[midnightmoon]

So I have a friend who owns a machine shop who will be selling his Bridgeport series 2 boss 5. It will come with a computer and cam software to run the machine. Its in good working order. Im looking to get into cnc with a few $$ making projects but mostly my own small inventions. I have a manual BP with alot of tooling. I dont know if I should make the plunge on a 5200lb old problematic cnc machine or not. The price is right. I can rig it to my place my self with a few favors and set it up for about $500. The machine with cam software and computer will cost me $1000. So it will be around 1500 to my door. I have read that the original cnc boards can and will have problems down the road. Im not sure exactly how the cam setup runs through the machine but I assume it runs through the original BP board system. I dont have the money to do a retrofit and Im not sure a series 2 that is well used would be worth the 7,000 investment in a retro fit. Im going to get more specs on the machine and go from there but would enjoy some more input.

Thanks

[HawkJET]

I dont have the money to do a retrofit and Im not sure a series 2 that is well used would be worth the 7,000 investment in a retro fit.

Welcome to the Zone!

There are FAR LESS EXPENSIVE ways to retrofit a BOSS machine. Mach3 and a computer with a Hillbilly BreakOut board will get you going for almost nothing.

A Series II BOSS machine is very good iron. How "well used" is it?

[azmachining]

Don't listen to this guy, he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.
If your controller takes a ****, which it will you will need much more than just a computer with mach 3 as your controller and a break out board. You will need:

A set of new drives to run your motors

A set of power supplies

USB DG2S programming stick

A set of new encoders with hubs to fit your existing motors, probabley will need to be modified

Breakout Board

New connectors and cables and your pretty much done. Of course after you rip hand fulls of hair from your head, pretty much scalping your self. Retro-fitting a OLD machine like that is a expensive endeavor.

[HawkJET]

Don't listen to this guy, he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.
If your controller takes a ****, which it will you will need much more than just a computer with mach 3 as your controller and a break out board.

I said it would get him started. He said the controller worked. Yes, if the controller dies, it will cost a few hundred dollars more... still a far cry from $7,000!

A BOSS 5 is a stepper motor system. He will not "need" new ones, nor will he need encoders.

I actually DO know what I'm talking about... I'VE DONE IT.
It cost me:

Stepper Drivers - $300 (for all three)
BreakOut Board - $100
Computer - $200

That is ONLY $600!!!

I got drivers that don't require a power supply so it saved me ~ $100

I had the retrofit done after two days work (including stripping off the old console). Mach3 took a couple hours to get going.

azmachining, have you done it???

Even if you go with ALL the parts you say he needs, you're only looking at about $1,000.

As I said, still a FAR CRY from $7,000.

[keebler303]

I'm with Hawkjet here. I picked up a Series 1 BOSS 5 with a box of tooling for a song. The X axis did not work when I got it. Thansk to Cnczone, I learned that the output transistors on these die all the time and it is pretty easy to change them. I changed the transistors and adjusted the drive current and haven't had a single problem since. When I got the machine it had the original control in it. I promptly ripped the old control, logic power supply, tape drive, etc. out and went the Hillbilly BOB and mach3 way. I used an old computer from my dad, I got the Hillbilly BOB for under $80 and within a couple hours I had the thing installed and running. The computer fits in the enclosure where the original control used to be so it is all self contained still, I just have a keyboard and mouse sitting on top of the cabinet. I sold the old control rack, power supply and boards on ebay for near what i paid for the machine. I have since done some other work on the mill but my conversion actually paid me money.

I am still using the original drives and motors, the hillbilly board basically just allows you to hack into the drive signals to allow mach to command the motors and interface with the limit switches and spindle. I am sure they will eventually fail but everything has been smooth sailing for several years of occasional use.

Matt

[azmachining]

I'm not completely familiar with the boss5, I have done one retro fit on a big cincinatti mill using servo's, not stepper and it was over $7000.00 to do and a pain. Now that I know it's equipped with steppers your prices sound right, and the stepper system is much easier to setup. Back to the thread, is it a good deal, if the machine is in decent enough condition, those machines are all over the place, easy to find.

[keebler303]

Don't listen to this guy, he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.

I'm not completely familiar with the boss5, I have done one retro fit on a big cincinatti mill using servo's, not stepper and it was over $7000.00 to do and a pain. Now that I know it's equipped with steppers your prices sound right, and the stepper system is much easier to setup. Back to the thread, is it a good deal, if the machine is in decent enough condition, those machines are all over the place, easy to find.

Who clearly doesn't know what they are talking about??

How about a little humility?

Matt

[MrBoss8]

I have some Boss5 Series II boards for sale, (I don't know the dif between Ser I and Ser II boards?) $175 each, if I have it.

[machintek]

There was a series 2 NC. The next time a S2 machine was built was a BOSS6.
There was no S2 BOSS 5 made.

George