's only been used for model engineering for the last 25 years or so chances are it will have minimal wear and tear, the big red stop button is at that height so you can hit it with your knee rather than getting your body/head near the milling cutter when something goes wrong. Learn the feeds and speeds for the materials you are using and learn all the functions of the mill and the DRO before you start machining everything, if you are regularly going to make certain items, make a list of each procedure required and the order you need to do it, once you have finalised the process type it up nice and big and laminate it then hang it close the the mill so you can do the same job every time in the same way
Hi Dom Big fan of your work on the repair shop!!. eBay is a good source for milling cutters after a while you get to know the sellers and which ones to trust you can pick up some good job lots at not a lot of money they don't have to be new, a good seller will advise you of the condition etc.The same goes for MT drills and reamers. buy the way that's a great mill you have got yourself. Tramming the head can be as hard or as easy as you make it, I have always found the double tramming head works well it's just a metal bracket with with two dial gages fixed each side of a central spindle. Hope this helps all the best Dom.
Someone needs to go spend a weekend with Dom and give him a proper orientation and training. Nothing like hands on instruction. And you'll make a friend in the mean time.
If I wasn't up in Yorkshire I would come along and give you some lessons. I think the Bridgeport is one of the greatest machines ever invented. The fact that it has remained unchanged for 80+ years is testament to it's design. I love mine (1968 Series 1) and I guarantee you will fall in love with yours too. For tooling try to get to an autojumble. There is always tons of bargains to be had there compared to ebay and new. Old stuff is genrally better than new (overseas) stuff. With the exception (as you say) of cutters. Although tipped tools are the exception. These are cheap as chips at AJ's.
Really good video Dom. Watching you has encouraged me to start tinkering in my double garage again. And my daughter has also enjoyed watching you and is keen on making things. Keep it up
Woah! That's a well-kept machine! I have very limited metalworking skills - more of a woodworking person - but I can pitch in if the lightbulb needs changing! 💡 💚🐇🐴💚
I'm sure (from the comments) that there are many people who can help to stop you from sinking! Wishing you so much luck. A new bit of kit - whats not to love.
Well Dom I wouldn’t have a clue as to how you use this machine but 1 I’ve never seen anyone so excited about a new piece of equipment and 2 the machine itself looks in really good condition with all the manuals, storage cabinets which all tell me it’s been well looked after. So good luck and I really hope someone can perhaps give you a starter lesson!
My dad had exactly the same as that one! He always had Bridgeports and loved them. One thing he always done when he got one was to take the bed off and clean out all the slides before trueing it all up.
@@DominicChineas I was very lucky,A friend of mine worked for a aerospace company that left the uk, There was a variety of machines left behind along with tooling and other items,So my luck was in.I’m no toolmaker,Motorcycles are my hobby and these machines help.
Great choice of machine Dom, incredibly versatile and easy to use. I've used these machines all through my engineering life as a toolmaker and engineer. I have 40+ years of experience and would be happy to drop by and give you some help to get yourself underway. Not sure where in the UK you are but I live in Essex, so let me know if I can help.
The machine is only hafe the cost the tooling will be as much or more. To start with you will need a shell mill to surface the bottom of your parts some end mills of the appropriate sizes . Mesmeasuring tools. copy of machinist handbook. Just to start. You will need some kind of fixtures to hold the part because it's not square remember the draft angle for casting.... back to seting a datum .....
OHH a BRIDGPORT with readout you lucky boy.. I used to build race engines for my own Oval racers here In the UK, had the keys to the firm, went in weekends using a BRIDGEPORT plus lathes as required.. Very hand little milling machine more so if you got a rotary table you could bolt on the slideway turning its AXIS of use into multi use = up & down, side to side, across and back and with rotary table round and round in increments from its dividing head.... Very handy machine tool, not the biggest by far I used to work but machined all my UK english race engine parts apart from the Lathe work. Well Done You.. Thanks for the video.. Ian.B.
Hi Dom,brilliant machine used one since 1972 .very versatile. You need slot drills and end Mills check whether the collets are imperial or metric. I use a velupter (not sure of spelling) boring head and a multi tipped facing head.other advice don't what is known as climb mill ,and don't walk away from machine whilst the longtitudial traverse is being used .Good luck 👍
Great video as always. My first advise would be to get yourself a nice machinist level to make sure the bed is all level. Adjust the feet in the front and rear to get that bed level. Best of luck
Hello Don, all my working life has been around metal cutting. A Bridgeport is really only a drilling machine. It has bearings which are designed for drilling and are perfect for that. Remember milling is a different ball game, and this machine is only for light cut’s ie small depth of cut and light feeds. To start with HSS is probably your starting point and as you become more confident invest in good quality carbide indexable cutting tools. I am a retired Sandvik Coromant engineer, look them up they are without doubt the best. Don good luck with your new purchase and remember “keep your fingers out of the way”.
Line borer will be much better for english wheel manufakturing.. :-) maybe shaper for that wheel beds... But you will get there, we believe in you, we can see quite obviously you exhibit signs of Iron sickness 👍
I bought a SH one 30 years ago that looks like a top condition machine. You are quite right to focus an making sure the oilways are all clear and working well, do that and it will last forever.
You are a lucky lad, I have wanted a Bridgeport milling machine for years but never found one to fit my budget so I make do with a much cheaper version. Yours looks to be in lovely condition and must of been well looked after. Congratulations!
Dom, I managed a large machine shop and we had a lot of elaborate and expensive CNC equipment. We also had a couple of Bridgeport mills that performed rework operations either missed or done incorrectly on the CNC machines. Bridgeport mills are in my estimate one of the most versatile machine tools any shop can have. Their ability to mill any angle, with a simple setup is priceless on it’s own. Congratulations on this find and enjoy the mill.
Hi Dom. I am not an engineer or fabricator of any sort. ( Sorry). But I find your videos on your projects fascinating and can watch them for hours. Thank you very much.
Dom, Bridgeport is going to be a little more expensive to purchase than Ranahal. But they are publicly traded, so maybe just a share or two will be in your budget.
Congrats on a really nice machine! There are lots of tutorials on youtube, some good channels for such would be Blondihacks, Stefan Gotteswinter and Joe Pieczynski. All three have a fair good number of milling videos, but be warned, it can be like drinking from a fire hose. Some must have tooling: Collet set Endmill holder set Boring head
If you contact Park Engineering of Reddish near Stockport, they are an engineering company. They may be able to direct you to a sales centre where you can acquire the parts you are after. The contact I had was Paul Crowther or Clive Alridge who may still work there.
Hi Dom. As others have said see Ox Tools/Tom Lipton, Keith Rucker, This Old Tony, etc. Also, you will need tooling, you will never have enough! I am still constantly updating, expanding and replacing the tooling for both my Bridgeport and lathe. Milling is very different to turning. Even though you are obviously very skilled I would still recommend taking a course somewhere (if you can find one!). Although I consider myself mostly “self taught”, I learnt the basics at college. Milling is quite different to turning. The important points to pay close attention to include work holding, and cutting forces/direction. Tom Lipton (Ox Tools) has several videos where he shows his approaches to these aspects. I would also very gladly walk you through how I would machine one of the parts (and would happily machine a couple for you), but I’m in Cornwall, so maybe a bit too far away...
I love your enthusiasm and passion for making these wonderful English wheels available again, at an "affordable" price. I used quotes because you really need to reconsider the value of your time. I get the whole concept of just hanging out in the shop, milling up some parts at "no" cost. But you also talk about emptying your bank account. No one benefits if you go broke.
You got the best one.The vari speed drive version can be troublesome. Top tip. Always put the handle to wind the knee up backwards when not in use to save whacking your leg on it !
So jealous !! 1) remove the vice 2) clean the whole machine 3) with a spirit level on the table, level the machine with steel shim on the corners, with no rocking. Bridgeports are not normally bolted to the floor. 4) clock the head in as you described. 5) it looks like a R8 spindle , so you would benefit from a set of R8 collets. These hold slot drills or end mills very accurately but for heavy cuts use your clarkson chuck with the screw in collets. 6) slot drills are 3 or 4 flute and are for cutting slots or pockets and can plunge vertically. End mills have more than 3 flutes and are used for finishing cuts but cannot plunge vertically. 7) you control the feed with the handle and not the switch. You should have the spindle running then engage the feed handle. Also the spindle is switched on with the green button near your knee. The switch on the side of the motor is to select the direction of the spindle and is only changed when you are the low speed range. I would love to spend a day with you but I live in West Devon, too far for a visit. Any questions I would be happy to help. Email me. Good luck, take your time. Chris - retired toolmaker
Wow! You lucky dog! What a find - it probably cost heaps but who cares? Good luck with it, but please be very careful - milling cutters are very sharp. Keep all parts of your body well clear of rotating parts and cutters. The No1 thing with any machine is SAFETY. RTFM - and when you've done that - RTFM again! Don't play with it until you fully understand what each part does and how it does it.
Hi Dom, it's a fantastic machine, as a machine tool electrical service engineer I've been in hundreds of workshops, I would say most of them had an old Bridgeport mill tucked away somewhere, it's why they're difficult to get hold of as no one wants to get rid of them. I seem to remember that getting the Z axis square was called Trammeling but it's been a while I also remember the commissioning guys used a cylindrical square on the table to do it, so you need to get the X an Y axes level first if that makes sense
You might also look for John Mills (AKA) Doubleboost. He’s a really down to earth home machinist who is an extremely good machinist. Also, Kieth Rucker who knows everything about Bridgeport.
Dom - congratulations - all you need now is a Chipmaster Lathe! For tooling supplies I use Cutwel from Cleckheaton - excellent quality and service - but you pay for it........
Hi Dom, brilliant piece of kit! There is a RUclips channel I watch called HRE IRL, he is a really skilled engineer and super nice guy. He uses a Bridgeport lots. All the best for your next phase.
Dom for tooling , work holding and R8 IN general MSC supplies take some beating. I worked on Bridgeport as machinist back in late ‘60s early ‘70s, even one fitted with vernier scale to use as jig borer before DRO, became the norm. I then went on to supplying engineering inc. milling/ turning supplies. Great general purpose light vertical milling machine, also a good accessory if you find on is the slot attachment that bolts on to the large hole at the back of the head. Good luck
Dom, your videos are amazing, I have refurbished many old tools and machinery. I hate seeing antique stuff lying in farmers fields just rusting away, lucky for me I had a boss that also wanted to bring old things back to life and he paid me to do it from anvils to farm machinery and even old clothes wringers nothing was to much trouble and everything came up like new, I have since retired but still fix up old rusty tools for pensioners for free. I have recently made an electrolysis tank from glass and it works like a charm, now using sodium chlorate instead of vinegar or baking soda, so thankyou for that tip it works much more efficiently and faster now. Mike..
Dom, watch Mr. Pete aka Tubalcain on RUclips, he’s a retired shop teacher and master craftsman. He explains the operation of the Bridgeport mill very clearly.
I would also recommend vintage machinery with Kieth Ruckrer And Abom79 aka Adam Booth and Oxtools with Tom lipton
@@DeutscheReichsbah100 Not forgetting This Old Tony
@@DeutscheReichsbah100 Triple thumbs up! Add Joe Pieczynski to the list as well
Wow ,well Dom its a great feeling when you get a new piece of kit in the workshop, and what a bit of kit it is .
Hours of endless fun .
Well done on the casting video very good 👍😁
Yeh he’s brilliant
Hi Dom. Just sent a screenshot to my dad. He said it's a brilliant machine and he uses a bridgeport at work. Any questions, give me a shout, and I can put you in contact with him. Keep up the great work!
I'm lucky enough to use a Bridgeport, it's green like yours, I was told that green was for the export market... The usual colour is a boring grey... I use a grey Bridgeport too!... The company i work for bought them new...I've been using these machines for 40+ years....
I bet you are whizzo with this now that this video is 2 years old 👍🏻
This Old Tony, Blondihacks and Ades Workshop are all really good.
Really nice addition to the shop
I'd say, start binge watching This Old Tony videos to learn a lot about machining and be entertained at the same time...
I'd say, contact This Old Tony or Adam Savage - for the "AARGH! I'm a complete newbie" talk
Came here to say This old Tony great knowledge and entertainment.
I confess, I did giggle when you mentioned accuracy to tenths of an inch. Even a hacksaw is better than that. Hehehe ... Looking forward to your steep learning curve !
Tenths of an inch? Tenths of a thousandth more like! Nice machine.
I knew Micheal Patience very well, you are lucky to have one of his machines. He was a retired aircraft engineer and has turned out superb high class work on that machine.
Amazing thank you! I promise I will look after it!
The lady seeing the machine off,told the story in full. 😍
Tubalcain, sorry for the misspelling Mr.Pete...Milling 101 and machine care, heres where to START.
This takes me back. Early 70's apprentice at the BSA. Great to see they are still around.
"Not quite there yet" is a brilliant way to describe things. Much better than "I can't do that". Great mill! You'll work it out, lots of good films online on it and you just practice and try things. Tooling is hard, as a beginner I still struggle with what I need and should buy. But even with simple tooling and not much experience I have been able to do things on my simple mill that would have stopped me dead on my Riley project. One thing I found really handy was a collect holder and collets (I think mine are ER32) and a matching hex collet holder to go in the vice. With that you can easily make your own hex head bolts. I seem to remember the Ranalah having several of those you showed previously.
Great addition to the shop. Considering that it was used for RC engines it's never been really stressed or abused. Time to binge watch tubelcain, joe pi, and this old tony for basic & advanced lessons.
Some comments on machining cast iron:
Always machine dry - there's enough carbon in cast iron to act as a lubricant, but if you use oil it will turn into abrasive sludge.
Make/buy way covers to keep chips off the oily ways as much as possible.
Carbide insert tooling is your friend with cast iron - a multi-insert face mill that could clean up the lower surface of your casting in a single pass would be worth the high price.
The casting skin is harder than the core so take an aggressive cut to get through that - tools will last longer.
Try to set up a shop vacuum at the cutting tool for chip control.
Hire the engineer who machined your first part for a morning and have him run through the part with you and explain what his process is as well as why he does it that way. If he's reasonable he won't have a problem with that. And get some other volunteers to do the same. Fair warning - three machinists will get you five opinions at least.
You will want to make fixtures to hold the castings for some operations. You can make your prototype fixtures from mdf - with clamping going to the table, not into the mdf - it's much cheaper than metal tooling. Mdf is medium destiny fiberboard in the US, not sure what you call in the UK. Buy 1"/25mm slab and laminate to make blocks of any size needed.
HI Dom - you're enthusiasm is very infectious! Thanks for the videos.
Love how enthusiastic you are about what you do, clearly you love what you do!
Your so lucky to get an original Bridgeport there are so many copies out there I have worked on these in different companies for 50 years and original Bridgeport's are always the best. I could talk for hrs about these machines. Its not that complicated when you get into it Dom, you may even be able to bore the holes in the main frame of the Ranalah because the head can be turned horizontal, these machines are very versatile.
That's an Adcock and Shipley license built clone. Made under license for the UK
I had wondered about that too - but does he need to? Wasn't that the point of the lead (or kirksite or whatever it is) around the steel inserts? They'd have been set up on a jig and the white metal cast around them.
@@nongbloke Yes your right I now remember the lead being melted out, its possible Dom will have trouble to get a solid fixing for the bushes that are going in there. I know he will make a good job of it he always does.
Bridgeport, you lucky lucky person. Proper tool.... That and a Colchester you can make most things
AWww, a baby Bridgeport! Make sure you oil it well. Not grease, oil. Get some Vactra Way Oil and keep it nicely cared for.
Your excitement is infectious!
I remember using one during my apprenticeship and loved it. Some 50 year’s later I couldn’t help you now. I’m sure that lots of subscribers can.
Way beyond my skillset but I understand your joy in acquiring such a fine machine. I am sure that you will gradually learn how to exploit its potential.
I stood in front of one of these day in day out for many years. I agree, after levelling the machine up, first thing get the head squared up first. So annoying as I could easily show you how to do it, but putting it into words is another thing. First off, if you haven't already got one, go and get a "clock" aka dial test indicator. You'll need one anyway for squaring the vice up and setting things up in it. Pity you aren't still in the Southend area as I'm only a few miles from there and I would have been more than happy to help you out.
Thanks for sharing this one Dom! I showed my dad who used to be an engineer and machinist for F1 JPS lotus in the 70’s and his eyes lit up 😁
My wife and I were watching a newly found restoration show on TV recently and I saw someone that looked familiar. I exclaimed (probably more loudly than I should have since it startled the dogs) "That's Dominic from RUclips". Love seeing all of your work here and on TV.
Adam booth, Keith Fenner, look up a few of their vids, priceless bridgeport information.
Also a man called tubalcane greatest of luck finding such a beautiful machine.
There's nothing that can make you more happy than new tools for the shop / shed .Love it
Get stuff Dom! I agree, anything you can do in house has to be a good idea. I had one of those some years ago, when Moved to France like an idiot I sold it!!!! I have regretted it ever since. You are going to have a huge amount of fun with that. Go for it!
It is great fun watching your journey here. Please don't lose your enthusiasm.
I bet you're top of the Christmas card list for all the hauliers in your area!
A Bridgeport Universal Milling machine, a wonderful piece of kit. Mainstay of British manufacturing for years !!!
Looks like a j head mill.
Are you going to make jigs for machining the raw castings?
If that is a j head(belt drive), there is an upgrade you will like and it is done to this type when you do not want to replace the head unit, it is a Variable Frequency Drive or VFD, it gives a wider range of speeds instead of set speeds of the stock belt drive.
Hope this helps, and good look
One thing that’s been bugging me since I binge watched all the Ranalah videos last night- the tool marks on the bottom of the cradle just didn’t look right for the level of historical accuracy you’re going for. Not having a good look at the original, it’s hard to say how it would have been machined originally, but I’d suggest your best bet at this point is probably doing the bottom with a fly cutter (rather than an end mill)- which is also something simple to make and good practice for both lathe and mill skills.
That’s a really, really nice mill.
Thank you for the input I’ll look into it
Maybe you want to collaborate with some other RUclipsrs in learning how to use that thing.
Alec Steele seems to be in your area. He's got a Bridgeport as well, so I guess it would be great fun to see the two of you together.
If you are anywhere near Norwich Alec Steele has a bridgeport...or he did...he certainly knows how to use one...could be a bit of a collaboration for you.
Great purchase! I think a good idea can be to find a retired machinist in your neighbourhood and ask for several lessons.
It is hard to say that "Its not about the money" when money is a factor that you HAVE to take into account but sometimes....just sometimes, its not about the money, but the skills and pleasure of doing it yourself. So much respect to you for taking this path.
So envious, enjoy Dom... J
Custodian to that mill. What an honour. Be well and stay safe.
Hi Dom
RDG Tools for new tools is the a good place to start.
Very nice machine 👍
As soon as I saw the first part of that machine come into view I wondered if it was a Bridgeport mill. Lovely bit of kit. I'm glad to se others in the comments mentioning This Old Tony & Adam Savage as, although I'm not a machinist myself, I spend a lot of time watching their videos, which I think is how I recognised it!
get a dial test indicator and learn how "Tram" the head so that it is perpendicular to the table in the x/y directions of travel. This is the first step
That’s a fantastic new toy for Xmas, now begins the machinists apprenticeship. I love what you are doing and enjoy sharing every step of the journey with you.
Alec Steele should be close to you as he did an interview with East Coast Casting, and he has had and used several of these bridgeport machines.
Now you have a level playing field, 🥰
Hi Dom. Congratulations on your new purchase, you wont regret it and after you have used it a few times you will soon forget how much you paid for it. Be prepared to spend nearly as much again on tooling and accessories, you wont regret that either.
I recommend you get DROs fitted for the Z axis, both on the spindle quill and the knee. In order to get the most out of the DROs you will need an edge finder, there are plenty of videos on how to use one. A boring head will very useful, get one that fits directly in the taper of the spindle. A fly cutter (not a tool used for cutting flys) that fits in the spindle taper is also useful. Eventually you are likely to need a rotary table and a dividing head or a rotary table with a dividing attachment. A 3 jaw lathe chuck to fit the rotary table is very useful. It looks like you have a good vice with the mill, a set of precision ground parallels will make the vice more useable and allow the part to be raised of the bottom of vice so cutters don't go through the part and hit the base of the vice. You are going to need a couple of different types of dial test indicators (DTI) for tramming the head and getting the vice set perfectly to the bed and all manor of other operations. You may already some DTIs with your lathe.
For tooling and accessories take a look at Chronos and RDG tools. They specialise in supplying the hobbyist rather than the industrial/precision engineering companies so their prices will be lower but of course the items wont be top end quality. Also facebook market place can be a good source of tooling and accessories and take a look at www.homeworkshop.org.uk.
There are lots of great machining channels on RUclips but for someone getting started in machining I think Blondihacks is a good option.
You will soon get the hang of milling and be wondering how you ever lived without a milling machine for so long. Looking forward to see what you create with the mill. Good luck.
RDG great suppliers, also local model engineering groups for advice , and scrap yards for industrial off cuts.
Your enthusiasm is truly infectious. A brilliant video as usual. I look forward to seeing the Bridgeport in operation once you have learnt how to drive it. Keep up the good work.
First stage RTFM next give everything a really good clean and then oil, that way you are not getting any chips into fresh oil, though it looks like its been kept in good condition, if it's only been used for model engineering for the last 25 years or so chances are it will have minimal wear and tear, the big red stop button is at that height so you can hit it with your knee rather than getting your body/head near the milling cutter when something goes wrong. Learn the feeds and speeds for the materials you are using and learn all the functions of the mill and the DRO before you start machining everything, if you are regularly going to make certain items, make a list of each procedure required and the order you need to do it, once you have finalised the process type it up nice and big and laminate it then hang it close the the mill so you can do the same job every time in the same way
Hi Dom Big fan of your work on the repair shop!!. eBay is a good source for milling cutters after a while you get to know the sellers and which ones to trust you can pick up some good job lots at not a lot of money they don't have to be new, a good seller will advise you of the condition etc.The same goes for MT drills and reamers. buy the way that's a great mill you have got yourself. Tramming the head can be as hard or as easy as you make it, I have always found the double tramming head works well it's just a metal bracket with with two dial gages fixed each side of a central spindle. Hope this helps all the best Dom.
Thanks for the advice
Just discovered your channel. Already addicted.
Someone needs to go spend a weekend with Dom and give him a proper orientation and training. Nothing like hands on instruction. And you'll make a friend in the mean time.
If I wasn't up in Yorkshire I would come along and give you some lessons. I think the Bridgeport is one of the greatest machines ever invented. The fact that it has remained unchanged for 80+ years is testament to it's design. I love mine (1968 Series 1) and I guarantee you will fall in love with yours too. For tooling try to get to an autojumble. There is always tons of bargains to be had there compared to ebay and new. Old stuff is genrally better than new (overseas) stuff. With the exception (as you say) of cutters. Although tipped tools are the exception. These are cheap as chips at AJ's.
Strongly recommend Joe Pieczynski's channel. A very experienced machinist with many very instructive videos on use of bridgeport type manual mills.
Really good video Dom. Watching you has encouraged me to start tinkering in my double garage again. And my daughter has also enjoyed watching you and is keen on making things. Keep it up
Woah! That's a well-kept machine!
I have very limited metalworking skills - more of a woodworking person - but I can pitch in if the lightbulb needs changing! 💡
💚🐇🐴💚
The best milling machine ever made, every engineer would love one in his workshop.
I'm sure (from the comments) that there are many people who can help to stop you from sinking! Wishing you so much luck. A new bit of kit - whats not to love.
Well Dom I wouldn’t have a clue as to how you use this machine but 1 I’ve never seen anyone so excited about a new piece of equipment and 2 the machine itself looks in really good condition with all the manuals, storage cabinets which all tell me it’s been well looked after. So good luck and I really hope someone can perhaps give you a starter lesson!
My dad had exactly the same as that one! He always had Bridgeports and loved them. One thing he always done when he got one was to take the bed off and clean out all the slides before trueing it all up.
I have exactly the same model,fantastic bit of kit.The real bonus was it cost me all of £100.
Amazing!! Mine cost a little more!
@@DominicChineas
I was very lucky,A friend of mine worked for a aerospace company that left the uk,
There was a variety of machines left behind along with tooling and other items,So my luck was in.I’m no toolmaker,Motorcycles are my hobby and these machines help.
Dom, the Bridgeport Machine company began making milling machines in 1938,in Bridgeport , CT. I live about 15 miles from Bridgeport.
Great choice of machine Dom, incredibly versatile and easy to use.
I've used these machines all through my engineering life as a toolmaker and engineer.
I have 40+ years of experience and would be happy to drop by and give you some help to get yourself underway.
Not sure where in the UK you are but I live in Essex, so let me know if I can help.
He lives in Kent.I like yourself live in Essex.The thought of him just jumping on there and giving it a go is not great.
@Jim Payne
Thanks Jim, good to know
The machine is only hafe the cost the tooling will be as much or more. To start with you will need a shell mill to surface the bottom of your parts some end mills of the appropriate sizes . Mesmeasuring tools. copy of machinist handbook. Just to start. You will need some kind of fixtures to hold the part because it's not square remember the draft angle for casting.... back to seting a datum .....
Feel free to ask me more as you go. Hopefully you can find someone local that can give you hands on help. Like RUclips channel doubleboost
OHH a BRIDGPORT with readout you lucky boy.. I used to build race engines for my own Oval racers here In the UK, had the keys to the firm, went in weekends using a BRIDGEPORT plus lathes as required.. Very hand little milling machine more so if you got a rotary table you could bolt on the slideway turning its AXIS of use into multi use = up & down, side to side, across and back and with rotary table round and round in increments from its dividing head.... Very handy machine tool, not the biggest by far I used to work but machined all my UK english race engine parts apart from the Lathe work. Well Done You.. Thanks for the video.. Ian.B.
Hi Dom,brilliant machine used one since 1972 .very versatile. You need slot drills and end Mills check whether the collets are imperial or metric. I use a velupter (not sure of spelling) boring head and a multi tipped facing head.other advice don't what is known as climb mill ,and don't walk away from machine whilst
the longtitudial traverse is being used .Good luck 👍
Great video as always. My first advise would be to get yourself a nice machinist level to make sure the bed is all level. Adjust the feet in the front and rear to get that bed level. Best of luck
Spent most of the first year of my apprenticeship using a Bridgeport mill lovely machine. Halcyon days
you need to go to some more boot fairs for cutters etc
Hello Don, all my working life has been around metal cutting. A Bridgeport is really only a drilling machine. It has bearings which are designed for drilling and are perfect for that. Remember milling is a different ball game, and this machine is only for light cut’s ie small depth of cut and light feeds. To start with HSS is probably your starting point and as you become more confident invest in good quality carbide indexable cutting tools. I am a retired Sandvik Coromant engineer, look them up they are without doubt the best. Don good luck with your new purchase and remember “keep your fingers out of the way”.
CONGRATULATIONS! Oh I am Sooooo jealous. I, too, have wanted a Bridgeport for many years.
ENVY !!!!!
A few years ago I bought a mini mill, then converted it to CNC. I wouldn't be without it, but would love a Bridgeport.
Line borer will be much better for english wheel manufakturing.. :-) maybe shaper for that wheel beds... But you will get there, we believe in you, we can see quite obviously you exhibit signs of Iron sickness 👍
I bought a SH one 30 years ago that looks like a top condition machine. You are quite right to focus an making sure the oilways are all clear and working well, do that and it will last forever.
Try your local college, they are sure to have a Bridgeport after all they are very common.
I spent years as a toolmaker on a Bridgeport. If you need a hand let me know - don't mind popping down and spending a few hours with you.
You are a lucky lad, I have wanted a Bridgeport milling machine for years but never found one to fit my budget so I make do with a much cheaper version. Yours looks to be in lovely condition and must of been well looked after. Congratulations!
Maybe give Alec Steele a shout? Could be a good collab, too.
I’ve tried! Thanks for the message
Dom, I managed a large machine shop and we had a lot of elaborate and expensive CNC equipment. We also had a couple of Bridgeport mills that performed rework operations either missed or done incorrectly on the CNC machines. Bridgeport mills are in my estimate one of the most versatile machine tools any shop can have. Their ability to mill any angle, with a simple setup is priceless on it’s own. Congratulations on this find and enjoy the mill.
Hi Dom. I am not an engineer or fabricator of any sort. ( Sorry). But I find your videos on your projects fascinating and can watch them for hours. Thank you very much.
Just seen on RUclips "How to set up a Bridport mill" on Justin Sturgill trucking site. Hope all goes well with the Ranalagh.
Dom, Bridgeport is going to be a little more expensive to purchase than Ranahal. But they are publicly traded, so maybe just a share or two will be in your budget.
Congrats on a really nice machine! There are lots of tutorials on youtube, some good channels for such would be Blondihacks, Stefan Gotteswinter and Joe Pieczynski. All three have a fair good number of milling videos, but be warned, it can be like drinking from a fire hose.
Some must have tooling:
Collet set
Endmill holder set
Boring head
If you contact Park Engineering of Reddish near Stockport, they are an engineering company. They may be able to direct you to a sales centre where you can acquire the parts you are after. The contact I had was Paul Crowther or Clive Alridge who may still work there.
Hi Dom. As others have said see Ox Tools/Tom Lipton, Keith Rucker, This Old Tony, etc. Also, you will need tooling, you will never have enough! I am still constantly updating, expanding and replacing the tooling for both my Bridgeport and lathe. Milling is very different to turning. Even though you are obviously very skilled I would still recommend taking a course somewhere (if you can find one!). Although I consider myself mostly “self taught”, I learnt the basics at college. Milling is quite different to turning. The important points to pay close attention to include work holding, and cutting forces/direction. Tom Lipton (Ox Tools) has several videos where he shows his approaches to these aspects.
I would also very gladly walk you through how I would machine one of the parts (and would happily machine a couple for you), but I’m in Cornwall, so maybe a bit too far away...
Appreciate the help!
I love your enthusiasm and passion for making these wonderful English wheels available again, at an "affordable" price. I used quotes because you really need to reconsider the value of your time. I get the whole concept of just hanging out in the shop, milling up some parts at "no" cost. But you also talk about emptying your bank account. No one benefits if you go broke.
You got the best one.The vari speed drive version can be troublesome. Top tip. Always put the handle to wind the knee up backwards when not in use to save whacking your leg on it !
I have already done that!! Haha!
I use a 40s imperial bridgeport at work . No cnc or digital readout . Would be proud to help .
So jealous !! 1) remove the vice 2) clean the whole machine 3) with a spirit level on the table, level the machine with steel shim on the corners, with no rocking. Bridgeports are not normally bolted to the floor. 4) clock the head in as you described. 5) it looks like a R8 spindle , so you would benefit from a set of R8 collets. These hold slot drills or end mills very accurately but for heavy cuts use your clarkson chuck with the screw in collets. 6) slot drills are 3 or 4 flute and are for cutting slots or pockets and can plunge vertically. End mills have more than 3 flutes and are used for finishing cuts but cannot plunge vertically. 7) you control the feed with the handle and not the switch. You should have the spindle running then engage the feed handle. Also the spindle is switched on with the green button near your knee. The switch on the side of the motor is to select the direction of the spindle and is only changed when you are the low speed range.
I would love to spend a day with you but I live in West Devon, too far for a visit. Any questions I would be happy to help. Email me.
Good luck, take your time.
Chris - retired toolmaker
Chris thank you so much!! My email is domchinea@gmail.com id love to keep in touch
Wow! You lucky dog! What a find - it probably cost heaps but who cares? Good luck with it, but please be very careful - milling cutters are very sharp. Keep all parts of your body well clear of rotating parts and cutters. The No1 thing with any machine is SAFETY. RTFM - and when you've done that - RTFM again! Don't play with it until you fully understand what each part does and how it does it.
You could use a catch up with Allen Millyard and ‘That old Tony’. They’ll put you right.
Newall DRO is top quality. Visited the factory in Leicester many years ago. Well done. Very envious.
Hi Dom, it's a fantastic machine, as a machine tool electrical service engineer I've been in hundreds of workshops, I would say most of them had an old Bridgeport mill tucked away somewhere, it's why they're difficult to get hold of as no one wants to get rid of them. I seem to remember that getting the Z axis square was called Trammeling but it's been a while I also remember the commissioning guys used a cylindrical square on the table to do it, so you need to get the X an Y axes level first if that makes sense
Lucky man , I operated one for fifteen years before I retired three years ago , I wish i had room for one now , but alas I don't , very versatile !
Your workshop must be one fascinating place to visit with all these wonderful old machines - do you fancy doing a workshop open day one day Dom?
You might also look for John Mills (AKA) Doubleboost. He’s a really down to earth home machinist who is an extremely good machinist. Also, Kieth Rucker who knows everything about Bridgeport.
Ha I should have read the comments first I've just said the check out DoubleBoost too.
Omg I've just but the very same mill this weekend and have been sat here thinking what next!! Please promise to make a whe series of videos!!
Really have no idea about machinery but I got quite excited just seeing your enthusiasm for it. Cant wait to see what you do next
Dom - congratulations - all you need now is a Chipmaster Lathe! For tooling supplies I use Cutwel from Cleckheaton - excellent quality and service - but you pay for it........
Hi Dom, brilliant piece of kit! There is a RUclips channel I watch called HRE IRL, he is a really skilled engineer and super nice guy. He uses a Bridgeport lots. All the best for your next phase.
Enjoy your new toy Dom 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Dom for tooling , work holding and R8 IN general MSC supplies take some beating. I worked on Bridgeport as machinist back in late ‘60s early ‘70s, even one fitted with vernier scale to use as jig borer before DRO, became the norm. I then went on to supplying engineering inc. milling/ turning supplies. Great general purpose light vertical milling machine, also a good accessory if you find on is the slot attachment that bolts on to the large hole at the back of the head. Good luck