The Home Machinist!

The wheel could be from a Bridgport Copy. The hole is the same diameter (13mm) and will fit over the Bridgeport shaft but the pin location is different. Just redrill and reinsert the pin. The feed reverse part of the assembly comprises of a small knob with a sleeve that screws into the end of the shaft. By pushing in on the knob, the feed goes down (spindle rotating clockwise) and when pulled out, the feed retracts. Good for boring in both directions. The problem is that most of these knobs are broken off as there is only a 10-32 thread that is on the end of the knob to hold it in place and they are in line with a hammer when tapping things down into a vice. They also have the tendency to unscrew themselves and fall onto the floor only to be picked up with the chips and discarded. I'll be headed down to my shop to see if mine is still there. I use it so infrequently that I can't remember if I took it off so I don't lose it and lost it.

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Bruce Mowbray
Springville & Southern RR
TMB Manufacturing & Locomotive Works

My 'ol Bridgeport still has the feed reverse, but the shaft has never been drilled, and there is no handwheel.

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Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!

I have owned a BP mill since 1967. Two of them, in fact. In all those years, I have never had need for the handwheel. Mine has yet to be used, and I've owned the current mill since 1977. Does anyone really use them?

Harold

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Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.

I never knew it was supposed to have one until I recently saw a pic of one.

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Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!

How exactly does the Handwheel work.

I fixed the hand wheel and inserted it in the pin hole. Then threaded in a screw into the reversing pin. I can pull it in and out and feel the gears engage.

I can turn the handle and feel a gear train turning. I have tried the three position lever beside it and can tell it is changing gear ratios.

Turning the wheel I fell the train turning but get no travel on the spindle up and down.

Any suggestions on what is not working?

Moved the base into its final resting place and am moving the knee outside to presurewash the metal and grease out of the inside cavity. Must remember to wear safety glasses as it is full of shavings and grease.

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Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

I press firmly here to engage the quill feed. It will push in about 3/8" (where the paint line is on mine) and latch.



The feed will disengage when the quill hits a pre-set stop, or push up firmly on the quill lever and it will release the feed when the quill is retracted.

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Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!

Ahh... I see yours still has the feed control lever, where my old dog does not.

Lets do this.

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Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!

Thanks for the instruction sheets Glen.

I have a problem. The lever is in fact going all the way in and following the instructions for manual feed I get no movement of the spindle.

As I have yet to hook it up to power I may find I have no power feed either. I looked thru the tear down book and see a couple of clutch assemblies that it recommends you do not tear apart. They may be worn out.

I did get the knee pressure washed and about ten pounds of shavings and oily residue are now in the back yard on the gravel drive.

I will run the magnet over the drive tomorrow to pick up all the metal.

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Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

Perhaps trying the quill feed with the machine under power will shed a bit more light on the problem.

Just think though, it could be the perfect opportunity to pick up a second mill to accompany your two lathes!



Well, after reading the manual in my post, (first time for everything!) I would say that the handwheel is not supposed to be permanently attached. It appears to just slide onto the shaft and engage with the roll pin to drive the quill feed.

"Manual Feed Handle and Handwheel may be taken off when not in use"

Probably explains why mine are missing...

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Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!

The wheel is as you say a slip fit. After I drilled out and moved the pin it worked fine.

As far as I can tell there is no movement when rotating the wheel. I am looking at the book tonight to see how to go into the head.

Right now though I am concentrating on cleaning up the knee and the elevating screws to remount it.

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Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4

You get no quill movement turning the wheel when you have the Feed Control Lever fully to the left? At first I had to hold my Feed Control Lever in position to get things to work. The linkage was all gunked up and had to have a good cleaning before it would catch. That book on Reconditioning a Bridgeport that you posted about early in this thread has good pictures of the linkage and how to take it apart.

Bob

By partially tearing down the head I have found that the wheel is turning the shaft and that the worm is turning the worm gear on the quil shaft.

The over load clutch is frozen to the shaft and not engaging the worm gear when the feed is engaged.

Looks like the thing needs a lot of cleaning as the grease is dried up to a powder.

_________________
Charlie Pipes
USMC Retired

Project:

2.5 Baldwin 2-4-4 Conversion
1.6 Southern Railway PS-4