Got some advice for a “3 way” ……….(from my wife…;)…..(she thinks it’s better in the front, not the rear?)

[Runs With Scissors]

You dirty old man!!!!!! I know why you clicked on this post… But you will have to wait for the “3 WAY” advice…….


Well there I am, sitting there all Fat, Dumb, and Happy, when it occurs to me that my mill needs reassembly, and the Amazon Fairy just dropped something…..Hmmmmm?????

Well when I open it up, to my utter amazement, SOMEONE ordered an X axis and Y axis power feeds.

Well just about the same time, the UPS dude drops something as well, from H@W machine repair….

Off to the Bat Cave!!!!!!

First off, I have to clean things up a wee bit.

So the "Parts Tank” is the first order of business





The lead screws don’t look too bad as far as wear goes, but when I was talking with H@W I decided to order new X@Y lead screw nuts, just for “kicks and giggles”.





Well that job took the better part of a day and a half…..AND it made my parts tank, an absolute mess…..I gotta figure out how to “reclaim” the mineral spirits in there.

I certainly don’t want to throw away 5 gallons of spirits for one job, but that solvent is trashed now.



Well I remeber my first transmission. (I had better, because I had to R@R it 7 times cause I kept F’ing the rebuild up )

Anywhooo, when I would assemble a strange/"new to me" unit, I would separate all the part/screws/washers/stuff into little piles of “the same stuff”…..(I.E. all the 10mm bolts that were 1/2 inch long would have a pile…..and so on)

I figure this will be a good strategy, cause this is my “First Bridgeport” reassembly.




I have been diligently watching H&W BoobTube videos for, days and days, at this point and I feel pretty confident that this should go well.


First order of buisiness is the Knee. At a svelt 183 lbs…ish.








Then drop in the gear that raises and lowers it and the various “little parts” like the locking mechanisim and such.




BTW, during the "clean up” phase, I found out that someone has been using grease, not Way Oil to lube this machine.

Its certainly a little disappointing, but hey…..I still got a “Bridgeport”

That gear just dropped right in.






Here is the locking mech for the knee.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now for the (thing-a-ma-jig)





I wanted to clean it in the parts tank, but my SIL had already grabbed it and carried it downstairs.

Hey…..not everything goes as planned, and he was a Yuge help, so if I gotta clean this in the basement….oh well.

I start by blowing out all the grease I can.



Then flip it over.





I start using some of my gun cleaning stuff to try and scrape out all the nasty grease.





But in the end, I had to load it up on a dolly and take it up stairs to soak overnight in the parts tank.

It would have taken me “A month of Sundays” doing the above.


After I got it cleaned up, it was pretty easy to slide into place and install the gib and lock.



Previous to this, I had looked up how to “oil the lead screw nuts” and was surprised at how Bridgeport had made it a little tough to oil them.

I reason to myself that I need to do something about that.

And to my surprise, H@W machine has a solution.

You have to drill 2 (5/32”) holes in the “lead screw carrier” at certain points,




Then you have to run some tubing to them and route your oil lines.




Then you have to connect and install the “3 way” valve……(FINALLY…THE 3 WAY!!!!!!)

Now here is where I differ from Barry (H@W machine guy that does all their videos)

He installed it in the rear. So I yelled up the stairs to my wife…..

“HONEY….SHOULD I PUT IT IN THE FRONT OR THE REAR!!!"

Naturally, she agreed with me and decided the front was the best place to put it.








Now I know they have an “automatic oiler” ……….However, they are 500’ish bucks and I also want to get a 3 axis DRO for it soon.

So I decide to go with the 60 dollar “get by” method, in order to “justify” the DRO in a few weeks when I “testify” before the “Finance Committee” later this month….

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now for the table….

Things are really coming along nicely, …….So far, so good!

During the “storage phase”, we had a really warm day suddenly.

Well without even thinking about it, I opened the F’ing garage door for a little while, then obviously shut it and just turned off the lights...

The next morning, when I was going to work, I opened the door and was FLOORED…..

(Think of a cold beer, on a hot day…..it sweats…..)

Everything that was not painted was COVERED in rust…..

I immediately grabbed a can of Fluid Film and sprayed everything down…..Although it was just “surface rust” it pissed me off, so I am going to try and clean the table “extra good”.

The table came in at just a tick over 215 lbs.








and with the help of the “Cherry Picker"




A few minutes later, and its on.



Now I grab my “stone” and try to “clean the table up” a little.

I lightly went over the entire table, trying to get all the rust and possibly some high spots.

I used Tap Magic cutting fluid as the lube for the stoning.










I was happy with how well it came out.

It’s certainly not “new”, but it looks "pretty OK".




Tomorrow I’ll add/post the “power feed install”

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Now for the (thing-a-ma-jig)


View attachment 174022


I wanted to clean it in the parts tank, but my SIL had already grabbed it and carried it downstairs.

Hey…..not everything goes as planned, and he was a Yuge help, so if I gotta clean this in the basement….oh well.

I start by blowing out all the grease I can.

View attachment 174023

Then flip it over.


View attachment 174024


I start using some of my gun cleaning stuff to try and scrape out all the nasty grease.


View attachment 174025


But in the end, I had to load it up on a dolly and take it up stairs to soak overnight in the parts tank.

It would have taken me “A month of Sundays” doing the above.


After I got it cleaned up, it was pretty easy to slide into place and install the gib and lock.

View attachment 174026

Previous to this, I had looked up how to “oil the lead screw nuts” and was surprised at how Bridgeport had made it a little tough to oil them.

I reason to myself that I need to do something about that.

And to my surprise, H@W machine has a solution.

You have to drill 2 (5/32”) holes in the “lead screw carrier” at certain points,

View attachment 174027


Then you have to run some tubing to them and route your oil lines.

View attachment 174028


Then you have to connect and install the “3 way” valve……(FINALLY…THE 3 WAY!!!!!!)

Now here is where I differ from Barry (H@W machine guy that does all their videos)

He installed it in the rear. So I yelled up the stairs to my wife…..

“HONEY….SHOULD I PUT IT IN THE FRONT OR THE REAR!!!"

Naturally, she agreed with me and decided the front was the best place to put it.


View attachment 174029


View attachment 174030


Now I know they have an “automatic oiler” ……….However, they are 500’ish bucks and I also want to get a 3 axis DRO for it soon.

So I decide to go with the 60 dollar “get by” method, in order to “justify” the DRO in a few weeks when I “testify” before the “Finance Committee” later this month….

You are damn right…you trolled me real good. I did not go so far as to put on the Marvin Gaye, but I did check to make sure not April Fools day. I did not go so far as to turn down the lights. You had me at 3 way! The last one was one of best days of my life! Great job and carry on. Love the stories!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

OK, well its about time to put the hand cranks on.

However, instead of going with just the factory cranks, I have decided to go with “power feeds” on the X&Y axis’s.

I am on the fence about the Z axis. I am unsure of how much use it would get.

So I have decided to put that money towards the DRO……(At least for now )

The directions are…..well…….lets just say they are “optimistic”, at best.

Only 6 or 7 EASY steps.







But is it that easy?


ASIDE; When we were looking for houses 27 years ago and getting frustrated with the entire experience, I was talking with my buddy Tim, and he says “Just build the F’ing thing!”…...

I said, “I have no idea how to build a house."

Tim: “It’s easy, just dig a basement and put a house over it"

So I did it…………...

Hahahahah………….The good ole days, when life was less complicated.


Well from the videos I have seen, these power feeds don’t look too bad to do, so let's get at it.

So there is no mention of ANY tolerences, or specs, or backlash or anything else mentioned in the “instructions”, so as a “first step”, I just throw it together and see what happens


Everything seems to basically fit OK, but the dial is rubbing…..seems like and “easy fix"




I throw the “big spacer” on but it is a little too thin, so I open the other box for the Y axis and “Rob Peter to pay Paul”…..

But BAM, it works.




Well thats cool!!!!!

This should be done in about 15 minutes…….(famous last words)


Then I put the handle on, and…..

Waaa….waaa….waaaa…………(cue the sad violin music)




Something is not quite right.

Obviously the nut for the handle has to be able to thread on, but I’ll be damned if it will.

So here we go…..

My “big fear” is that I will cut/trim something, then 2 minutes later, figure out that I should NOT have trimmed/cut that thing, and will have F’d everything up….

So I proceed to install this damn thing literally about 200 F’ing times……

Here is the “shim pack” they sent,




I tried probably every combination of shims that I could think of.

I was having “flashbacks” of my beginning days of shimming axles and trying to remember all the “general rules and guidelines” for back lash and whatnot.

5 F’ing hours of shimming/thinking/swearing/throwing sh1t……..(More cursing)

I can’t figure this damn thing out…….I decide it’s time to “put the tools down and step away from the project” …………..(at least until tomorrow)


Aside; …..BTW what the F are these damn “Woodruff Keys” mad from….butter?

I have no idea what kind of “steel” these things are made from, but it/they are amazingly soft.






I eventually came to the conclusion that I before I put those dan “Woodruff Keys” in….AGAIN,……... I will make sure the spacing is correct, cause I am tired of “fighting them” .

So the next day, I’m at it at “zero dark thirty”…..I am at my “wits end”, so I break out the new tube of “prussian blue”….Y’all are correct……..that sh1t gets EVERYWHERE!!!!!




All that did was make a “colossal mess, of epic proportions”…...

This is the best I could do.


After reviewing some videos, it seems that everyone was “OK” with only 2 threads holding the handle on….even Tubalcain was surprisingly OK with it…..


BUT

Stupidly, this MF’r has become my “White Whale”…….For some unexplained/unreasonable/dumb/insane reason, this is really bugging me.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

OK there Captain Ahab, its time to get serious, and do some “critical thinking” instead of just “Blindly throwing sh1t at the wall to see what sticks”.


So I start comparing, and taking measurments of the new stuff Vs. the old stuff.









I finally came to this conclusion:

If I want “all” the threads showing, I will have to “shorten it”….

I can’t explain why I am so hesitatnt to shorten this thing…..I mean, as I look back at it, it’s only a 180 dollar gamble really…..(Hell I lost 1/2 a years salary one night in Vegas….so who gives a F about 180 bucks.)

Now the next problem…..How to hold the damn thing in the lathe?

For the next 2 hours, there I sit, like a jackass, staring at the lathe and the part…..thinking….and thinking…..and…….

I got nothing…….Nada….Zip……...


Then it hits me………..The Chi-Com mill!!!!!!

In a “flurry” of ideas, This is the best I can come up with…Not very impressive, and possibly a little sketchy, but we are afterall in the workshop of a guy named “Runs With Scissors"





SUCCESS!!!!!!!






Well truth be told, its a “scosh” short……But nothing a few of those shims can’t handle.



Well what the hell are you waiting for my man, lets tackle the Y axis.


Now that I have some confidence/experience: The Y axis WILL/SHOULD/MIGHT go a little better/easier.

( "Thar she blows!!!!!!!!"………...famous last words)

 

[Kennyd4110]

Brings back many memories of when I bought, dissembled, moved and reassembled mine, nice job!

I rebuilt my J-head last year, Barry and H&W are awesome to say the least.

 

[Kennyd4110]

Pic of mine that I took Monday

 

[Runs With Scissors]

So the “directions/instructions” will make a nice fire one day, but they are equally as bad as the first set….No surprise there.

But for this axis, there is an “adapter plate”.

They don’t supply any “longer cap screws” with the plate, so I “scrounge around” and find 3 that “will work”….(even though my OCD is screaming, cause they are different lengths……)








So now the problem is that when you put the motor on, it blocks the handle of the Z-axis.

Hmm……...

I had/have seen them installed “cocked to one side” in some of the videos I was watching, so it’s not necessarily a “surprise” …..

But no matter how I “indexed” that base plate, none of the holes would line up to give me an “acceptable amount of cock’ness"

So I have to drill and tap a new hole.

Easy, peasy…….

But, no matter what I do, I can’t get the shim stack correct……AGAIN…...

Now on thing I mentioned in my previous post, is that the “big shim” for the X axis was too small….So I “Robbed Peter, to pay Paul” and took the “big shim” from this kit to use on the X install.

Damn it man!!!!!! I was hoping the shim waould not be needed, but as fate would have it….I need it.

Oh well….I search the “scrap pile” and come up with this “brass/bronze” mystery pipe, that happens to be nearly the perfect size……

So its off to the lathe, to make my shim

Now the problem is how to hold it……again with this damn “work holding” thing…….

It’s kinda long, so I don’t think that cutting it without some “support” is a good idea.

I need a “bull nosed” dead/live center….but I don't have one……..


Aside: I should make one of those things, cause I have needed one before, but I am to the point where every single one of my “projects”, creates 5 F’ing more projects…..so NOTHING EVER GETS DONE!!!!!!!!

Well, after some “looking around”, this is the “abomination” I come up with…...




YES…you see it correctly…...…I used one of my “drill chucks”…...as a “dead center”…..

I can’t claim any “moral high ground” on this one, but sometimes “Sh1t has to get done"


It takes 2 trys, but I finally get a “properly'ish sized” shim.




Now I throw it all together….and it LOCKS UP TIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!



This was supposed to be “the easy one”……But it’s turning out to be like Gilligans “3 hour tour"


I must have taken that damn thing apart 378 times, but each time I do, as soon as I put the nut on, it locks up.

Nothing I try is working……..no shim stack is working, no amount of cursing is helping….Nothing…..

I measure, and re-measure, and re-measure, and re-measure…..but alas…...

Another day is pissed away………..Time to get the rum out, and drown my sorrows…...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Brings back many memories of when I bought, dissembled, moved and reassembled mine, nice job!

I rebuilt my J-head last year, Barry and H&W are awesome to say the least.

Thanks!

Yea, he has a lot of good informative videos…..I have a “love/hate” relationship with BoobTube……But in this case, they have been “life savers” for sure.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Well the 3rd F’ing day is upon us, and this project is taking WAY….WAY….WAY

longer than I anticipated….I know I said I took it apart 378 times….but it was probably closer to a million…….

As I sit there, I am going over in my head “what is happening” and it seems that every time I put it together, a different thing happens/binds/locks up…..

It’s as if something is “mis-aligned”, but for the life of me I can’t figure it out.

For those of you that have installed manual transmissions, it was like when you are trying to put one bell housing bolt in, and that in turn mis-aligns the others……..So in my head, something is “cock-eyed”…..

I decide to pull it “totally apart” …..even the base……Which there could NOT POSSIBLY BE ANYTHING WRONG WITH!!!!!!!

Then it hits me like a “sack of hammers”…..There is an “alignment ring” on the “base" that centers the “base" to the mill……So if that ring is too big somehow, when I tightened it down, it would “cock to one side or the other”...

I am embarrassed that I did not take pics of “the centering ring” before, but when I took all my measurements, it was about .024” too big to fit into the hole.

So I almost literally “ran over” to the lathe, swapped the chuck and turned it down about .030”.




BAM….LIKE BUTTER!!!!!!!




She is as "smooth as silk" now…...

 

[Sidekick]

I asked the wife your question and her answer was " You want rear, it's gonna cost you. Go pay a hooker and hire a lawyer" . There seems to be a price on everything anymore. Thanks for the entertainment.

 

[lynnmor]

That nut and screw will be real fun when hand cranking. You have some more work to do.