Bridgeport CNC Conversion Plans - Any available????

[bill south]

Hey Ya'll!! New here so howdy !!!
I recently acquired a Series 1, 2 hp, bridgeport mill and I'm toying with the idea of a Cnc retrofit. Thus, this is my quesiton for the forum!! Are there plans available (similar to the ones available for the benchtop mills) for conversion of a bridtgeport?
I've followed threads on the "other forum" and it appears to be a common conversion. However, it seems that everyone wings the mounts and design. I want construction plans which are tried and true!! Does anyone market such a "plan package"?
Also, were can I found an operators manual for this machine?
Thanks in advance!
Bill from Spartanburg!

[/b]

[Rick]

Bill

Here are two links to get you started

http://www.flashcutcnc.com/html/ret_bridgeport.html

http://www.microkinetics.com/convkit.htm

Rick

[jcc3inc]

Sir,

Contact Jim Glass, a poster on this forum; he has done such a rettrofit and is happy with it.

www.outbackmachineshop.com

Regards,
Jack C.

[sch]

Roland Friestad of Cardinal Engineering in Galesburg, IL has written up such conversion but starting IIRC with an obsolete Series II, that of course had ballscrews and motors. Gutted the electronics and installed new drivers and software. Write up was in Home Shop Machinist a few yrs ago. One access point for the company is www.cnc-workshop.com
and scroll around for Roland's name. The company does a lot of CNC retrofitting and may have a kit, don't know for sure, but Roland has written a lot of stuff about conversions. Commercial ballscrew kit suppliers for Bridgeports are very proud of their product and prices in the $1500 -2500 range for just the table ballscrews come to mind.

[mrb37211]

Roland had a series in one of the Village Press magazines about converting a Bridgeport and another about converting a mill/drill. These were included in Volume Seven of Projects in Metal.

He is currently doing fresh articles in "Home Shop Machinist".

Charles