Bridgeport Mill Base Question

cbxjeff

I'm planning on moving a Bridgeport mill. Can someone tell me if the base is totally flat on the bottom? Thanks guys.

discusdad

i think the outside rim is recessed with either 4 or 6 contact pads with bolt down access holes. the recess area allows a pry bar to lift an area to shim out a pad to level it. its been a while since i set a mill, and it might have been a knockoff brand, not specificall a Bridgeport

babun

Depends on the model and how old.
All will have at least 1 "access" slot for prybars.

chris8X57

The Series 1 Bridgeport is lighter than the Series 3, but both are top heavy. I found the best approach is to approach them from the side with the forklift, and sling the head. In a pinch, you can put the forks directly through on both sides of the head and shim with 2 x4s under each fork. I've never encountered any problems, but you should still tram everything and dial it back in after leveling the bed.

yonson

The base being flat is irrelevant. There are varying opinions about leveling machine tools - a smaller machine like the BP could just as well be sitting on 3 points which simplifies things, any thing on 3 points cannot be twisted, only leveled. Personally, I would set it on plates at each front corner and one in the rear middle. The rest of the base doesn't need floor contact. Thickness of plates suitable to get a heavy pry bar underneath to lift the machine at each plate so shims may be inserted. How perfect it's leveled is up to you, but perfection ain't necessary. The mill weighs about 2000 or so. You didn't say whether there will be hold-down bolts, probably don't need them unless the mill could be bumped by moving machinery. I used to work in a defense plant and leveled lots of equipment, most of them not as easy as a BP.

arraflipper

Picking up with your fork straddling the column with wood on the forks to protect the machined surface and it won't slide very easy. I not straddle the column from behind and lay a 4x4 across to each fork to lift machine. The base is flat but hollow .

nononsense

I'm planning on moving a Bridgeport mill.

We need more information than that you are moving it.

Across the room?
From outside the garage to inside the garage?
From inside somewhere to the outside and onto a truck?

Across the room, spray Tri-Flow on the concrete floor and use a come-along to initiate the movement. Mop up the Tri-Flow.

There is a lift bolt which is located on the top of the arm used for belt lifting.

Release the dovetail locks on the arm and move the head into a centered position and lift machine with a fork lift.

When you're in the final position follow the suggestion above. Heavy pads under the machine, pry bar to lift slightly to level with shims. Then carefully tram in the whole machine. Place your vise and indicate it in.

Best.

cbxjeff

To be more specific, I'm bring this Bridgeport from a shop about 50 miles away. I have the equipment to remove it from the trailer and set it just inside my shop but I no longer have the fork truck to move to it's final location about 20 feet from the door. My plan is to push it on 1" dia solid steel bars but I need the bottom of the base to be higher than that while moving. I'll use 2x8s to gain the extra height. Hence my question about the flatness of the base.

chris8X57

I once moved a Cincinnati mill by building an A frame gantry around it- two A frames on either end using bolted 4x4s, and a doubled 2x8s for a ridge beam. The 4x4s I added wheels to the ends. After it was built around the mill, I chain hoisted the mill up several inches, moved into place and lowered it. Safe and simple. Disassembled the gantry and leveled the mill.
(this was in the absence of a forklift at the time....) Sounds ridiculous, but it worked.

Alpine

I used 3/4" pipe last time I moved 2 Lagun vertical mills and a K & T Horizontial mill about 20 feet into the room where they have lived for the last 15 years.

Warbirds

If you are moving it into my garage I will buy you dinner and a case of beer!

babun

Warbirds wrote:

If you are moving it into my garage I will buy you dinner and a case of beer!

Wait till he sees it's 3 phase and his shop only has 120/240 single. :shock:

Horse Plains Drifter

babun wrote:

Wait till he sees it's 3 phase and his shop only has 120/240 single. :shock:

He'll have to get a fake-a-phase.

cbxjeff

Yes babun, I hope he was aware of the 3 phase situation. There are two types of converters. One is completely solid state but you lose 1/3 of your device power. The other, which I bought from American Rotory in WI, uses a idler motor any you lose about 2%. Now if I can just get the mill moved!

Alpine

babun wrote:

Warbirds wrote:

If you are moving it into my garage I will buy you dinner and a case of beer!

Wait till he sees it's 3 phase and his shop only has 120/240 single. :shock:

Phase converter. I currently use two rotary phase converters.