After Market Angle Mill Head for BP

[kroll]

Good morning,first post for me and new to this sport.Bout couple mos ago I pick up a used BP mill,I have never use one of these so it will be a learning process as I go forward.I have several things that I want to make which will include gears but that is way down the road.For now I need to kinda tool up,it did come with some end mills and I have order a collet set ER32,just want to stick with the basic for now.But with prices going up all the time and on the used market place I would like to find out about the right angle milling head(gear making).I would love to find a BP head with the support but they are very pricey on the auction site.So what about the after market heads,which one do you use or suggest and from where did you purchase yours from?Pics would help me alot if its not to much trouble,and maybe one in action.Any of those Utubes using the angle head that you like out there?Thanks for some advise and direction----kroll

[seal killer]

kroll--

Welcome to the forum! You will find a LOT of Bridgeport-knowledgeable folks here. But, I am not one of them. Can you post pictures of your mill?

--Bill

[John Evans]

The ones for the clones will work just fine ,take a look at ENCO .

[SteveM]

I've seen some pretty steep prices on right angle attachments.

If you have the room, consider that you may be able to get a REAL horizontal mill for less money.

Steve

[Richard_W]

My first thought was Enco.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAK ... TPG=INLMK3

Then a quick search on Ebay showed this one for about $100 less than the Enco counting the addition of shipping charges.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Horizontal-Righ ... 2a27fdeb09

Be sure you get the one for your mill, since they come in either R8 or NT40.

Richard W.

[Harold_V]

My first thought was Enco.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAK ... TPG=INLMK3

Then a quick search on Ebay showed this one for about $100 less than the Enco counting the addition of shipping charges.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Horizontal-Righ ... 2a27fdeb09

Be sure you get the one for your mill, since they come in either R8 or NT40.

Richard W.

Also, make sure of the angle of the support, where it attaches to the ram, as they aren't all the same.

Harold

[kroll]

Be sure you get the one for your mill, since they come in either R8 or NT40

Thanks guys,its R8 and Harold that what I was wondering if some are different than others for the ram.I did look on ebay at that setup,was wondering if others here has that model and if their happy with it.----kroll

[timvercoe]

I have an enco, I purchased it to repair a differential housing by machining the carrier bearing pockets. It worked for that as it was just the right size to fit down in the housing. I have also used it to do some horizontal operations. Results were satisfactory. A little hard on the machine, I felt. I resent the set up time. I see horizontal machines out there for reasonable prices but then there is all the tooling cost to set up another machine. A lucky score would be someone selling one with tooling but as stated above floor space can sure be an issue. I am not sure that if something happened to the enco, that I would replace it, unless nothing else would work like the differential repair.

Tim

[Frank Ford]

I got the Enco, and the support dovetail doesn't fit the column of my Bridgeport clone (Sharp). It hasn't bothered me (yet) because I do light work most of the time anyway, so I haven't needed it. In fact, I mostly use the attachment with the axis parallel to the length (X) axis of the table:



Here's the modification I made on my attachment to simplify its use on my mill with the power drawbar:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Proje ... ttach.html

[ctwo]

there was one of these on CL a couple months ago, for $100! Just the RA attachment as-is, not dovetail mount or anything else. I considered it for my Bridgeport CNC, but could not see the use.

I am interested in building or attaching some kind of alternate milling head to the back of the ram. Not a slotting head, which I've read exists. I've not seem many options for that space, but thought a high RPM spindle would be welcome there? Or some other useful attachment.

[BadDog]

High RPM spindles are available for both the back mount (after market if I'm not mistaken), and for the 2J quill.

Another option is a "Cherrying Head", also known as an "T Head". Used/Intended mainly for die making. That would be a neat one to have...

I've also seen a range of other things adapted to mount back there.

[spro]

I had some questions about Frank's R/A attachment until I went to his above link. Highly recommended.