Thread: Bridgeport or HM46 mill

Hello all

I currently have a HM46 style mill and have seen a Bridgport come up for sale. I know some people love Bridgeports, where as others may feel they are over priced and lack rigidity.

In reality the Bridgeport may need work such as scraping in the ways. The HM46 does need work such as scraping in the ways.
The HM 46 has a reasonable envelope.

The question I would like to ask is am I gaining much by going to a Bridgeport compared to a fully gone over HM46?

Thanks

Steve

I honestly don't understand how there could even be a comparison between a benchtop machine and a floor standing machine that's 5x the size. The only time you're likely to run in to rigidity issues is during big roughing passes, but that's easily overcome by simply taking an extra pass or 2. Even then it's still going to be a vastly more capable machine.

Even my HM52 is a step up from a benchtop machine which I was originally going to buy and then the Bridgeport is another step up again.

The columns on Bridgeports and clones are massive even compared to my mill.

Sad that's it's worn out though, are you willing to take on a huge project?
The amount of work involved it could end up being a year or so before being a rebuilt mill ready to use.
Because as soon as you pull it apart there always seems to be other issues to fix/parts to buy as well.

If it's a good price, buy it and give it a general deap clean up and then sell it for more, then sell your benchtop machine and buy a new knee mill or something that doesn't need work.

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Originally Posted by Dave J

If it's a good price, buy it and give it a general deap clean up and then sell it for more, then sell your benchtop machine and buy a new knee mill or something that doesn't need work.

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I know this becomes a difficult question but what is a good price for a bridgeport? To make it a bit easier.
A - Very good condition owned by enthusiast.
B - Works with fair wear and tear.
C - Still runs but really needs a rebuild.

To ask this another way, are they in what I would call the Myford class of pricing. Due to their popularity some will happily pay a premium.

Thanks

Steve

I think a working Bridgeport in reasonable condition (but with a little wear) $3,500, well worn $1,500 and excellent condition which would be rare $5,500 or more.

These are my prices in my head of what I'd pay.

I've seen a few HM50 and 52's go for around $2,700 and a little higher.
But this was before covid tax, lol



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I bought a new 45 size geared head mill and used it for about 6 years. In that time I taught myself the basics of milling and learnt the art of working within the limits of the machine.

About 4 years ago I threw caution to the wind and bought a Pacific FTV-2 mill site unseen. The photos showed its head totally in pieces and stacked in a box. TBH it looked like a boat anchor but it came with a power feed, a Sony DRO, a universal dividing head and a 200mm riser block.

So for $1200 I figured it was a safe bet I would at least get my money back either way.

With a few months of fixing stuff I got it up and running. It works well but the ways are badly worn which was disappointing at the time.

The point I'm trying to make is that with all its wear, it's still a superior machine to the newer one it replaced. I have grown quite fond of it.

Simon



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You would actually gain quite a lot if you stepped up from a HM-46 to a Bridgeport. I have a DM-45 (like the HM46) and a Herless SM-1 (like the Grizzly g0731) and I stepped up a few months ago to a Hafco BM-20E (bridgeport clone). The HM46 lacks headroom and you can only tilt the head left and right. Also tramming in a HM46 style I would have to say is more tedious than a Bridgeport, because of the mounting of the HM46 head. The Bridgeport or its clones have a lot more mass, more headroom and also more depth, the head can tilt left/right - up/down, you can also swing the hole head on a Bridgeport should you have to do a job at the end of the table that you can't reach within the limits of the table travel. If you wanted to spend the money you can a buy a horizontal attachment for a Bridgeport making it even more versatile.
I liked my DM45, but I stopped using it because the column gib was never right from brand new and I need to make a new gib for it. The SM-1 is a good mill, but it needs a spacer to gain headroom. I have wanted a Bridgeport or a clone for a long time, because of the versality and some projects I have in mind. I bought my BM-20A from ESP Machinery and I paid $6,050.00 including GST and I'm very happy with what I got. I bought it basically sight unseen apart from a video, some photo's and having a friend look at it. I could have spent a bit more and bought a brand new Hafco BM-23A which have actually jumped up in price quite a bit since I bought my BM-20E but I wanted the bigger table and a 3 phase machine.
Personally I wouldn't want to spend any less than $3500.00 on a Bridgeport or a clone otherwise I would think that you could end up buying something that's quite worn and going to take a lot of work to get it right.

Part of the answer would be what you actually end up doing with your mill.

I have a clone with 450mm Y, that's been a huge plus.
I've also done many jobs that have had the head way off to the side to allow the job to either go around the table or hang off the table towards the floor.
But if your stuff is on the smaller side neither of those things are much use.

Just how clapped out a mill can be before it NEEDS scraping also depends on what you are doing. My X axis is pretty flogged, if it was set correctly in the middle it would lock up before reaching the ends. But then, its not often I need to machine 770mm to sub 0.1mm.

As for price, its been to long since I was following that and even if it wasn't it seem location has a lot to do with it.

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Part of the answer would be what you actually end up doing with your mill.

I have a clone with 450mm Y, that's been a huge plus.
I've also done many jobs that have had the head way off to the side to allow the job to either go around the table or hang off the table towards the floor.
But if your stuff is on the smaller side neither of those things are much use.

Just how clapped out a mill can be before it NEEDS scraping also depends on what you are doing. My X axis is pretty flogged, if it was set correctly in the middle it would lock up before reaching the ends. But then, its not often I need to machine 770mm to sub 0.1mm.

As for price, its been to long since I was following that and even if it wasn't it seem location has a lot to do with it.

I've just recently noticed a slightly difference in tightness of my X àxis center compared to the ends.

What I've done is to mount the 160mm vice one end and the Small rotary table that I often use the other and I'll use it like this swapping sides for a few years to wear the outsides evenly.
Hopefully it works as planned.

DaveJ

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Another factor to consider. The HM46 table is rated to carry around 55kg. Once you have a decent vice and/or rotary table mounted up you have used up a fair portion of that allowance. The BP and clone machines are rated to carry 250kg on the table.

Originally Posted by Reidy41

I know this becomes a difficult question but what is a good price for a bridgeport? To make it a bit easier.
A - Very good condition owned by enthusiast.
B - Works with fair wear and tear.
C - Still runs but really needs a rebuild.

To ask this another way, are they in what I would call the Myford class of pricing. Due to their popularity some will happily pay a premium.

Thanks

Steve

My Brother in Law tool maker by trade bought a new Bridgeport in 1977 and is still using it today, it has done a lot of work and I doubt he has ever done anything major to it in all that time apart from adding a DRO. What makes you think the machine you are looking at needs work, is it obviously damaged or not working in some way?

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

My Brother in Law tool maker by trade bought a new Bridgeport in 1977 and is still using it today, it has done a lot of work and I doubt he has ever done anything major to it in all that time apart from adding a DRO. What makes you think the machine you are looking at needs work, is it obviously damaged or not working in some way?

As I said in the original post I suspect that the ways may be worn. This is just from a comment that was made to me. Until I get a chance to get a DTI on the table and do some checks that Marcus recommended I won't know for sure, it might be the best Bridgeport out there. Like all of us I am trying to balance dollars spent on machine capability. I have not ever used a Bridgeport. The feedback I am getting is it will be a big jump up from what I have. Therefore Covid and Work permitting I will most likely make the 3 hour drive each way and check it out.

I thought it better to ask the question than buy the thing and get feedback later, or find that I have gained very little. For all I knew someone may have said Bridgeports are good but for the same money this XYZ is a much better machine and explained why.

Steve

You will be shocked at how good a BP is after using smaller Asian machines even if it needs to some work but don't presume it has to be renovated to be used. Just use it and see if any obvious problems arise. Good luck with it and having moved one twice I will decline any invitation to help.

As long as it's reasonably priced your winning. Don't leave it to long or someone else will be onto it.
Enjoy

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Originally Posted by Reidy41

As I said in the original post I suspect that the ways may be worn. This is just from a comment that was made to me. Until I get a chance to get a DTI on the table and do some checks that Marcus recommended I won't know for sure, it might be the best Bridgeport out there. Like all of us I am trying to balance dollars spent on machine capability. I have not ever used a Bridgeport. The feedback I am getting is it will be a big jump up from what I have. Therefore Covid and Work permitting I will most likely make the 3 hour drive each way and check it out.

I thought it better to ask the question than buy the thing and get feedback later, or find that I have gained very little. For all I knew someone may have said Bridgeports are good but for the same money this XYZ is a much better machine and explained why.

Steve

It's all about work envelope and rigidity.

The B/port has a relatively generous work envelope, a lot of flexibility for oddball setups but isn't particularly rigid and the R8 spindle is nothing to get excited over.

You can get a better machine for the same sort of money but you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Would I take a worn B/port over a HM46? In a heartbeat. Without even stopping to think about it. Even if I had to re-scrape it.

I have a B/port and 2 other 40 taper mills with a lot more HP and rigidity. The B/port was my main mill for many years though and while I don't use it much these days, it's still a highly capable machine.

PDW