http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=12579

 

My Craftsman feels so inadequate now. :lol:

 

OMG now I have "drill-press" envy!! :lolg:

 

brown truck ain't haulin' that!!! :nono: :lolg: :lolg:

 

Hmm... how much envy can I stir up if I post a picture of my '81 Bridgeport 2J Milling Machine?

Ryan

 

??? They were common around here when we had a lot of factories and machine shops in CT. Bridgeport also sold a T ram machine with 2- 4 "J" or "2J" heads on them. Unfortunately there are a lot of used machines around now.
Gary

 

Unfortunately???

The only thing unfortunate that I can think of is someone looking for a mill or industrial drill press and that doesn't know what where or how to check for wear and tear. In an industrial setting these things can see unbelievable amounts of use - I've seen machines priced in the thousands that were slap worn out.

Used industrial equipment is harder to buy than used cars.

My personal Bridgeport is a 1981 2J (Variable Speed) machine that was owned by my employer. They used it in a backshop up in Long Island then transferred some equipment down here to Melbourne. This machine had been freshly rebuilt with a new quill and rescraped ways. When they attempted to put it back into service the motor was wired for high voltage (440 - 3 Phase) and they were attempting to run it on (220 - 3 Phase).

They already had 2 similar machines in the shop, as well as two CNC machining centers. So they really didn't have the floor space. The shop manager wrote it off as a burnt motor and excessed the unit. I picked up the machine for under $1K. It was definitely a case of right place right time.

I've also acquired two Southbend Lathes, a horizontal bandsaw, drill press and a few other odds and ends. It is pretty easy to find good equipment if you are selective and take your time. If anyone is looking for Mills or Lathes I can provide a link to some review criteria and answer any questions you might have.

Ryan

 

Ryan,
I think you mis-understood my point. That being there are a lot of used machines around because the jobs and shops they were in are gone! I was a service tech for Bridgeport Machines CT dealership back 25 years ago. I covered CT and MA and there were a TON of shops here,from small garage shops to major factories. Many are gone now and the quality of students at the high school trade level entering the trade is pathetic-at least in this area.

AS for buying used machinery, you are correct, there is a lot of junk out there. Kind of like vettes,someone has something they think is worth a lot and it's junk. I worked,serviced, and rebuilt hundreds of J and 2J heads. You might want to see if you still have the aluminum motor pulley on your machine. They came out in the late 70's to early 80's and we had to change them in the field because they failed. Also the spindle bearing rating was reduced to a class 5 from aclass 7 class around this time. I suspect you do not have the aluminum pulley by now but you might want to be sure. Sounds like you got a nice setup,what size SBL do you have? I have a serial number code sheet from the SBL service school if you need info on them.
Gary


[Modified by gtr1999, 1:01 PM 2/9/2004]

 

Gary,

My utmost apolgies! I thought you were on a completely different tact. I was expecting a used American Iron vs. New Import debate or something along those lines. I should have known better - afterall this is the Corvette Forum!

I agree that there has been a huge swing away from domestic manufacturing in this country. We have only ourselves to blame, due to the quality of life expected in this country our labor rates have skyrocketed. The society of get it now and get it cheap (often cheaply made) would scream if the government placed the necessary tariff on goods to encourage domestic manufacturing. I hate to see the loss of skill in this country, but I don't see a good way of bringing it back to life.

CNC machines are also converting shops of hundreds to shops of tens. One good operator can run several projects on different machining centers simulaneously, especially in a production environment. One off prototype shops are a bit different animal.

I will say that the current crop of machine operators are often not the Machinists of the past.

Also - one would think that with CNC machines the cost to have a part machined would decrease. However given the design work that must be done in 3D or 2D CAD and given that not everybody can do this - they have a cornered market. Each machine also has it's own interpretation of G-code or conversational, the machining instructions, so they keep that market kind of cornered also. It's not like you can drop your machine code and a lump of metal off at your local shop with the instructions "Run this please".

I have two SBLs in my shop. The first is a 9 x 36. It was the second machine tool I ever owned. My first was an older Mill Drill manufactured in England. It's a model C with dual powerfeed. The bed is in 90% condition with some of the original scraping still showing. It will maintain .0005 over six inches if I do my part in the setup. It is excellent for small work. I can't really say which machines get the most use in my shop, but I get the most pleasure from using this little lathe.

The other SBL is the big brother to all my other machine tools. It's a 16x54, over 8 feet of bed, weighing about 4500 lbs. This one made it partially through getting rebuilt and the company decided to excess it. At the time it was another bakery that used to be part of Nabisco. So the bed was reground and the head rebuilt, just needed a little more work. I've been kind of procrastinating on this one. I really need to repaint it - it's that psycho ward green!

All these machines have interesting histories too. The 9" SBL was owned by the Navy, the 16" SBL was owned and operated by Nabisco and the Mill was owned by Grumman Aerospace.

Ryan


[Modified by reidry, 6:26 PM 2/9/2004]

 

I have a powermatic 4 head drill press i purchased with a lot of other stuff a whill ago. Still trying to figure out what I can make with it. It is one hell of a unit. :confused:

 

Ryan no need to apologize,no offense taken. :thumbs: I have a SBL10k here in the shop along with a 2J Bpt and J head round over arm machine. I also use a KO Lee surface grinder when rebuilding steering boxes,differentials,and rear bearing setups. The 9 SBL you have is a good little lathe but watch the spindle bearing points,which is only the cast iron. The 10k and up lathe used bronze bearings. Be sure to use the correct spindle oil in the headstock too otherwise you'll have problems. SBL wouldn't honor the warrany if someone used a heavier oil then their CE1600 in the headstock. The larger SBL should be goos to turn rear rotors and spindles if you rebuild them. A local machine shop uses one to polish cranks on. They were plentiful years ago on the used market. I don't konw what they bring these days.

We sold a lot of SBL and Bpt's to the Navy sub base in Groton to use on the subs and tenders. I never got a service call for one though.

As for talent in this field, very little. Even CNC programmers aren't that easy to find. We have 3 STAR CNC's and can't find experienced people for them. The next generation will be out of luck in manufacturing unless things start to change,which doesn't seem likely. Maybe the next catch phrase will be
"would you like rice with that"! :rolleyes:

Good luck with your shop. Are you a general jobber or specialize in one product?

Gary

 

Gary,

I'm an Electrical Engineer by trade ... I know "another engineer with tools". I do Systems Integration and Flight Test for Northrop Grumman and the US Navy. There are about 800 engineers on the site, I trust about 12 of them with tools, the rest get a nice pad of paper, a pencil and a quiet desk.

As far as machining I'm an amatuer. I don't think I'll every consider myself a true machinist. I had a good friend pass on that was from England. He owned a job shop in Atlanta. He did a true apprenticeship and was a true Machinist. I've never made a sphere from a 1" cube of mild steel with only a file so I don't think I measure up.

In my home shop I do everything from home improvement wood and tile, aluminum, steels, bronze, etc. I make all kinds of odds and ends parts, repair machinery, often end up fixing family electronics also. The one skill I really lack is welding. I'm purchasing a Miller 210 in the near future and I'll spend a month or so learning before I cut the suspension off the '69 and start from scratch with a serious handling suspension - I need to get around to posting some pictures and concepts on the forum about this. By asking questions, reading and exploding a few end mills I taught myself to machine so I figure I can teach myself to weld.

Edited to add - I run SBLs type A, B, and C oil in my lathes. No substitutes. When a new machine comes into the shop it is immediately disassembled to check for hidden wear, all parts are cleaned properly lubricated and the machine is reassembled. I just need to add painted to my standard list and all my tools would look good too!

Ryan


[Modified by reidry, 10:23 PM 2/9/2004]

 

:thumbs: Ryan sounds like you got it together. I'm sure you'll learn welding without much effort.

EE, I went to school for that once....but that's another story for another time!
:cheers:
Gary