Hello - this sight was recommended by a co-worker;we are starting a hydraulic / machine shop and are preparing to purchase a mill. Our machinist, with around 30 years of experience has requested a Bridgeport machine. Our budget is $15000 only, to include getting the mill to Alaska. Our research indicates we can purchase a used Bridgeport for $15K with no needed tooling. Our research indicates we can buy a Sharpe brand mill or a Servo brand mill plus all the needed tooling for this same $15K - my question is this: how will the Sharpe or Servo brand machines hold up to moderate use (we are not a big shop)- Does anyone have any first hand knowledge / use of either of these two brands and what are your impressions of these machines? We plan to perform re-rod and re-tube of hydraulic cylinders, plus normal machine shop work - any information or assistance is appreciated. Thank you.
Posts: 78 | Location: alaska | Registered: 05 March 2003
What type of tollerances do you need to hold, and how many hours a week will the machine be run? You may find that a Grizzly B-port clone will suite your needs, and shipping from their plant in Bellingham is pretty reasonable up hear. They also have a good service department.
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
With the economy the way it is, it is not unusual for one to see a Bridgeport with variable speed and lots of tooling and DRO for under 8K. Don't bother with the Grizzly, you will be disappointed in the quality. It is hard to beat a Bridgeport.
Posts: 5531 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 10 July 2002
If you are really going to use a mill ... don't try for cheap. Bridgeports are predictably good for a long period of time with anything approaching decent use and maintenance.
Tiwanese and moreso Chinese mills just are not the same!
First off, Bridgeport is out of buisiness, and the name is up for sale. Second, i have heard lots of stories about the late model machines. Many of the imports will work well, but stay away from anything from china.
Posts: 339 | Location: SE Kansas | Registered: 05 March 2003
Acer mills will blow any mill I've seen to shame. That includes Bridgeport, Lagun, and Chevalier. You can pick up an Acer for about 5-$6,000.00 less than a new bridgeport also. That class of mill is equipped with DRO on three axis', as well as x-axis power feed, power drawbar, and variable frequency drive. Check them out in J&L. They're really good to work with. Holding tolerances of .0001-.0002 is common on our mill, and I've seen plenty at the machine tool shows that is proof that it's not a fluke. They're by far the best made mill I've got a chance to run. My dad's been machining for over 40 years, and he says that the Acer is best machine he's ever used as well. 25 years of his experience was on manual mills and lathes only, so that should tell you something. The variable frequency drive is excellent as well. It gives you absolute infinite adjustment on your speed, and is so quiet, at 1500 rpm, you've got look twice to see if it's even on.
Posts: 1021 | Location: Prineville, OR 97754 | Registered: 14 July 2002
Posts: 8351 | Location: Jennings Louisiana, Arkansas by way of Alabama by way of South Carloina by way of County Antrim Irland by way of Lanarkshire Scotland. | Registered: 02 November 2001
Consider a used Bridgeport clone AND an antique for hydraulic work. I was the machinist for Baker Mine Service, a hydraulic shop in western Colorado for a year.
The Bridgeport *type* mills are great for a small shop because they do so much well. But consider also an OLD fixed head verticle with power feed on three axis for doing nothing but boring eyes. One of your big jobs and money makers is boring out egged eyes and welding in bushings. You need a HEAVY mill to bore heavy interrupted cuts on work-hardened bores. This work will shake a Bridgeport apart (or at least break a collet key or draw bar) just when you have to have it to make a precision pump adapter flange.
Save the Bridgeport (or clone) for the good work and buy a scrap iron old Norman Universal or Cincinatti #3 for the rough (and profitable) work.
Check with Machine Mart in Denver. They ship to Alaska and have working agreements on used equipment all over the country. Tom is the owner.
Thank you for the response - our machinist is in agreement about Bridgeport quality as he used these for many years. Our problem is that we have a budget of $15K and want to purchase a "do it all" mill complete with needed tooling such as vises, right angle head, power feed, collets and spacer chuck. We found Servo and Sharp machines to be the best option so far and we seek specific feedback on these two brands pertaining to durability and longevity. We do not know anyone that has used these machines. We are looking at tolerance of +/- .001" or better - Triggerguard, thanks for the recommendation of Acer, we will check into this brand. Zak, thanks for the info and link to Practical Machinist, we will check into this also. Thanks for the response, we hope to hear from Sharp or Servo machine owners also.
Posts: 78 | Location: alaska | Registered: 05 March 2003
I'll second the ACER E MILL. We bought one with a CNC retrofit installed....while we dont like the retrofit too much , that mill is nice....only have about 100 hours on it. The super E baldor motor is very nice...they only cost about $8000 brand new with out power feeds. And feeds can be had for about $400 for the X and Y axis.
I will add.. think about a newer used bridgeport....the chances of having reapirs done in a timely manner go way up , if you have a bridgeport...and the parts are more available. How many Shapre factory qualified mecahnices are in alaska?...probably less of the Servos tech's....but I bet there are plenty of guys that know the bridgeport very well.....as far as the machinist view it really shouldnt matter too much...all the machines listed will operate almost identically....its the owner that has to pay the piper on repairs and the retained value of the machine down the road....bob
Posts: 125 | Location: ct | Registered: 06 February 2003
As a follow-up to my previous thread, I was looking through the ads this in this am's paper and noticed one for a bridgeport and an atlas lathe. Look up column 344, machinery and tools in this paper:
Thank you for the assistance, we have one week to decide and any further ideas or suggestions are appreciated. If we find a potentially "good" machine on the west coast, we will fly our machinist to try out the machine. Since only one employee will operate the machine tools, we expect fewer problems with the machines; likewise, our machinist will maintain the machines as he has many years of hands on experience. We have found many machines for sale, thanks again for the help.
Posts: 78 | Location: alaska | Registered: 05 March 2003
Mook - look for a used Bridgeport or Acer mill, you will be pleased with them. You should be able to find a used BP with some tooling within your budget, and shipping is reasonable if by truck freight to Alaska. How do you plan to cut the chrome rod to the proper length for the cylinder work you mentioned? Chop saws will work, but they crystallize the metal and then welding the rod eye to the chrome is a bit more challenging. Where do you get your chrome rod? KMule
Posts: 1300 | Location: Alaska.USA | Registered: 15 January 2002
Mook I've used a lot of Bridgeport's during my time. At one time they were without question the finest manual mills available. I still have 5 of them and they still, after thousands of hours of run time, work great.
That being said they are not once they once were. In today's market and considering the decline in quality and questionable continued solvency of the company I would recommend against a B'port.
Lately, I've been buying Chevalier mills. You can get a dovetail machine with DRO and servo on the X-axis for arount $7500. Add $2000 to ship and you have plenty left over for tools.
My boss order a new Bridgeport from some place in Georgia this past Friday; he got it with DRO, several vises and some items, to be delivered to Anchorage in 12-14 days for a total of approximately $15000. We don't have a saw to cut the chrome rod, our machinist has recommended a hydromet? saw, says it is a real good unit - I don't believe it will cut induction hardened chrome (the type we will use for Cat cylinders) but it will cut other types of chrome rod. Any ideas for a good saw to cleanly cut material to include 4140, chrome rod, etc?
Posts: 78 | Location: alaska | Registered: 05 March 2003
