I have been using my mini-mill with the excellent 2010 screen-set for a while now, done some nice jobs too. I also have a Bridgeport which is going to be CNC converted as a project soon.

Trying to figure options for Z zero setting - on the mini-mill the semi-auto-manual tool change macros work wonders but I cannot use that on the bigger machine due to the flexible nature of a Bridgeport, there is nowhere to fix the fixed height sense plate.

Am I right my only option here is to use the floating probe plate for every tool change?

The tools are held in R8 collets so pre-set tool offsets are out, just as the mini-mill is.