How to buy a mill machine 

Thanks Dale. That one is in the "you don't find em like that" category. I'll be glad to store that for you if you run out of room.

This bridgeport is the best bridgeport anyone can ever buy. Ill pay some extra penny for this particular machine. Thats Y axis power feed is a jackpot. We dont see alot of this type of Y axis feed and this machine look so damn good and clean.I wish i can own a machine like this in my lifetime.im so jealous.whoever own this machine is the luckiest guy

Great to see you post again Dale, you always have great topics and info. Don't leave us hanging so long please.:) Cheers

ooh now you brought up the memories, how i bought my lathe, what i went with is a tape measure to find out if its gonna fit trough the doors, and that was all the measuring equipment i had with me 😂😂

Excellent video Dale. You covered everything. The only comment I could make (Maybe someone has already said this) is that machine appears to have chrome coated ways. This was a extra option and is something to look for.

So happy for you finding a mill in such pristine shape. A great platform to invest a bit and build on. Thanks for the great content... Joe

I was just talking about the fact we hadn’t seen a video from you in a while. Jason is great. Love his squares. Fireball tool was essential in squaring up my Langmuir by myself. Now to find a Bridgeport.

Hey Dale! Where you been? Missed you big time. Thanks for the great video, thumbs up.

Being and old retired railroad machinist I really love your presentation in your videos. Someday I would like to meet you as I live in Oroville. Was also a machine shop instructor at a local college, had several Bridgeport and Cincinnati mills, Your info on the mill was excellent.

For the Bridgeport mills with the flaked chromed ways for the “Y” direction, what will wear out is the bottom of the cast iron saddle. So even though the chrome ways look in good condition, there can still be a lot of slop in the table because the saddle is worn out. Something that he did not mention is that you’ll want your mill to come with one pump Bijur oiler already installed on the mill. The older milling machines didn’t have them and it involves more effort to oil the ways. Also, anyone that is looking for a turret mill should research the different brands that were made in America. The two American made (for the most part) mills that are still available new are the Bridgeport and Wells-Index. There are other brands of ram style turret mills that were made in America that are well worth looking at. Machines made by Tree, Cincinnati, Ex-Cell-O, Clausing, Gorton, and South Bend are all worth looking at. Some of them are better machines than a Bridgeport. Some of the of the afore mentioned milling machine brands are still supported for spare parts, even though the original maker is out of business. The biggest advantage to the Bridgeport is that there have been so many of them manufactured since 1939 that they’re all over the place and spare parts and accessories are readily available.

That *is* one clean milling machine, the paint looks perfect. I've never seen a used mill so clean before.

Bought mine from the high school I went to when they were cleaning out the old unused metal shop for storage. 9x36 $300 and they helped me load it.

That was a good video Dale. You covered a lot of important things. One thing I think is worth mentioning is the ware in the table in the X axis. Take a cut on a long piece of stock then flip it over and take another cut to see if the machine is worn in the middle of the table. This would show up as a piece that is thicker in the middle and thinner on each end. The machine you purchased most likely does not have such an issue but for someone else it could save them a lot of aggravation. Thanks for the vid!! It was good to see you again. Stay well!!

I got an Alliant that came out of a high school for a $125.00. Very little wear but had a few scars on the table. Thought I got a great deal until I started buying the tooling, that's when it started hurting.

Packed from start to finish with extremely useful content, excellent video....that mill can be delivered to NC at your first convenience, lol

I need a mill, but every time I start looking around, the clapped out ones are going for $3k - $4k... at that point I'd rather pay the extra $1000 for a new import, with the features I actually want.

Nearly, Everything is repairable, its just a matter of how much skill, time and money you've got.

I ran a lot of mills but a Bridgeport is my favorite. Definitely have done some crazy stuff on them.

Thanks for great vid. I'm a retired electrician. Worked in a large maintenance shop that had 2 bridgeports. I would piss off machnists whenever I used a milling machine. Would only fabricate slotted brackets for micro switches and other things for the electric shop. Guys started locking up end mills but I Already had my own end mills. Really pissed them off when I milled out a slot for a key on an old motor. First Bridgeport that I helped my dad wire up was a 2 phase model that took a year for machine shop to get back in the 1960's.

Good to see you Dale. Good info. That is a great looking mill for the home shop.

Here's what I did. I found a used Series 1 listed on a dealers website. Since I am a machinist the quality of the machine was not that important to me. Whatever repairs it needed I could do. I paid $1600 for it. I had them put it on a heavy duty skid. I rented a lift bed trailer from Sunbelt so that I could roll the mill on and off with a pallet truck. I picked up the machine from the shop it was in and hauled it to my shop. I backed the trailer right up to my door and rolled the mill off and right into place. It's still on the pallet. That way if I want to rearrange my shop it's no problem. I spent about $500 to rebuild the head and I spent another $1500 or so to put ballscrews on X and Y. I bought a $250 digital readout on ebay and installed it. I bought an $80 static phase converter to run the machine. That's it.

When putting it on a trailer, really important to get the tongue loading to 10% or so, because that puts the center of gravity in front of the trailer wheels. If the center of gravity (CoG) or mass (CoM) is too far back: 1. Hit the brakes: the trailer gets pushed back. Say it's aimed the slightest bit to the left. If the CoG is too far back, the CoG is on the right vs. the trailer centerline; imagine the trailer standing on its hitch. The braking force 'topples' (pushes) the back of the trailer right, and the tongue left. The tires have some flex or springiness, and a little bit of slop in the hitch, so it aims left a bit. 2. Trailer is aimed left, it swings left, and has inertia so it swings farther left (flexing the springy tires) until the tongue is now aimed far enough right to push it back the other way. 3. The CoG is now on the left; that pushes the back of the trailer left, and the tongue right. The tires have some springiness, so it aims right a bit more. 4. Trailer is aimed right, it swings right, and has inertia so it swings farther right until the tongue is now aimed far enough left to push it back the other way. Had this happen once, and a small trailer full of 16' lumber was sliding the rear tires in a full-size AWD station wagon with a Hemi sideways. That's one way to wake yourself up... I was lucky, didn't have stopped cars in front of me and a slight uphill grade. Never again. This is a mechanical oscillation, and it will jacknife you. Make sure your load is centered a bit forward of the trailer tires.

Just what I needed. The comments and analysis terrific, I'm gonna go build something cool!

Wow! What an excellent video and what a beautiful Bridgeport. I’d re-mortgage my house to buy that beauty😍❤️😍

Great video Dale, thanks! That is a really nice mill😍

Good to see you again. Very useful video, thank you.

Excellent video Dale, after checking out my mill more closely I do believe I have a 3.0!

Thanks! Great video and great score!!

Hey dale nice to see you again!!!

We just bought a used Shizuoka. Old is gold 👍🏼💪🏼😋!

My favorite video's thanks Dale

Lets be honest.. yeah 2000miles, but you got to see Jason :P never mind the mill, it was worth it, lol.. Joking aside, great tutorial on what to look for in a mill.. I can see this helping lots of people! Thanks!

This is great but is the audio bad for anyone else? It sounds... pixelated? What would you call that? Similar to how audio sounds when you try and slow it down in youtube.

Very informative!! Great knowledge to have when going to look at any used mill / lathe.

I'm a recent hobby machinist and just bought a Bridgeport Series 1, 2, HP at a clearing out the building sale, I got it for next to nothing with the vice and tooling as long as it was out of the building by 3/21/2020. It's a long story that sounds like your Atlanta move but it's in my garage now waiting for me to have time to finish the disassembly and move it into my basement shop. The move was the very worst part of the experience besides I have no idea what shape it's in. I should have cut the moving process short and hired an automobile wrecker in the first place to move it. I guess I never realized today wreckers have a short platform on the back of them under the hook that shifts and lowers to the ground. The machine fits perfectly on it and was well support by the hooks slings

Im picking up a late 90s ENCO that was used for making small aluminum parts for a few years and has just sat in a home shop for the rest of the time, its still like brand new, so excited.

Great Video! Really needed this info, Thank You sir!

Recently bought early '90s Bridgeport. Tightened up nuts (dual nuts) to remove slack. significant wear on x-y tables, so I assumed tightened gibs causing tightening toward ends of travel x&y. Later, bought new lead screw. After installing, realized problem was lead screw all along. Wear in tables barely noticeable. Tightening nuts, wear in leadscrew became extremely noticeable. Since I had a 2nd Bridgeport, I turned the leadscrew in the lathe, and thinned ACME threads. Installed used nuts. Excellent results. No need to ever buy another lead screw until the wear gets so bad the threads strip. Only 4 dual nut systems.

Great video, Dale. Thanks for the tips 😊.

Definitely a good machine and one I would buy. Great video as when you are looking for the first time, you have very little idea. Then over time you learn the machine and pick up on all these points that were pointed out.

Where in the world do I find a $5,000 used bridgeport? I'll happily drive 2k miles for it!

Hi Dale,nice tips,thanks for sharing.

Here in Sacramento, Calif....are several U-haul lots...they have a 6'X12' open trailer that has 2.400 pound capacity, 2 axle, surge-brakes.....trailer weighs around 2K....I moved a small electric forklift with one...300 mile trip….very smooth....surge brakes are nice....towed with my 1999 Dodge ram Van...tiny 4 liter V-6.....I don't know the weight of the forklift, but the battery alone is 1,075 pounds...

This was obviously babied or not used much at all, I would snatch this up in a heart beat

That milling machine is in great condition.

Great explanation to the aspiring diy guy! This helps so many people its incredible, thank you!

oo so many memories, used to work on the same machine 20 years ago!

5 flat tires! Wow! It might be worth mentioning how a machine like this would hold its value as a hobby machinist. I figured if i spend a few thousand now, at the rate I'll use it it'll still be worth a few thousand in ten plus years. Just my justification.

One thing that I found when looking for a mill, Bridgeports command a premium just for the name. I found a Wells Index for about half the price.

Yes Billh308, you are correct. I have been looking for one for ages and finally saved enough money to buy one. The one in this video would be around $3000.00 but today this quality machine is selling for $6000.00 to $12,000.00. And those Chinese brands like Grizzley have doubled as well. So I am getting older and weaker to move one into my home but keeping an eye open for one.

been watching your videos for a while, I just recently subscribed. you have some great tips and techniques. im going to try and get a better mill this year, this video was very helpful. thanks

Should be noted Bridgeport this clean almost never show up so either 1. Expect to live with waaaayy more wear than what you see here 2. Be able to rebuild/refurbish and still have value over buying a brand new taiwan knee mill.

Well done Dale. Now to see it in your shop..setup and working .. LOL after you Tram it in .. LOL BTW Good to see you on Emma's Channel

Finally back!

your videographer is very talented. the sharpness and depth is beautiful. good job.

I cried when you ignored the fact that the mitutoyo scales are close to being the best ones to install on anything! I had the same DRO with only X and Y and i sold the bad boy for a nice round number! In terms of precision and reliability there isn't a better DRO to have! Only if you go to heidenhain glass scales ahahah great vídeo!!

I learn a lot from your videos thanks again

Just picked up an old industrial mill for $1800, Only reason I got it so cheap (in my opinion) is because the owner died and his kids were selling everything off. They had no idea what stuff was worth! I missed the metal lathe that was 12" head and 6' bed for $1200!! Now I have to learn how to use this milling machine.

I really enjoyed this video. thanks for the education!!

Thanks for sharing, lets see some more videos. Build something cool.

I'm a fabricator. I bought a 1978 Millport that came with a phase converter, vices and tooling for $400. Cuts slots and drills holes like a champ. How'd I do?

Great video. Very useful information. Mahalo for sharing! : )

Thank you so much for this! I am trying to find a nice mill. Glad you are back.

I got one extremely cheap but did not know how to check it out this is great video and super helpful for me for my next purchase

Dale Awesome 👍 thanks for sharing.

Thanks Dale, very clean and useful! Cheers from Poland!

That bridgeport mill has flashed hard chomed ways. The ware on the chrome alone says everything; the machine has had very little use. What a great buy!

Sweet mill, thanks for sharing. Super helpful info.

$2000 are you insane? This machine is like $10k plus you are not going near a mid nineties Bridgeport in that kind of shape for $2k not anywhere even close

If I could find a "fabricator quality" mill for $1000 I'd buy it today and drive 2000 miles for it.

great great great video...than k you for doing this...i'm a novice machinist metal worker on the hunt for a milling machine...this is verry helpful.

Great video Dale. Very informative and useful. Cheers!

Thanks for sharing,,, nice bridgeport wish you all best with it. 😁😁😁

I like step pulley machines for the home shop. They are less expensive than a comparable VS mill (everybody wants VS). But if the home shop guy is running off a VFD, he's got a fair amount of vari-speed anyway. Less maintenance, and quiet running are the other two benefits. When I bought my J head Bridgeport to replace my old Millrite,, I specifically looked for a step pulley version.

What a useful video! Thanks for sharing.

Excellent video, thanks a lot! Now if I could just find one for sale in my area. Or in Spokane!

this guy knows his machine,

Great video. Thanks

Nice job, Dale. You covered it well. Also, nice meeting you at Jason's shop!

I would say that the DRO does add value to the mill because there is significant difference between a cheap DRO and a nice one, like a mitutoyo. The placement of the graduations is controlled very well by mitutoyo, while there is little guarantee with an off brand

I just bought a south end heavy 10. Looking for my first mill now

Saw you working on the Birdgeport today. Looks like you were enjoying the weather. Great speaking with you this weekend. Looking forward to your next video. Matt

one thousand like for this awesome video thank you dale

Well I just broke all the rules! I bought a mill sight unseen. It came with collets, a rotary table and some cutters.

That was fun Dale. I can’t wait to see what you build with it.

Enjoyed Dale! ATB, Robin

I was JUST thinking about how someone in the RU-vid metalworking community needed to make this video. I'll be in the market for a mill in a couple years after I get my shop built. You should do a video on ways to hook a 3 phase machine up to single phase next.

Find one, that’s always the issue!!!😂😂😂

Your videos are like really good. I enjoy every video you do.

Your correct that was a cherry mill. Here in my part of NC the prices of mills are on mills are on the higher end. My Lagun was 4K and it was solid machinist mill. Since it was across town I had local riggers to shoehorn it in my little shop. I’ve been happy with it and love my 50” table

Something that you didn't point out was the chromed ways. You're not going to get a lot of obvious wear on those. The wear will occur on the underside of the saddle since that is an un-chromed cast iron surface. I've seen it on a few Bridgeports that I've dismantled for cleaning and servicing. The other problem with chromed ways is that they can not be scraped back to factory specs without removing the chrome.

This was very informative. Thank you!

Thank you for video. Very good explanation of buying process. As every shopping there are two fundamental questions: whats your need? does X meet your needs? After good analysis one can find a suprise answer like "In fact I only need single, new, well equipped, classic T&C grinder for my work" - as for example LAKFAM NUA-25 MA;) Milling machines are great (cause of many degrees of freedom giving great processing capabilities), but they possess many error surfaces (the wear) giving less accuracy in the end. Most accurate are cylindrical grinders, but these are the slowest processing machines. Lathe are some kind of compromise. With proper knowledge, and processing plan one can make the same thing on different machines / hand files. Post Scriptum: bushings has two times better accuracy with comparison to bearings due to half of error surfaces. Once I was wondering why it is not a good idea to try preheated kerosene lubrication net for double Babbit's frustrum cones with obvious clearance setting. In general some machines should be centrally preheated in vital points, independently from stable room temperature. Post Post Scriptum: generally speaking some obviousness are not common in machinery like for first shot: nitrogen atmosphere for direct 3-points pressurized acetone, as sub-zero coolant system.

That's so funny, I moved from San Francisco to Atlanta towing a 24ft trailer that blew a million tires too.

Retired CNC programmer/setup guy here, now home machinist. The ONLY thing I did when I bought mine at auction (OK, other than seeing it run) is the ONLY thing I did not see here: check for spindle bearing slop. It's one of the very few flaws that can not be adjusted away, replaced easily or dealt with in use.

Depends on what you want but for tool and die guy you will want a refurbished old machine -depending on state it will cost you around 15 k € in europe-but thats the machine you pay once and with proper upkeep you will have for 50 years+. Buying used mill or a lathe is worse than buying a used car-for car you can find parts in every bigger town(if you live in small village for example),you got mechanic shops -but where da hell are you going to find a mechanic for milling machine? Not many of those around! My advice-save money buy once.Especialy if you live in area with no factory that can service lathes/milling machines -getting it out of shop/sending it for repair/transporting it back/setting it in the shop again --->pain in a$$ and big chunk of money out of your pocket.

Been there and done that. You have excellent information. I enjoyed the video.

How about doing the same thing for metal lathes? If you have...I apologize.

The ways are excellent but I prefer hardened and ground ways.

Great video...thanks for sharing. 👍