Bridgeport milling machine

[pillguy]

So, I am pondering selling my hd drill press and getting a used bridgeport to do basic milling and cutting and the uusual drilling holes in wood.
Is this a wise move ? Who else has done it?

 

[firestopper]

A milling machine is certainly a handy machine to have but comes with the added cost of tooling. You'll also need to provide 3 phase power to the machine if you want the full benefits of a full size Bridgeport. Not knowing the type of work you do, it's not really our place to advise you on how to spend your hard earned money. Do you have any machining experience?

 

[Waorani]

I've got a Bridgeport - sitting right next to my drill press. It can do everything the DP can do but it can also be more difficult to set up, especially for simple stuff that's quick and easy on the DP. Also don't like getting sawdust/wood chips on the mill table/ways.

 

[warezdog]

Keep it and look for a used mill, a good DP can't be replaced by a mill for doing the same thing. Grizzly makes a fairly affordable one, the 0704 is quite popular with the CNC folks over at DIYCNC.

 

[LINUS]

Something I learned recently is that Bridgeport machines are not the best machine to buy, but because of brand recognition they command a premium to the price.

I spoke at length with a dealer of used equipment & he said for his money, be it for a home shop or a machine that needs to pay you back in a production setup - Supermax would be his choice.

The machines have many similar design styles & his pick especially would be one of the ones that came from their Tiawan production facility / era.

Sure, Bridgeports are prettier cases, but when a $3500 Supermax would equal a $6500/$7K Bridgeport, it wasn't tough to decide & see the value. And the ways are the same between a later Bridgeport & any Supermax.

I'm not saying a Bridgeport isn't worth buying, just be smart & realize they aren't the Snap-on of the mill world. This was news to me, as I'm someone who trolls CL & spend longer on Bridgeport ads than any others & expect to buy a mill - so be open to other brands.

Also, if you can keep your mill away from the slag from a plasma cutter & the fines coming off your grinder, you'll make the ways of the mill last exponentially longer.

The oil from the mill lube + the grinder & plasma spray translate into an effective lapping compound.

So maybe buy a couple curtains to cut down what can migrate through the shop & eat up the mill you buy, for us guys cramming machines in small shop space where this is the norm.

Just passing what I learned from that dealer & the stuff he cleans out of machines before he resells them.

 

[firestopper]

I found a Lagun (2-axis CNC) with tooling and various stock of aluminum,copper,S/S, and plastics (over 200 pounds) for 6K a couple of years ago. The machine is heavier than the average BP. Craig's list is a great source but you need to know what to look for. My smaller mill has become a precision drill press since the new addition.

I would post pictures but have been unable to post photos for some time on this site. Very frustrating as other forums post right up.

 

[northumbrian]

Bridgeport mill are not the only turret mill available, and to be honest not the best either.
Personally I prefer Universal mills.
However if you're after a basic mill for general stuff, one of the cheaper import bench mills will be fine.

 

[e9999]

I think having a mill (and a lathe) would get you into a different world of DIY altogether. Possibilities are endless with those. So if I really had to choose between the mill and the DP, I'd get the mill in an instant. But yes, both are better.