Bridgeport Manual to CNC conversion...

[JAZZCNC]

Hmm, looks like a no-go then - it weighs 4,500kg and has a 7.5kw spindle

Can't beat fat lass with bit of muscle.!!! . . . . But ye got to be practicle. .

[Davek0974]

That's the thing - I know mass rocks when it comes to machines, and also see the point of having a pre-ballscrewed donor but as you say - I need to be practical if I bother to do this.

It would have to be viewed as what it is - a computer controlled Bridgeport Knee Mill NOT a VMC wannabe. I really can't squeeze anything much bigger than a BP in and have no expansion options as we are residential so have to be careful a bit ;) There is no garden left to build a bigger shop.

In the past I have had bigger stuff - a Colchester Student lathe, a large horizontal mill and a vertical slotting machine - all the stuff i used when building traction engines for fun. Back then I would have killed for a CNC bridgeport but had neither the cash or the knowledge. Using a boring head to machine a 25mm hole out to 100mm and only being able to take small cuts gets old real fast - that job would be seconds with CNC ability.

I'm still not convinced and a bit pissed that the machine I linked to above costs less than the ballscrew kit alone :(

[jamesgates1000]

Why don't you trade your Bridgeport in for a Bridgeport interact and convert that to Mach3?

[Davek0974]

Why don't you trade your Bridgeport in for a Bridgeport interact and convert that to Mach3?

Something like this???

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bridgeport...sAAOSwYmZXD2Iq

[jamesgates1000]

Looks like a pretty good deal, I have used them before with the heidenhain control and they are good machines. Best wait for some advice from the others regarding suitability for Mach3 conversion.

[Davek0974]

Luckily, I got the tape measure out last night.

I can't fit anything bigger than the standard Bridgeport in! That only fits because the head is between the roof trusses, so that rules out practically all others I think as even an Interact is 90" tall which i think is 12" more than a standard machine.

So my options now seem limited to converting my own BP, buying another BP and converting that then selling my on on or not bothering.

[Davek0974]

Just had a lengthy chat with my supplier of bits and they seem to favour heavily towards 8NM stepper-servo's for this task. The specs read well, basically a closed loop stepper and DSP drive with variable current etc. Price was about £250 per axis for motor and drive with cables.

Being stepper also means i can use my existing knowledge of BOB's and USB motion controller etc.


More options to throw in the pot.