[LordThrash]

Hi, Ive been tracking down a bridgeport mill for my shop. Plan on going 3 axis CNC with mach3, geko drives, breakout board servo setup.

Can anybody tell me about this machine I have found?



As far as I know this is a working CNC machine but the tape player missing. I would gut the electronics right immediately.

Here are some questions for the more knowledgeble here:
I would like to know what this kind of head this bridgeport is called?
Any idea on year made?
Anything that would make it a deal breaker?

I would also love to hear suggestions for a Breakout board. I want to stay away from parallel ports.

Im not a total noob to CNC. I have a Xylotex board powering a taig micro mill with Mach3, but Im ready to step up to some big iron.:wee:

-Rob from Southern California

[jalessi]

Rob,

It looks like a Boss 5.

Jeff...

[LordThrash]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't think it was a Boss because its not square in the front. Glad to have the info and I will research this one a bit more.

[txcncman]

I do not think Bridgeport used Boss as a model designation for machines. I think Boss was their software/operating system. This looks like a Bridgeport CNC II to me. But, memory is aging, so take it for what it is worth.

[gus]

ooooold boss machine

I would not pay real money for it and would hold out for something a little newer with rigid ram

[jalessi]

Rob,

Here is one running:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFsGslF0qGA&feature=relmfu]Bridgeport Series 1 BOSS 5 CNC 3D Test - YouTube[/ame]


Jeff...

[txcncman]

As noted in the video title, this is NOT a Boss. "Bridgeport Series 1 BOSS 5 CNC". It is a Series 1 with a Boss 5 control. It was probably possible that same year to purchase a Series 2 with a Boss 5 control. Calling it a Boss, especially when dealing with the hardware side is going to cause you problems.

If you are planning to retrofit with new servos and all, then this would probably be a good machine for you. If you are going to stick with the original steppers, then I would advise you to walk away now and spend your money on something else.

[jalessi]

As noted in the video title, this is NOT a Boss. "Bridgeport Series 1 BOSS 5 CNC". It is a Series 1 with a Boss 5 control. It was probably possible that same year to purchase a Series 2 with a Boss 5 control. Calling it a Boss, especially when dealing with the hardware side is going to cause you problems.

If you are planning to retrofit with new servos and all, then this would probably be a good machine for you. If you are going to stick with the original steppers, then I would advise you to walk away now and spend you money on something else.

I agree, it is a Series I Boss 5, attached is a picture of a Series II for future reference.

Sorry for the incomplete answer in my first post,


Jeff...

[LordThrash]

Good info everybody. Thanks

I have another question about my series 1 with boss 5 controls. The head Tilts on this model, but in my research I see there are far more with fixed square column heads. Is this a drawback or an advantage? Does that make it less or more "valuable"?

[txcncman]

Not that much more valuable because the chances of you wanting to tilt the head for any machining is rare. Because of the nature of modern CNC and tooling, most angled faces can be handled with the normal 3 axis or as part of set up. Tilting the head and getting proper alignment can be time consuming.

[HawkJET]

Hi, Ive been tracking down a bridgeport mill for my shop. Plan on going 3 axis CNC with mach3, geko drives, breakout board servo setup.

I recommend getting going with the minimum of effort and expenditure. You say the machine still works, so all you need is Mach3, a Hillbilly B.O.B., and a computer. You can use the existing drivers and motors.

Changing the machine from steppers to servos is a royal PITA! You will need to make adapters for the motor mounts and figure out how to get the timing belt pulleys to fit on the shafts. The original motors are 5/8" shafts and are longer than most. You will have a real challenge finding a way to reliably extent the shafts of any motor you end up with.

If you are dead set on a servo system, you should get a machine already set up that way. The later BOSS machines had servos. Otherwise, use the steppers to get going and you'll likely never go to servos. Steppers work just fine!

[LordThrash]

Thanks for the info.

I think I will buy this Bridgeport. The price is right for me and it sounds like it has potential.

I just decided I will not retrofit with new controls and reuse the steppers. I'm not fan of steppers. My Taig screwed up a nice piece of metal last night because of lost steps. I will keep the boss controls until I can make enough parts for the retrofit to servos.

I was thinking of getting the 3 axis servo kit from www.kelinginc.comr for my Taig and if it works well get its bigger brother for a knee mill.

[jalessi]

Rob,

Why not wait and find a machine with antiquated electronics that has servo's already.

Not only will you save a bunch of money reusing the original servo's you wont have to re engineer all of the associated mounting hardware.

Jeff...

[LordThrash]

the cheapest servo system I have seen in over $5k this one is half that delivered. I have only been looking a couple of months with ebay and craigs list. Think I can do better?

[HawkJET]

My Taig screwed up a nice piece of metal last night because of lost steps.

Lost steps is NOT the fault of the stepper motors! If you are loosing steps, you definitely have a problem, but it is SELDOM the stepper motors themselves - it's the system and how it is designed.

In this case, my money is on the Xylotex board. The stepper drives on the 30 year old BOSS 5 are far superior to your Xylotex board.

Bridgeport didn't have a problem with the stepper motors, the problem was the limitation of the semiconductors of the time. Using your experience with the Xylotex board as a condemnation of ALL steppers is narrow minded. I personally would never get near one of them. All stepper drivers are NOT created equal! Their only redeeming feature is that they are cheap.

Switching over to servos on a BOSS machine is a lot of expense and hassle with almost NO UP SIDE (and the potential of making matters even worse).

[jalessi]

Lost steps is NOT the fault of the stepper motors! If you are loosing steps, you definitely have a problem, but it is SELDOM the stepper motors themselves - it's the system and how it is designed.

In this case, my money is on the Xylotex board. The stepper drives on the 30 year old BOSS 5 are far superior to your Xylotex board.

Bridgeport didn't have a problem with the stepper motors, the problem was the limitation of the semiconductors of the time. Using your experience with the Xylotex board as a condemnation of ALL steppers is narrow minded. I personally would never get near one of them. All stepper drivers are NOT created equal! Their only redeeming feature is that they are cheap.

Switching over to servos on a BOSS machine is a lot of expense and hassle with almost NO UP SIDE (and the potential of making matters even worse).

Rob,

I completely agree with Cris, the steppers on the Boss are plenty strong.

On a separate note the Xylotex board has no resonance dampening and will cause missed steps in a heart beat.

Doing more research may save you a bunch of cash.

Jeff...

[gus]

IMHO an an early BOSS is not worth 2500 bucks, it is worth scrap value and that is what you should offer. I personally might pay 5k for a heidenhain on the same iron, but others would not. You can make the machine a good working machine but value your time in doing the work required. Most people are not willing to do this, so it has little market appeal. Explain to any seller what you will have to do to the machine to make it a money maker for you.

[LordThrash]

So I have received two other points of view. The machine is too expensive. And I should not give up on steppers. While I can research more on steppers and success stories and I will do so, I still don't see how to get a good mill cheap. To be honest I still have time to be won over by steppers if I get this machine and the boss controls work. On the other hand I don't have $5k or more to spend. I need running by summer. I have noticed mills seem to cost more out here on the west coast. If anybody has a suggestion on a mill that's cheaper/better, let me know.

[HawkJET]

The machine is too expensive.

I don't see anywhere in this thread that says how much the machine costs. So I don't know if it is too expensive. With some patience you should be able to find something for $1000 to $2000 (I wouldn't go over $1500 though). Southern California should not be an issue for finding something - I would think it would help!

I should not give up on steppers.

Just think this through.... Bridgeport sold THOUSANDS of those machines. They were sold to companies to MAKE MONEY. How many do you think they would have sold if they missed steps and scrapped parts?

I have a BOSS machine that I converted to Mach3. I have never had it miss steps!

Your Taig is NOT a commercial machine - it is a consumer machine. It is intended to be CHEAP. They don't really care if it misses steps.

Get rid of that Xylotex board and replace it with Geckos and you won't believe the difference!

[LordThrash]

They are asking $2500 delivered for the machine pictured in the first post. (I snuke it in between the lines of a previous post) Sounds like people think I can find a better deal. I ask where do I look? Where do I find a better deal?

I will accept all the wisdom on production steppers and try that. I have priced out gecko drives several times, but always been afraid I will still have missed steps. I will try it.