this ones nice but theres also a dizzying array of vertical and horizontal mills and some that utilize various attachments to do both even. Personally I would use the one in the video for exactly the sort of things he said, power tapping, chamfering the edges of cast parts, etc etc. over the years these types of mills were absolutely offered by many as he said and still are, theres so many options out there its crazy. I would again personally say a purchase would depend on budget and use. If you just want it because its a cool tool then ok, you buy a used one or maybe something smaller than this one and put it in your garage. The important thing is to take a course on basic use of whatever it is you get from a trained professional. even if its just tips and tricks from a retiree or videos like this. these machines can and remorselessly WILL take your fingers off. but with that said, wisely used they are tremendous fun. its not really commercially viable to do job shop work with purely manual machines for big things, or large batches, but even today, sometimes a solid old mill is a great option for many things. Best of luck.
if you look up the company world wide machine tool, all one word you will find a site where you can find details on the current bridgeport knee mill options, ive never worked with or through them though just found them on google and it seemed useful. to be able to custom spec a mill would be neat, ive not ever done that.
This was a great introduction to the machine. What's good about this is it makes novices aware of the what is possible which helps decisions about what machine to buy.
The Bridgeport milling machine is still made today in the USA, using the same basic design. I own one made in 1947. That mill design has endured the test of time.
James, I have a PM 935TS 3 phase that I will be converting to VFD. The way you have demonstrated your mill has taken a lot of the mystery out of the operation especially the auto downfeed portion. I find your videos to be very interesting, informative and your topic selection covers a lot of issues. I look forward to more of what you have to offer the machining world.
I knew most of that but having someone confirm things is always good. Super useful for anyone wanting to understand all the features of a similar style mill vs a simple bench mill.
James, As usual you've done another outstanding job. Many hobby machinists only dream of a Bridgeport style mill and your showing and explaining how they work is a Service to the profession. Its rare now a days to find a person with your teaching and instructional knowledge much less the technical expertise of the tooling , electrical and computer skills all rolled into one. Keep up the great work. In MY 45 years of machining you rank in MY top 5 of MASTER machinists. I for one appreciate all you are doing.
im a year late but i think this is outstanding and tons of these about as wide a variety of tools as is possible should be made, and then compiled into a reference library. Im totally going to post this to my facebook wall with the caption "so you want to be a manual machinist? this is one of about 250 tools you could be using"
Really enjoyed this and found it useful. I particularly enjoyed the pace of delivery and the fact that you go through every step very clearly as well. Camera work is also good - you'd be surprised how many video presenters say "...just flip this lever on this side..."and said lever is completely off-screen... thanks again!
I have run several Bridgeports and clones. I bought and rebuilt a English Beaver VBRP mill. The biggest difference is in the power feed and travel limit on the quill. I am glad I found the Beaver.
An important note for Bridgeport mills with a step pulley drive. When engaging back gear there is an additional lever on the top of the spindle that must be rotated to the right about 1/4 turn along with the crank lever shown on the side of the milling head. This top lever uses a cam action to disengage the large bull gear from the spindle. This performs the same function as manually pulling out the pin that locks the bull gear to the spindle on a belt drive lathe. Just engaging the side lever on this style mill will lock the entire spindle immobilizing it. While this may seem to be a really handy way to get something stuck in spindle loosened on a back gear equipped lathe or mill, it is inviting disaster. If you are banging on the hung up tool or chuck all of that shock is being transmitted through the bull gear teeth and latching pin. If you've ever wondered how someone managed to break teeth on a back geared machine you now know how to do it.
And when switching to direct, after moving the top lever, you need to rotate the spindle until the gear drops in place, before you turn on the machine. After running a step pully machine for many years, even now that I have vari speed heads, I still find my muscle memory reaching for that top lever.
I also have this same mill in the step pulley version which I have converted to a VFD operation. The quality of this mill and support from Precision Matthews is top notch.
I learned how to machine on a very old Bridgeport but it was a stepping stone to CNC mill and lathe. Even though I know my way around a vertical mill just like this one, this was a great video to go back and watch.
Really nice, and very thorough walk-through! Good editing. It comes across as one straightforward monologue, and breaks are hardly noticeable. I really enjoyed this!
just a little side note James, the micrometer fine feed lower nut needs to have clearance to drop if you wind it all the way down it will jamb and not work.
I have an Indigo vertical mill; looks exactly like the Bridgeport. I am a hobby fabricator and I always forget how to use the quill feed. This was a great, concise, and detailed explanation. Thanks.
I have been casually running a step pulley Bridgeport for years and never really understood how to power down food works. This video was very informative, thank you.
Great video. Very useful. Please continue this sort of videos. I use a similar machine here and then at work yet i am not a professional machinist. The machine i use is old and several of the label and engraved plates are long gone and its really not clear how all these controls work and interact without indication. your video makes it very clear. thanks
Very very very video and format. I've a milling machine for several years as a hobbyist and I alway walk away from these video's learning something. The tips, explanations, reasons, history...are all fascinating and helpful learning all the potential of these machines. Thank you James.
Even though I own a PM-935TV mill (Which I love and would highly recommend) I learned something I didn't know ... Well done as always ... Thanks for sharing ... Stay safe and well....
My BP clone is a pulley change speed selection type, but most of the rest is the same. I still need to make a hand wheel for the fine quill feed, mine was missing so I haven't tried it out yet. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the great content. I have found it very informative and educational. I have a PM-935TS and a PM1236T, both 3 phase. Your series on the lathe motor swap and vfd info gave me the confidence to purchase the 3 phase machines and get them up and running in my home hobby shop.
There are a lot of ways to learn. I for one enjoy, listening to a visual and well explain presentation over reading a book. Being new to this, I am finding my way, and would love to see a video detailing how X, Y and quill measurements are red on the different manual scales of the handles and quill. Excellent video!
Ideas for Future videos: Using Inkscape to create circuit board edging on EasyEDA (Which leads neatly into)... WORKFLOW! Using various apps and pushing the outputs between each other. People may know one app but not realise that you can export the dxf or gcode or (insert 100 formats here) format into the other software and thus setup "workflows". As a software and a hardware guy you are well placed to talk about workflow do's and don'ts. You are also aware of the 1 10 100 rules of effort and all the other nice things to throw in fun diagrams about.
I'm generally _more_ interested in the project-based stuff, but having a few of these scattered in now again (and collecting them all in a playlist, for when one needs such things) also definitely strikes me as a win. Thanks for doing this!
@@Clough42 Bummer that viewership is down. Hopefully it's worth it at least once in a while. And, too, I'm curious: does long-term viewership do any better, via tutorial seekers vs. regular viewers of whatever's the latest? Anyway, you asked, and that's my take. I appreciate it, but I'll appreciate it more if/when I actually have a similar mill in front of me. :)
I really like this. I don't have a milling machine yet so it's nice to see the possible capabilities that one might have. Plus I just really like machines and how they work.
You should record a tutorial on how to record a tutorial. Concise and to the point. A refreshing change from the typical verbose, self aggrandizing YT How-to. Subbed.
My fun little Bridgeport story. Got called to help at a different plant. Some holes got drilled off so I had to mill the slot a little longer. Boss man helps me carry the stuff down to the shop area and there was a drill chuck in the mill and I just need a collet and end mill. I grab the vise handle and loosen the draw bar with it and his head almost exploded 😂 he had never seen that one before.
Thank you so much. I currently don't own a mill. But I am wanting to get started in the hobby. I really like this format and find this information very helpful for getting started and knowing what to look for in the future when I start looking for equipment.
I wish I had this video back when I bought my machine,, being a home machinist myself I got to the point where I had to have a mill and literally had to figure everything out myself this video would’ve helped tremendously..👍
I definitely appreciated this video and would like a similar one for your lathe. I think you have a good teaching style and enjoy these types of videos from you.
Nice to see some functions of the mill. I haven't seen you use it much lately due to all of the new equipment. I've never used a Bridgeport type mill before so it was nice to get the tour. Very impressive machine.
James, I enjoy all your videos. The way you explain things is easy to understand but TODAYS VIDEO WAS AWESOME......id like to see possible same kinda videos of the lathe, plasma table esp fire control, cushion 360 etc. Thanks, Chris
Great demonstration of the mill's features. To prevent running the mill in the opposite direction to that intended when back gear is engaged a sensor could be installed to detect back gear lever position which affects the electrical current flow direction in the motor direction control circuit using a relay switch configuration.
Liked the vid, I learned some stuff, only comment i can give is add a link to your video on installing the speed handle for those that liked the feature.
Very nice mill James. All except that back gear reversing your Spindle direction. Why not install a micro switch that would actuate a double poll double throw relay to swap two wire pairs of your forward reverse switch and then your switch would always be what it says. 🤷🏻♂️
We got a PM-950V at work several months ago. I had already learned everything here from the manual plus various RU-vid videos, but I would have loved to see this video back then. The quill feed functions on a Bridgeport style head can be confusing, and your video covers everything in one place. This will be very helpful for anybody getting their hands on a Bridgeport style mill for the first time. I've been wondering whether it's ok to routinely use the brake to stop a spinning tool. I've mostly just used it while wrenching on the drawbar, for fear of wearing the brake shoes quickly. I got sick of cranking that two-piece micrometer stop up and down all the time, so I replaced it with one from McMaster-Carr that has a push button to disengage it from the threaded rod. That was a nice quality of life improvement that you might also like to consider. I also just put a cheap quill DRO kit from Shars on it, and I'm liking that so far.
James, if I ever need some form of neurosurgery or eye surgery, would you consider reading up on it and do my surgery? Your name should be scalpel, you are one sharp man!!!
Thank you for this! You explain things extremely well. I have a friend who just ordered his first mill and we're going to tag team learning/using it, this was very helpful. If you could explain using the DRO and/or table movements would be fantastic.
Thanks, James, a good tutorial. I assume that in a future video you will discuss the table controls. Based on some recent forum posts I have seen, a discussion of the head adjustment would also be useful.
Thanks, James, I learned something today. I had been unaware that the quill power feed had an upward stop trip feature. Because it has a Vari-drive, your mill must be patterned after the Series 2 Bridgeport; it’s interesting to note that there is no need to disengage the direct drive portion of the spindle when engaging back gear. My older Series 1 machine requires the spindle to be set to freewheeling before the back gear is used.
Man! I wish I would have seen this ten years ago. Maybe I should read over my manual? I dont even know if I got one? I didnt even know my machine had an auto stop feature on the downfeed after ten years of using this machine? Maybe my lathe has one? I always wondered how you stop the feed when threading into the part? You should do a similar video for Lathes.
How do you like that PM mill? I've been considering getting a machine from them, and they seem to be well-liked by those who have them, they just don't have big name recognition.
I really enjoy shop improvement videos, either where you are designing/adding a new tool, improving an existing tool/workspace, or even just showing a new skill you’ve picked up. But I guess the point of having a shop is to use it, so maybe there’s another ELS-like project you could start? Or if you are hesitant to start something right now, maybe collaborate on someone else’s project. This video was fine too, and I think pure explainer videos are important too in between projects. Just some thoughts, hope they are helpful.
@@Clough42 On reflection, compared to the head there aren't that many knobs and levers. On the other hand, where the table motions are most important is in terms of speeds and feeds. Perhaps you could do a remedial bit for us on cutting speed. How does the number of cutting edges effect feed rate. I'd be pretty interested in learning about that.
This was great. However, it would be REALLY HELPFUL if you could get Precision Matthews to send (with free shipping) all your viewers their own mill to follow along with. I speculate that would make your channel go viral in record time. Just a suggestion to take this to the next level, and I volunteer to be the first one to help iron out the kinks.
On my machine I move the power downfeed engage/disengage control with the spindle on, but with gentle pressure. That allows the worm gear to mesh without clashing. Same with feed rate selector control. I've done it this way on BPs and a variety of copies. (Similar to the way Joe Pie engages the half nut on the lathe.) The BP operator's manual agrees. It says to turn CCW to engage, and CW to disengage, as you did it. In other words, through the bottom arc of its swing, but I can go either way on my machine.
Hi James, have you considered a project to connect a microswitch on the back gear that reverses the polarity of the fwd/neut/rev switch when engaged. Could prevent a nasty mistake for someone down the line. Thanks for the overview of the controls found it very useful.
Love watching your channel. Just getting started with a small hobby machine shop. Would it be too much to ask the best place to get materials for projects?
Thanks James, I'm thinking of replacing the Jet Mill/Drill with one of these and this was really helpful. I didn't realize all of the functionality of this machine until your video! I'm also trying to figure out if the bigger table on the 949 is necessary. Have you bumped up against table top to quill or other work envelope challenges with it?
Why would you ever need to power-feed upward ? Some sort of reverse boring operation is about the only thing I can imagine. Is this any use in tapping?
I just recently purchased a Bridgeport J head mill. I am going to add a DRO. On your previous videos, you installed a 4 axis EL 400 on your PM-940. It looks like your PM 935 VS also has an EL 400. How satisfied are you with these DROs? They use magnetic scales. Is there a reason you chose these over glass scales? I am new to machining. It would seem that the quill scale would be more functional than the z axis on a knee mill. Is your x axis scale mounted on the outside or inside of the table. If inside, does it restrict y-axis full travel? Anyway, great tutorial.
