sharing some amateur customization

[craneman]

Didn't turn out too bad so far. This is my first attempt at a flat top with serrations. It still needs some clean-up with a file and I think if I ever do this again I will opt for a carbide tool. The HSS seemed to dull quicker than I thought it would.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[pklin1297]

Oh how I wish I had a mill...

Good job!

[ThatFishGuy]

Looks good. One day I'll have a mill too...

['ol shooter]

Nice work. Have you ever seen one fish scaled with an end mill, looks pretty cool too.

[craneman]

Nice work. Have you ever seen one fish scaled with an end mill, looks pretty cool too.

No, but it sounds kinda cool and different.

[craneman]

Oh how I wish I had a mill...

Good job!

Thanks!

Oh, and the old Bridgeport is really old and neglected. It is accurate to .001", but not any more than that. It's been abused, worked hard, and put away wet for the last 20 years or so. It could use a ton of work, but the price was right.

[MosinVirus]

Much jealousy... so much...

Great first attempt by the way.

[craneman]

Much jealousy... so much...

Great first attempt by the way.

I've seen your work. I am truely the one who is jealous. You Sir, have talent.

[kcstott]

Thanks!

Oh, and the old Bridgeport is really old and neglected. It is accurate to .001", but not any more than that. It's been abused, worked hard, and put away wet for the last 20 years or so. It could use a ton of work, but the price was right.

so how accurate do you think a knee should be???

[craneman]

so how accurate do you think a knee should be???

In all reality I was not referring to the Z axis in relation to the movement of the knee. I have not checked that. I guess I should have been more specific in my description. Basically the ways have some wear to them on X and Y in the middle of the travel, and the backlash in the lead screws is more in the middle than out at the ends. About .005" more. The spindle taper measures .0009" run-out. Pretty typical for a highly used machine would be my uneducated guess. The dials will repeat on the X and Y within a .001" (barely) in a 6" area that is NOT in the middle, and it is a bit more than .001" in the middle. There is no DRO so I have to rely on the dials. The table is not very flat. It has big dings and some gouges you have to avoid when setting something down to secure it. I am pretty sure someone used it for an anvil once, and had some wrecks and crashed a part or two by the look of it.

Should I go on? I have done a few more checks that I could elaborate on, but why?

Remember I said I was simply a hobbyist, and not a real machinist by any stretch of the imagination.


Back on topic. One more pic of the HAND work I did yesterday afternoon in prep for finishing.

[IMG][/IMG]

It still needs the abrasive blast done to the top, and some more final polishing. Then off to get DLC done by Ionbond.

[ramathorn]

Good work, looks like a fun project.

[kcstott]

In all reality I was not referring to the Z axis in relation to the movement of the knee. I have not checked that. I guess I should have been more specific in my description. Basically the ways have some wear to them on X and Y in the middle of the travel, and the backlash in the lead screws is more in the middle than out at the ends. About .005" more. The spindle taper measures .0009" run-out. Pretty typical for a highly used machine would be my uneducated guess. The dials will repeat on the X and Y within a .001" (barely) in a 6" area that is NOT in the middle, and it is a bit more than .001" in the middle. There is no DRO so I have to rely on the dials. The table is not very flat. It has big dings and some gouges you have to avoid when setting something down to secure it. I am pretty sure someone used it for an anvil once, and had some wrecks and crashed a part or two by the look of it.

Should I go on? I have done a few more checks that I could elaborate on, but why?

Remember I said I was simply a hobbyist, and not a real machinist by any stretch of the imagination.


Back on topic. One more pic of the HAND work I did yesterday afternoon in prep for finishing.

[IMG][/IMG]

It still needs the abrasive blast done to the top, and some more final polishing. Then off to get DLC done by Ionbond.

Expecting dials to repeat any closer then .001" is wishful thinking even on a new machine.
You spindle runout is pretty bad. Spindle run out should be less then .0001" but what are you measuring? Wear of the collet taper interface surface or actual bearing run out?? Not critizing your measuring just pointing out the spindle might be fine you just might have wear on the taper were the collet seats.

FYI Bridgeport only guaranties the X&Y to be within .003"over 12" IRRC I can pull up the specs. Thats the spec we worked to on all the rebuild I've done we tried to split that down to .0015" TIR over 12" just to be safe.Problem is with the olde dove tail metal on metal ways you can only make the machine so tight of then it will not want to move. We did scrape one machine into jig bore specs. Squareness to .0005 over 12" but you were still limited by the accuracy of the lead screw for actual distance. So a good DRO is required.
What I'm getting at is I don't think your machine is in as bad of condition as you might think. repeateble to .001" off dial is damn good even on a old machine.

Table condition is another story.

[MosinVirus]

Back on topic. One more pic of the HAND work I did yesterday afternoon in prep for finishing.

[IMG][/IMG]

It still needs the abrasive blast done to the top, and some more final polishing. Then off to get DLC done by Ionbond.

is it going to retain polish post treatment?

[craneman]

is it going to retain polish post treatment?

I hope so. They say it will. I have seen pictures that look like a VERY high end blue job except more of a black color and highly scratch resistant. We shall see. They quoted me $85 plus shipping so if it looks like crap I won't feel too bad.

[kcstott]

is it going to retain polish post treatment?

If it's PVD and if it was polished in acordence with their procedure sure it will be as polished as it started.

Problem is PVD requires an extreamly clean surface, contamination free.

There is nothing that can be done in the average garage that would romotely comply. the base metal needs to be sterile clean and free of any embedded compounds.

Keep in mind this is just me talking about my experience with PVD coatings in general. The DLC stuff may be completely different and far more forgiving.