Budgeting for a New Milling Machine

Buying any sort of large machine tool is a capital expense but often there are hidden costs. In this video I lay it all bare! Having made the decision to purchase a used Bridgeport mill, I had to work out what I could afford and how I could get the best bang for my buck. I have broken down the budget and showed how I got my mill to work on an incompatible workshop power supply. All figures are in Australian dollars!

[@somebodyelse6673]

The complete budget for a machine purchase is seldom seen on KZbin. Thanks for giving such a detailed reference!

[@Preso58]

Scary, isn't it? I have found that two rules are almost constant in life. Any job will take three times more time than what you estimate and any purchase will be nearly double by the time you actually get around to buying it. Regards, Mark

[@yvesdesrosiers2396]

Very happy for you Mr P. That's a lot out of my price range. I am so poor I can barely pay attention. Thanks for sharing.

[@roylucas1027]

I get a kick of your sense of humor. It's always lurking around, then suddenly it's there. Great video, thank you.

[@ronkluwe4875]

Mark - I have always been told that if you are going to do it right, allow for as much money for tooling as you will pay for the mill or lathe. From personal experience, I fully believe this.

[@MrFastFarmer]

Yeah he bought a Bridgeport because it's not Chinese crap, and yet all the tooling is Chinese. lol

[@WorkshopUp]

Mark, love the comment on 'not minding spending the kids inheritance'. Every parent should have no issues with this. remember it is still your money while your alive, so use as you wish. Great investment that you will get many happy hours out of. Thanks for sharing.

[@Preso58]

Gary, my son will inherit my entire workshop so I don't think he's too bothered. He actually encouraged me to buy quality tools at one point. When I enquired why he would want that he told me "I'll get it all when your dead!" He's not exactly the sentimental type. 😁 Regards, Mark

[@davescowie]

I've just moved, leveled and trammed my bridgeport, I love it! BTW I simply wired it into a 15A VFD, (240v supply (UK) on a 13 amp plug) everthing works but it doesn't seem to have the initial power to bring the contactors in firmly. They work with a bit of a manual push. Oh and .......Just to sicken you slightly....... I got the deal of the decade on mine. It's a MK1 but everything is in working order, Its been fully reworked by bridgeport at some time and I paid £150.00 for it. (About $175). Just to put that in context, the vice that came withe it is a 6" Kurt on a swivel base is worth £450.00. Sorry

[@StripeyType]

Ditto! I have the step pulley head with the longer table though. I did pull the thing apart to repaint everything.

[@Preso58]

Yes, I do feel sick now! For what it's worth, I did investigate running a VFD or a VSD but my understanding is that you cannot really make 415V from a 240V VFD. The best you can do is supply the motor with 240V three phase but the motor power will be derated. It will work but it won't generate the rated horsepower or KWH of the motor. Regards, Mark

[@baqiralfahdawi5886]

I had a 500kg thicknesser/jointer delivered in peak hr about half hr drive one way, using a crane flat bed truck. He charged me 500 here in melbourne. As for the phase converter, I scored a good deal on an Italian made 7KVA Sincro 3 phase alternator hoocked to 7.5hp 3 phase motor. Sold the VFD that came with it which basically means i got the alternator for free. I just have to buy 7.5hp single phase motor for 400 and install 32 amp supply to my house for 200. Its better to have phase converter instead of converting a specific machine, becuase you can score cheap used 3 phase equipment. Its nice to follow someone who lives in Australia esp. when you mention price in same currency and where you get things from. Nothing too fancy with filming just perfect and great content. Binged through your videos without skipping. Keep up the great work!

[@Preso58]

Thanks for the nice feedback. I realised that the RPC was going to be the most expensive option but I like that it is on wheels and I can just move it around from one machine to another, if I ever get another machine that is. Regards, Mark

[@russellsteedman3293]

Great videos and it is so nice to hear an Aussie accent. You are fast becoming an Aussie "This Old Tony". Well done!

[@Preso58]

Thanks! 😃 Regards, Mark

[@davidpainter4437]

Thanks for another interesting and informative video. I appreciate the frank, unvarnished facts, none of the "Gee I stole this for just $$$" BS that you often hear. Given that the supply in your area is poor I think that you got a fair price. It is a fact that used machines in decent condition aren't cheap and there are plenty of people looking for them which drives the price up. Congratulations on your new mill, enjoy!!

[@wyohman00]

In the US we have a saying, "You get what you pay for". When I lived in Oz you blokes switched it around a bit and came up with, "You pay for what you get"! Thanks again for your videos!

[@Preso58]

Don't get me started on the fiscal policy of our federal government. They keep our dollar low so we can dig up more resources and sell it overseas. Great for them because they get the mining royalties. Bad for mugs like me because we import just about EVERYTHING! Regards, Mark

[@wyohman00]

@@Preso58 And I wouldn't hold the US to a high standard either. We borrow money to give people "welfare" in the form of "tax breaks." Kind of like borrowing money to pay your credit card bill.

[@cannon440]

Congratulations, it is a marvelous investment'. I bought the same mill about 4 years ago from of all things a machinery consignment shop in New Jersey with at least 100lbs of tooling For $1700.00 US. Had it delivered to Pennsylvania, about 70 miles on a rollback for $350. I was lucky to find it at such a low price. It did require a lot of parts & labor, which I like to do.

[@Preso58]

You did well on that deal. Sadly, those sorts of deals are rare here. You usually have to know someone who knows someone. Regards, Mark

[@jonnafry]

Great acquisition and I know it'll end up being the smoothest running and smoothest looking Bridgeport in Oz.

[@gofastwclass]

Love the inheritance comment. My parents are busy spending my inheritance each day and I'm ok with that, they earned it! Have fun with the machine.

[@DukeReynolds]

Chris from the US here, great mill! I own a Bridgeport (Textron) 2J (1979 I think) with original BP powerfeed and a Mitutoyo DRO. Really good mill BUT notoriously noisy (it's normal). A good source for parts and info is H&W machine repair. I don't know about the shipping but they are a good resource. They also offer a repair/rebuild manual that is top notch. Good luck with your new addition! Cheers!

[@Preso58]

Chris, I have been watching all the H&W videos on YT, and I have been stalking their website. As you say, loads of good resources. It's good to get some feedback from other users with 2J heads. I fully expected mine to be noisier than it is so that's a win. Regards, Mark

[@gatoalfa7]

Thank you. I appreciate your candor to describe the financial aspects. It helps as all, current and future hobbyists.

[@MattsAwesomeStuff]

This is the dream of every hobby shop. Congrats on diving in. You'll be the envy of your neighbors :)

[@stanwooddave9758]

My you enjoy your new to you machine Mark. Thanks for sharing. I hate to say it, but for me; the best part of the video was the added sound effect's at the end. I watched the ending twice. So that makes me a certified nut case. LOL. Can't wait to see you put the machine through it's pace's. Good luck with it.

[@Just1GuyMetalworks]

I think a rotary phase converter is the way to go. If you do decide to run more 3-phase equipment that should have no problem running it. Indeed I've only just started building up my shop and trying to stay under budget is.... well may as well double it 🤣. Thanks for sharing, Mark. Waiting in anticipation to see you and your mill in action, cheers! 👍😁👍

[@oldninjarider]

Nice buy, your kids can earn their own money. in the meantime live it up with a new DRO 😊

[@MrFastFarmer]

ok boomer

[@oldninjarider]

@@MrFastFarmer my point proven, thanks.

[@Preso58]

I have the DRO on the shopping list but for the time being I am going to go old school. The dials are very easy to read and they're metric so that's a bonus. Regards, Mark

[@oldninjarider]

@@Preso58 metric? That stuff is just a fad 😂😂😂😂

[@Steve_Just_Steve]

Love your channel Preso! That makes me feel lucky to live in the midwest USA. Glad to see real mill on the channel ; )

[@FilmFactry]

Good for you! Enjoy it!!!

[@sparksfireandbalingwire8467]

Great series of videos.. I'm putting together a bridgeport I saved from scrap that I will have videos on shortly.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Hey Preso, that's a nice collection of tooling you've got there. I can see a few items I'll have to save up for! Thank you for the shout out too, I notice there are a few new subscribers since this video aired! :-) Your sticker collection will grow quickly I am quite sure!

[@Preso58]

Craig, John Creasey and I are doing a sticker swap. I'm glad you got some mileage out of it. I feel like we should all be promoting each other's channels. Especially the Aussie makers. Regards, Mark

[@CraigsWorkshop]

​@@Preso58 that's great. John's become a great repository of a variety of stickers from makers and machinists all over. Promoting each others channels is exactly the idea. I built one sticker board, and filled it very quickly. I need to add a second sticker board this weekend, and yours will be the first one to go on that board. I remembered to show off your sticker in the last video I made. I expect most of my viewers are already subscribed to your channel, but we'll see - you might get a few new ones. So, how's that paintwork coming along? :) Cheers, Craig

[@deemstyle]

I don't know how you have under 10K subscribers. Your channel really is fantastic with exceptional content. Thanks for sharing this- while I don't live in Australia, this was super interesting to see!

[@Preso58]

Thanks for that. For a long time I was happy to have a couple of hundred subscribers. My main motivation was to archive the projects I do on something other than my home PC. I didn't feel under any pressure to produce a lot of content and I felt like I could back out at any time and not hurt too many people's feelings. Now it has grown somewhat but I promise I won't be monetising my content or selling out to sponsors. Regards, Mark

[@douro20]

If I were going the route of a rotary phase converter I probably would had built one myself with an antique low-speed motor like one for a cotton gin. They're big and heavy but they're quiet and the inertia from the rotor will help start a large load.

[@garydavo07]

i saw this in melb over last Xmas and thought about buying it. couldn't work for me at the time. Glad you got it. Well done!!

[@Preso58]

Thanks! I must say I now feel quite lucky that I got the one that I did. I have been hard at work dismantling the bottom end of it and it seems to have a lot less wear than I was expecting. Regards, Mark

[@anandarochisha]

Well Done. Maybe some company will press You into making custom parts and make it all back. Meanwhile You do what You Love to do and that is good for your heart and mind.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

The Bridgeport is very versatile. I am sure you will be happy using it.

[@wheels2199]

Great video. I have just purchased basically the same mill and now amassing tooling so I can play with my new toy. I looked at phase converters and decided that I would build my own. A company named WNY supply sells a kit to build a phase converter for $145, all you need to do is Supply a three phase motor. Locally there is an electric motor rebuilding company and I was able to purchase a rebuilt three phase 5 hp motor for $100, now it’s got to be wired up and I’ll be up and running. Any how, I’m looking forward to more of your video’s and best of luck with your new toy. 😬👍

[@Preso58]

I am not sure why the phase converter that I purchased was so expensive but I guess I was paying for my lack of confidence with regard to electrical installation. Your option sounds like really good value. Regards, Mark

[@vicpatton5286]

Good for you Mark! this new machine will help you continue your excellent and enjoyable, for you and us, work. Of course we all like a new toy to play with from time to time. Being responsible is overrated 😄 regards vic

[@insAneTunA]

It's always a joy to watch your videos.

[@swanvalleymachineshop]

Nice looking mill .You may find you throw that tramming tool in the bin because they are a pain in the ass to use ! , You may have watched RR's video on it ! A set of R8 collets you will find useful as well , All industrial in the US have a good set that goes to 1'' . I have to do a couple of lube lines on my one as well . Cheers .

[@Preso58]

Max, I did watch Randy's video but I actually found it quite easy to use. I calibrated it on a 123 block first and it only took a few minutes to get it in tram in both directions. I used to sweep an indicator on my old mill and it was a pain having to look around the back or use a mirror. The collets are on the "list of nice things to have" Regards, Mark

[@dale9896]

Great to watch as usual mate, all I can say is that your wife must be really understanding. She is a keeper.

[@Preso58]

Dale, yes, my wife is great about my hobbies. When I proposed to her I hadn't purchased an engagement ring. I told her that since she had agreed I would go right out and get one. She said "Oh don't worry about it. I don't want one." How good is that? Regards, Mark

[@tomhood8897]

Hi Mark. Nice to see the mill powered, well tooled and, of course, disassembled!!! LOL Thanks for sharing!

[@nikond90ful1]

Thanks for the video Mark. Happy new toy. Enjoy. Keep safe and stay well.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Nice video. Ending was funny. The maker community is so awesome! Mahalo for sharing! : )

[@TomMakeHere]

I'm sure you will be very happy with the machine! Price doesn't actually sound too terrible I'd love one for the 'jack of all trades' capability of these mills

[@ruperthartop7202]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@bluedeath996]

Not sure "boring research" is a good name. I quite like research and don't find it boring.

[@aubreyaub]

Don't you just love it. Trevor from New Zealand. (grinning from ear to ear, is Trev) But, yes Mark, there are some great blokes around, Hey!

[@pgs8597]

G’day Mark. Hey it’s the kids inheritance, they can afford it, I told mine they can have the house but don’t be surprised if the bank account is empty. Good luck with your new toy. Cheers Peter

[@billstanley4819]

Congratulations on your new mill. May you have many blissful hours of machining on the Bridgeport.

[@andrewwilson8317]

R8 tooling is the stinger! A mill running ISO 40 spindle opens up a world of cheaper tooling and a much better selection to choose from. ISO 40 also allows fitting of a powered drawbar as it can eject tooling without needing a hammer like you need on R8 tooling. Best thing ever was biting the bullet and having three phase run to the workshop.

[@Preso58]

Andrew, my view is that even R8 tooling is better than morse taper which is what I was stuck with on the old mill. I am going to build a power drawbar and I actually tried it using a butterfly impact wrench. The hammer action does eject the tool but whoever owned the mill before me hammered on and mushroomed over the hex end of the drawbar so much that a spanner wouldn't fit on it. Regards, Mark

[@willembuys5827]

Hi Mark. I recently got a Bridgeport clone and I found the KZbin channel of H&W Machine Repair and Rebuild very informative and helpful. They have a whole series of videos on how to strip and rebuild a Bridgeport and they sell spares as well.

[@Preso58]

Willem, thanks for the tip but I've already binge watched all the H&W videos. Beats Netflix any day! Regards, Mark

[@kingy550]

Hi Mark, if you haven't seen them already, Keith Fenner, Turnwright , has some videos of rebuilding a bridgeport head. Hope this helps. Thanks for all the videos

[@Preso58]

Richard, I've seen just about all the videos I could find. I enjoyed the "Buffy" story. Regards, Mark

[@whatupg1]

Another awesome video. Thanks Mark. Glad you are happy with your new mill

[@Machine_NZ]

Hi Mark, great video and helpful info....Regards Kevin

[@johnnym1320]

Cant wait to see what you make next with the new to you mill!

[@davidmcinnes317]

Stick a fan blade on that idler motor.It would help keep the control box cool and also circulate air around your shop.

[@camatbattler2233]

Great Video Mark, yes sometimes you need to fork out a little more to get what you want, these are a well built and sort after machine that are extremely versatile in the shop. I wouldn't be without mine. PS, E-mail sent with some Bridgeport Manuals.

[@Preso58]

Cam, thanks for the documentation. I am really looking forward to using the quill on this machine. It's something that I had to do without on the old Denbigh. I might also be able to finish a job without smashing an expensive end mill too. Regards, Mark

[@blfstk1]

Good Show Mate...as always. I am really happy for you. I am not surprised your viewers want a Bridgeport. The type of folks your channel is going to appeal to are into machines and cutting metal. Even if they have never done it before. Having looked for B'ports before, I think you did well with the machine and tooling. Being in Tennessee it's a little hard for me to come and help but that would be a hoot for me. Probably would drive you nuts. I am OCD with a lazy streak. I'll have to stay on this side of the pond and teach my grand daughters archery and other fancy stuff. I am really looking forward to your refurb of this machine. Be careful. There is almost no light stuff on a B'port. Like you don't know that already.

[@Preso58]

Yes, I manhandled the saddle and knee off solo but I did use a chain hoist for the knee. The table is balanced precariously on my tool cart for the time being. I am truly impressed by how easy it is to dismantle this machine. Most of the work can be done with one sized spanner and a handful of allen keys. Regards, Mark

[@blfstk1]

@@Preso58 I'm figuring that table is in the 200 pound category if not more. You be having fun, I'm sure. Good luck.

[@stephenmurray2335]

Great post Mark, it's rare, interesting and horrifying when we see the total cost of these machines. I'd previously suggested that we may get to see the 'How to zinc plate a Bridgeport' video, but now having seen it in the flesh you should consider 'How to chrome plate a Bridgeport' 😊 Thanks for sharing.

[@Preso58]

Stephen, It's funny how you look at a machine when you first get it and think, it's just a bit dirty, I'll clean it with a rag and it'll be fine. A couple of days later it's in pieces and you are finding more reasons to completely repaint it. I think I did the most horrific part of the process today which involved degreasing the worst parts. I can powder coat some of the smaller bits like the way wipers but the green paint has been put on with a brush and it's peeling off because it was painted while it was still assembled. They even went around things like the one shot oiler and the switch console. There are dribbles of paint behind these parts and it drives me mad. Regards, Mark

[@stephenmurray2335]

@@Preso58 Would do the same to me Mark. And it means there is hope - we may well get to see the Bridgeport stripped down and properly repainted 🤞

[@mr.t.807]

Hi Mark There is a company in the USA called H & W machine repair, they have a lot of videos on KZbin about tear down and rebuilding Bridge Port machines, and discretion of replacement parts. Might be a good place for info. Looking good Randy

[@Preso58]

Randy, I have already binge watched all the H&W videos. Better than Netflix! Regards, Mark

[@j.r.5130]

Great video Mark I really appreciate these tips. Love your channel and long time subscriber. Cheers

[@Preso58]

Thanks John. I'm glad you've stuck around. Regards, Mark

[@ccbproductsmulti-bendaustr3200]

Just came across your page , i and am not far from you , if you need to get any other machines up from Victoria, I used Morgan’s Freight at Yandina , they picked a old Dawewoo 4tonne CNC lathe from a farm in Vic to my door for $800 , great video’s 👍just started going thru them

[@Preso58]

Thanks for the tip. I must say, the whole saga of getting the mill to my door was something of an ordeal. After shelling out a lot of money for something that you've bought sight unseen you really have to trust the people who are transporting it for you. I half expected to take delivery of a pile of scrap or a broken machine. Luckily it all went well though. Regards, Mark

[@sheph7ceo799]

Thank you, for a long overdue cost break down video on a popular machine tool. I know of no other on this important topic. As a guy once responsible for a machine shop of a larger manufacturing operation for years I budgeted new equipment and tooling. Not once in 10 years did the value of the machines themselves exceed the value of the tooling. Add to the tooling the shop supplies and metrology tools and for a typical CNC shop in the US the machines themselves are roughly ½ the total value. Home shops are quite different but the point is the tooling is very expensive. You were lucky you already had a vise and didn’t count that in the total. But lets face it you need two new ones. .. and OMG you have already taken it apart! This is going to be interesting to watch Mark paint with a brush?

[@Preso58]

No! No brushes! Such a travesty when I see that happening. Spray guns aren't that expensive and even a cheap compressor still makes the same compressed air as a $10000 screw compressor. Well, maybe not as dry but near enough. I am part way through the process now and I have decided not to film it. There are already a couple of good restoration videos out there and at the end of the day it's like watching paint dry - literally. You are correct about the tooling cost to machine ratio. There's no escaping it. Regards, Mark

[@sheph7ceo799]

@@Preso58 Awwwwww we don’t get to see Mark use a brush. Probably doesn’t even use one painting a house. Nice thing about tooling in the home shop is that you can buy it as you need it. Not like you have to load up 60 stations on a Mazak.

[@Widge_1]

Hey Preso, I bought my colchester lathe through Newmac, I was very happy with their service, lucky for me I’m only a couple hours drive away, collected it with a tandem trailer. I also purchased a rotary converter, I fell over when I got the price for it, but well worth it when I bought my Bridgeport clone and simply plugged it in and away it went. I was hoping you would let me know a supplier for the rapid feed button cover as mines perished too, oh well I’ll keep looking. Keep up the great videos mate👍🏻 Glenn

[@Preso58]

Glenn, I had a KZbin viewer in New Zealand send me two of those covers and I still have one spare. I can send it to you if you like. There's a guy on Instagram called @sgsengineering who made a cover from one of those little priming bulbs used on brushcutters and chainsaws. They are clear but just about the right size. Yes, the guys at Newmac were very good and they kept me informed about the mill and were very accommodating when I asked them to prep the mill for transport. Let me know if you want the switch cover. [e-mail]

[@stevejones7580]

just refinished top end rebuild on my bridgeport easy to work on

[@Preso58]

I wish I had the same experience. I must say I got a bit frustrated trying to take the quill drive shaft out. I tried every pair of snap ring pliers I had and even bought another pair trying to get the outer snap ring off without destroying it. I watched the H&W Machine Repair video and even they said they usually broke the snap ring getting it off. However, I did eventually get it done. I am glad I did the job though. It gives you an opportunity to see how everything works. Regards, Mark

[@testyourdesign233]

Congratulations on your new mill and reaching 10k subs. Always enjoy videos since the beginning.

[@edwardkendall3905]

This is great information. Thanks

[@philbox4566]

Oooh, you live in Tinny. Great part of the country. Have climbed and run abseiling sessions on Mt. Tinbeerwah and one of my very good friends used to live at Tinny as well.

[@Preso58]

Phil, yes it's a nice area and we are lucky to have the national park just across the road from us. Regards, Mark

[@waynemathews4904]

Nice video Mark. I think it highlights to Americans and Australians that there is hidden costs here. Shipping around aus gets expensive when you don’t live in the 2 main states. The American companies I’ve try charging $200 for a $50 item

[@bostedtap8399]

Great vlog, looking forward to some precision swarf, after the blue printing of the machine 😀. Being from the UK, I can understand the high costs in transport, and you being so far from away from the manufacturing centres of the continent of Australia, but even looking at a world map, I can't comprehend its size. I think there is a maximum speed that the quill feed should be disengaged, ref when you showed it running. Thanks for sharing. Regards John.

[@Preso58]

John, thanks for watching. Yes, the distance we have to travel here in Oz can be hard for people to understand. We once had visitors from New Zealand who told us they were thinking of driving from Brisbane to Cairns for the day! It's a 24 hour drive. I am liking the Bridgeport more and more and I love the fact that you can dismantle the entire machine with just a handful of tools. Regards, Mark

[@bostedtap8399]

@@Preso58 Hi Mark, With regard to machine transport costs, I paid £ 150 to have my second hand Bridgeport collected from a machinery supplier less than 20 miles, and skated into its position in my garage, circa 2012, this was with two guys and a full sized truck with crane, I had no problem with this cost, for three hours work. Prices for Bridgeports (working condition) here in the UK varies from £ 500 to £ 5000, reconditioned ones can be up to £15000, similar sized CNC milling machines, with conversational controls are about £ 28000 new. Most of the cutting tools and holders I purchase are Korean, ref Korloy, Taegutec, YG etc, very good quality. Hope you don't find any nasties on strip down. Regards John.

[@joycethomas8868]

You can pick up a used variable speed Bridgeport any day of the week in Ohio, USA for around $1200 USD. A “J” head Bridgeport is a little higher. You can get a clone or offshoot Bridgeport for under $900. I picked up a clone variable speed head Bridgeport for $750 USA and it cost me another $700 just to get it shipped 16 miles to my garage. I’ve had it almost 10 years and use it at least once a week. I love it. It runs on 3 phase. I feed 220 single phase (split in to two legs, L1 and L2) into a5 hp 3 phase motor. I got the motor for free. After rope starting, I switch it on and L3 generates the 3rd leg of the 3 phase. Works perfect. I do not have power feed or a coolant pump. The variable speed head Bridgeport’s are notorious for being noisy. It’s the cone pulleys. I prefer the step pulley head, but they are hard to find.

[@Preso58]

You are lucky to have so much choice in the USA. Plus of course, Bridgeport is a native brand and there are very few Australian machine tool manufacturers so nearly all machine tools are imported. Regards, Mark

[@crazyfeller5704]

Congrats on your new machine!

[@alexiekola]

Thankx Mark for your amazing insight i had been considering get one for around year or 2 and this really has helped on my future dicision making and cost evaluation on whats needed. Cant wait to see what your first project with it will be. - Lexi down in Coffs

[@Preso58]

Lexi, I guess the whole budget thing is often swept under the carpet or you just pay as you go. I had to make a guess at what I thought I was going to spend since I was withdrawing money from my super. I hope it does inspire some people to give these machines a good life. I was truly horrified one time I went to a TAFE college in Ipswich to pick out some of their surplus machines to take back to our secondary school engineering workshop. They had a warehouse full of lathes, mills and shapers and the guy showing me around said that it was all destined to go to the tip to be buried! It had all been written off as unserviceable but everything I took is still being used except for one Russian Stanko lathe that developed some terminal electrical issues. I got quite angry with the guy, but it wasn't really his fault. It was just "policy". Regards, Mark

[@alexiekola]

@@Preso58 yeah i hate alot of tafe policys. i handle a lot of computer recycling which i give to family in need. i have tried to get stuff off tafe but it all goes to tip. i makes me sick tthe amount of wastage.

[@captcarlos]

@ Lexi, are you truely interested in machining, learning? Carl from Coffs.

[@henrikhv5084]

One of these days… one of these days, the will be a mill like that, with my name on it ;-) but it might be a few years :-) I think you made a great deal.

[@boringresearchllc4047]

Mark congratulations on the Bridgeport! They are really universal and wonderful machines. We thought we would also note that another sister city to Boring, Oregon USA is Bland, New South Wales, Australia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boring,_Oregon Keep up the wonderful content! We loved the finishing, and marking series you did. Thank you for the mention!

[@Preso58]

I had heard about Bland! 😁 There is a place in Tasmania called Dismal Swamp. Place names are such wonderful things. We've got some doozies, Muckadilla, Diddilibah, Oodnadatta, Wooloomoloo, the list goes on... Regards, Mark

[@michaelschnock3998]

Very informative,, well done . Seems you should get in touch with keith fenner and bruce . 👌, Stay healthy and may good bless you and yours

[@Preso58]

I have watched most of Keith Fenner's series on "Buffy". I don't know how he had the patience to polish all that aluminium! Regards, Mark

[@lv_woodturner3899]

I have a friend with a Bridgeport milling machine with the variable speed drive. His mill runs a lot quieter than yours. Joe Pie. has a video on taking his head apart to replace bearings. I am eager to see the next video with the table and knee removed. Heavy pieces. Dave.

[@Preso58]

Dave, I have seen most of the videos out there on the Bridgeport and the one thing I like is that you can dismantle the entire machine with a couple of spanners and a few allen keys. No special tools needed and I found plenty of resources online to help. Unfortunately, I have decided not to video the restoration as there are already a couple of very good series out there on the process. It's also it's just a lot of cleaning, sanding and painting. I should be able to start etch priming, filling and painting late next week, but I am only doing the bottom part of the machine for now. Regards, Mark

[@photobobo]

Mine cost 3200USD, including a VFD. It runs on 230V single phase. My power feed is 115V single phase and I don't use a cooling pump. One of the big advantages of the VFD is the ability to do power tapping with torque limiting control, and instant reversing. Private sale, no tax.

[@Preso58]

I must say that I agonised over the VFD/VSD/Phase converter conundrum for some time. I couldn't find a VFD that would supply the 415V that the motor needed from a 240V supply and the information that I got from various forums was that using a 240V VFD would run the motor although it would also de-rate the motor power. Probably this wouldn't be an issue unless you were doing really heavy cuts on a regular basis. I am guessing most hobbyists would only run their mills at a fraction of their capacity so it would most likely never be apparent that there was some loss of power at the motor. Regards, Mark

[@TheDeerInn]

Can't wait to see all the cool things you will be doing on this machine. Will you try making parts instead of casting them?

[@Preso58]

Craig, I have gone down the rabbit hole of dismantling and refurbishing even though I tried to resist. My brain kept saying "leave it alone and just clean it" Three days later and it's bottom end is all in pieces. Regards, Mark

[@ADBBuild]

I'm less than an hour from Boring, OR! What keyless chuck did you go with? I've been looking for one for my drill press and can't decide if I want to go with a "good" import one, or something a bit better like a Rohm. Albrecht would be nice, but too expensive for my blood.

[@Preso58]

Andrew, it's an import chuck but we don't have much choice here in Oz. I would love to have an Albrecht but it's a cost/benefit thing. I would have to go to a specialist tooling house or try to find a good used one. In most cases I would just be driving spotting drills or countersinking a hole so what I have will do the job. Regards, Mark

[@mfpitci]

That's a good price for that phase converter, i was quoted $4,500 down here in Melbourne, so i got three phase put into my shop for $4,000. Pulling apart that mill will be easy. I pulled apart my rambaudi mill to repaint and repair no problem at all.

[@MrFastFarmer]

Phase converters aren't all the same. It pays to drop $ on them and only get a rotary. Years ago we put a phase converter (not rotary) on a 3hp lathe. With a heavy cut, you could stall the spindle... totally useless.

[@mfpitci]

Yes that's true, sorry i meant to say rotary phase converter, the company who i got the price from also said i will need to have a 30 amp outlet for the rotary phase converter to work, i only have 10 amp outlet. I can't remember if i needed to get the line upgraded to 30 amp. So maybe $500 or more for the upgrade on top of the $4,500 I think i got got a very good deal with getting the three phase put into the shop.

[@johnnason7019]

Bridgeports are great, but after using several versions of them, I'd take a Trak mill, the conversational programming and the better ergonomics of the electronic handwheels really are wonderful.

[@samrodian919]

God that's a great deal of money mate, but as you're spending your kids inheritance what the hell lol! Good luck getting the oiling system sorted. I really envy you but I don't have that sort of equity available to me, hey ho! I can only dream. I'm a new subscriber and looking forward to some hot chips! Greetings from the home of your new Bridgeport .

[@Preso58]

Is that Bridgeport, Connecticut? Regards, Mark

[@samrodian919]

Mark Presling no mate, England as it was made under licence by Adcock and Shipley

[@thecrazysomething]

You'll be able to put the 3 phase motor back in your lathe and get that machine up and running as well. Good onya mate.

[@jdsharp5036]

Install a pneumatic drawbar unit on top,you’ll love the ease and speed when it comes to tool changes.

[@Preso58]

I already have the butterfly impact wrench and I purchased some linear bearing and some hardened chrome shafting. I have designed the whole thing on my CAD programme and it'll be done with two castings. However, it's all on the back burner while I get the mill back together! Regards, Mark

[@midgoog2]

Mark, Have you put any thought into putting the converter in the corner of the workshop and routing wiring to your machines as and when you acquire them? Cheers Eric

[@Preso58]

Eric, sadly, I don't really have any unused corners in my workshop. The RPC is on wheels so it can be moved around. It's early days yet though. I may refine the layout later. Regards, Mark

[@billbaggins]

Nice score Presso 👍 Nice to see a good price breakdown, not many people talk about costs. You did well with the freight, I was quoted $600 - 1600 to get a small 50kg crate to Bundaberg from Hobart. Monday just gone, I finally picked my new inherited lathe. 320kg and $300 for a crane pickup. Looks nice next to Craigs Workshop's old mill and my little restored Rexman. All timed well with a bonus unexpected cash boost so I can get some tooling, a vice, parallels etc ☺️ Happy days indeed..... until yesterday when my van died 😢 Anyone got an opinion on Great Wall utes ? 😁

[@Preso58]

Chinese plot maybe? Maybe they hacked into it? Yes, freight is a killer. My other anxiety was that I had to trust the freight company to load the mill without chipping the dovetails under the ram. I have heard of cowboys lifting mills like that with unprotected forklift tines which wreak havoc with the machined surfaces. Regards, Mark

[@billbaggins]

@@Preso58 🤣🤣I like the conspiracy idea, better go burn down a 5G tower and shoot down a chemtrail plane.

[@davidhofman4341]

Were British Beaver mills shipped to Australia? I have one of the best models they made. ( 56" by 10" bed, NT40 spindle, 10" riser block, 3hp motor) The only problem new parts are not available. It was built to be a climb mill.

[@Preso58]

David, I just looked up Beaver mills on the lathes.co.uk website and it appears that they exported a lot of machines to the USA but I have never seen one in Australia but then again as a high school teacher, we tended to only deal with smaller mills, usually Hercus or Sheraton. It seems that the Beaver has a lot in common with the Bridgeport and there are so many variants of that pattern. Some, like the Adcock and Shipley, which I have are built under licence and some are clones by other manufacturers. One of the reasons I went with the Bridgeport was the availability of spare parts. Regards, Mark

[@gregghooper]

I have been waiting to find out which way you would go for 3 phase power since I read your post in a forum. Like you I have no access to 3phase. Anyway good job And thanks for sharing Hoops

[@Preso58]

I am always a bit reluctant to ask questions on forums. You tend to get zillions of opinions but most can be confusing. At the end of the day, I was persuaded by the guy who sold me the RPC. I always hate feeling like you are being "upsold" but I liked the idea that I could just plug it in and it would work. Regards, Mark

[@AustrianAnarchy]

Kilometers are about .62 of a mile too, so the financial calculations work out perfect.

[@AJR2208]

Hi Mark, thanks for taking us through this process. It's certainly given me some things to help with planning. This KZbin channel has a series of Bridgport videos that may help you. I don't know if it's the same model. "H&W Machine Repair and Rebuilding" Have fun with your new toy... err Tool. Stay safe and well :)

[@Preso58]

Anthony, I have already seen all the H&W videos. In fact I binge watched them all before my mill was even delivered. They are a wonderful resource for anyone with a Bridgeport or any clone. Regards, Mark

[@AJR2208]

@@Preso58 lol - I should have guessed. I like seeing / knowing how things are built and function. Cheers :)

[@HomebrewHorsepower]

That's a pretty reasonable price. Like you said though, there are cheaper options. When I got mine I took a gamble on an Ebay listing that only had 4 pictures and very little description, and was more than 1000 miles away. The price was so low that I just decided to give it a shot. By the time the machine was sitting in my shop I was in it about $2000 US. I got very lucky. The machine needed a few very minor repairs, but was in quite good condition once I cleaned it up. I'm not sure that I would recommend to people that they should gamble on a machine like I did. I was prepared to lose money on it. For people who can't afford to lose money on a bad deal, it's probably better to spend more to get exactly what you want the first time.

[@Preso58]

You did get a good deal. One of the reasons we tend to pay a lot more is the old supply and demand thing. There are only a handful of mills for sale here in Oz and any one time on Ebay and the machinery dealers might have 20 or so but many are out of the price range for hobbyists or they are way too large for a home shop. So when a suitable candidate comes up the dealers know they can charge what the market will stand! Regards, Mark

[@2lefThumbs]

Pretty reasonable pricing I'd say. I bought a new chinese bp clone a couple of years ago at work for about 8000 GB pounds (excluding tooling and extras ). We had 3phase in the building, but it cost over 1000 pounds to get a cable run from the cabinet to a socket near the machine, so not much cheaper than your rotary converter really

[@Preso58]

That's the "hidden cost" rearing it's ugly head. It was a lot easier for me to just extend the single phase, 15 amp circuit to above the mill and then run the cable down the same line as the air hose and a 10 amp lead. Regards, Mark

[@2lefThumbs]

@@Preso58 very much so, you did well, looking forward to you getting it fettled and showing its capabilities (I never approach 10% of what mine can do, you always seem to be operating at 110%)👍👍

[@hairyfro]

Heh... Greetings from Portland, Oregon. Anyone from here who has driven to Mt. Hood to go skiing or hiking has driven past Boring, so it's quite well known. There's also a city in Oregon with the inspired name of "Oregon City" and it's on the same road as Boring. So, as you're driving past you see the sign for the exit labelled "Boring Oregon City."

[@Preso58]

Nicholas, I thought that was a hoot! There is a place in Tasmania called Dismal Swamp! I am glad Boring has embraced the name! Regards, Mark

[@mathewritchie]

If you spray the surface with soapy water you can move it around for a little while.

[@Preso58]

Matthew, good idea. One of the hardest things about making KZbin videos is that the bloody camera is always in the way of what you are trying to do. Regards, Mark

[@buckbuck9225]

Nice machine

[@peterpjj7380]

Mark I am just about to bring home my Bridgeport, I had it in storeage for 2 years and looking forward to your videos on fixing your machine. Can you give me info where you brought the repair book from as my machine is the same as yours. I live in Mackay

[@MrFastFarmer]

I suggest sell it now before anyone who wants this old crap dies...

[@Preso58]

Peter, Sorry I didn't answer this earlier. I just found your post in my "held for review" folder because of a troll that has been leaving inane comments on this video. I got my book on Amazon (Australia) the link is here www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/1482367912/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It is a useful reference but it has a white cover which is a bit of a strange choice for a workshop environment. Mine got quite grubby quite quickly. Regards, Mark Presling

[@trialnterror]

I went with a 15hp rotary phase converter also! I just switched to cnc and that’s why I bought it cause it supply’s clean voltage! I haven’t had any issues with the cnc with it. I need to look at my Bridgeport and see if it has a coolant pump? How does your coolant pump work? Does it supply oil while cutting , as cutting fluid?

[@trialnterror]

Yeah no access to a coolant pump

[@Preso58]

The little three phase coolant pumps are not all that expensive and mine just sits on a steel plate inside the column of the machine and it's held in place by a couple of small screws. My pump only runs when the main (mill) motor is energised. It has a separate switch and contactor But I haven't added any coolant to the sump yet. I looked into all the options when I got the Bridgeport and the RPC seemed to be the least invasive way of getting the mill running, plus, if I ever get any more three phase machines I can run them too. Getting three phase power to my workshop was never going to happen for lots of logistical and thus, cost reasons so apart from the noise issue I don't have any complaints. Regards, Mark

[@rogerhutchings5811]

I did well getting my bridgeport got it for free I worked for a engineering company and they were moving premises my boss told me I could take one home FOC hope you enjoy your as much as I do mine

[@rogerhutchings5811]

As a interesting project I decided to make a shell mill holder for the bridgeport some lathe work but some mill work so its producing it's own tooling

[@ibjeterhere]

Congratulations, great machine, which I had one ... by the way I live not to far from Boring, Or

[@trialnterror]

I have the same machine that I just added a centroid Cnc control to!

[@trialnterror]

When I bought it it had ballscrews x,y I added a quill ball screw

[@geoffreyward4743]

hi,did you consider a hafco mill brand new.also what kind of way oil did you order.

[@Preso58]

Geoffrey, I ruled out the Hafco mills mainly because we purchased a Hafco lathe for the school where I worked. It was similar in size to my Colchester but it had nowhere near the same cutting capacity. The castings look solid but they are thin and the iron has a lot of inherent issues with resonance. Also the kids had just about wrecked it after 6 months. By contrast, we had two really old Sheraton lathes that were ex-TAFE and they are still going. I kept reading about "old iron" which refers to the classic machine tools like Cincinnati, Monarch, Colchester and Bridgeport. They are made form meehanite which is a superior form of cast iron and they were designed well. I can still get spares for the Bridgeport too. Plus, I like the challenge of restoring old machinery. Regards, Mark

[@garyrhodes7089]

After rebuilding the varispeed head on my series 2 BP I was disappointed in the noise I still had from the head turned out to be the motor bearings

[@Preso58]

Gary, I will be removing the motor shortly, mainly so I can check the condition of the belt but given how many components there are in the drive it actually sounds pretty good. Certainly a lot quieter than my Colchester lathe. Regards, Mark

[@gennadyyakubovich4076]

Quite a setup - great addition to you workshop, Mark. BTW - what is this kind of button that you're holding for a second while starting rotary phase converter?

[@Preso58]

Gennardy, It's just a momentary contact switch to start the idler motor. It must have a latching relay inside the box somewhere to keep the motor running. I believe the motor requires some extra current to get it going. Regards, Mark

[@gennadyyakubovich4076]

@@Preso58 Thanks Mark. I believe there is additional pair of contacts that engaging bank of capacitors during starting, until motor will get up to speed. While you holding this button -(for a second or two) capacitors creating phase shifting circuit and starting idler motor. I don't know how this button called in English :( and looking for the proper name to order it.

[@TAWPTool]

I enjoy every one of your videos Mark! Congrats on the new mill. She's a beauty! For clarification, how do you spell your nickname - Presso, Presser, Preso, Presa...?

[@Preso58]

Guy, I spell it Preso but it's pronounced Prezzo. Us Aussies have a habit of shortening long names and lengthening short names. In my last year of teaching I invited my students to start calling me Preso but none did. I was still "Sir". I still meet ex students who insist on calling me "Sir" even though they are now grown adults. Regards, Mark

[@TAWPTool]

@@Preso58 Thank you for clearing up that nagging question. Have a fantastic day Sir!

[@dtnicholls1]

Did you investigate the cost of getting 3 phase put in? Usually a fairly cost effective solution compared to phase converters.

[@Preso58]

Ahh, well that's a sad story. We had our single phase supply put in underground and we live on acreage so our house is a long way from the property boundary. At the time we had very little money and I told the electrician to use the lightest cable he thought we could get away with. Consequently we could never pull a new cable through the conduit and the only option would be to go overhead. We have some very large eucalypt trees which regularly drop branches that would snap a cable and the trees are all protected anyway..... So, I don't think it's going to happen in my lifetime. Maybe when we all get our own personal fusion reactors it will be viable! Regards, Mark

[@dtnicholls1]

@@Preso58 fair enough mate. If you're anything less than 60mm on the conduit you'll struggle to pull a new cable through, and for acreage it gets expensive fast at around $1200 per 100m for the cable alone.

[@soundlimit300]

Just out of curiosity Mark,What would it have cost you to add 3 phase power to your workshop?

[@dennisa6132]

I wonder that too, is it even possible to add?

[@jon1758]

​@@dennisa6132 depends on what's out on the street, if it's available you'd have to think it would be cheaper

[@captcarlos]

This year I paid $7500 AUZ to put 3phase with 6 outlets in my workshop. The supply pole is on the foot path at the boundary corner of the property, 8m from the meter box which is on the wall of the workshop. And I dug the 1m deep trench. Sounds expensive doesn't it? But, I've got 5 off 3 phase machines I can step up to or possibly have running simultaneously, without any complications, without the noise of a rotary converter or the complications of multiple electronic devices that I don't understand and cannot trouble shoot. 'Tall depends on your circumstances.