MSC "Bridgeport Clone" no Model# (Purchasing advice sought, with pics)
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:06 pm
I've been looking for a mill for the garage for a while. As you can surmise, if I've been searching a while I'm in no particular rush and I don't have a paying job waiting in the wings.
Today I looked at a 1995 MSC Bridgeport clone. I'll post the picture of the data plate and you'll see that they did not stamp in a model number.
It's got the variable speed head on it, not the belts, the table is 9x42, it's 3 phase, a few of the handles and knobs are missing. It runs well, and quiet. the bed is super smooth and there is very little play in it. The power feed is broken. It comes with a Super Spacer and a vise. It's super dirty. The man selling was an employee of the machine shop that went out of business. He said it was used to drill a 45 degree hole in a single part as part of a production process. (He has other mills for sale, this one is the least used, and maybe the dirtiest.)
It would cost me about $2,000 all in to get it to my garage. In my 60-75 minutes of Googling, I cannot find anything online that helps me identify this model, other than "bridgeport clone". I'm concerned that handles and knobs may be hard to come by, and that it might be an orphan.
Can you look at the pictures and give me any guidance? Should I go after a Harbor Freight (https://www.harborfreight.com/vertical- ... 40939.html) new one or take my chances with this? They seem to be about the same price. Assuming I'm going to spend this amount of money would you suggest this is a wise purchase?
I would very much appreciate any guidance and suggestions. I am not a machinist and I have a lot to learn.
Here is a link to my google photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XAAZxeK97etMXmtr9
Today I looked at a 1995 MSC Bridgeport clone. I'll post the picture of the data plate and you'll see that they did not stamp in a model number.
It's got the variable speed head on it, not the belts, the table is 9x42, it's 3 phase, a few of the handles and knobs are missing. It runs well, and quiet. the bed is super smooth and there is very little play in it. The power feed is broken. It comes with a Super Spacer and a vise. It's super dirty. The man selling was an employee of the machine shop that went out of business. He said it was used to drill a 45 degree hole in a single part as part of a production process. (He has other mills for sale, this one is the least used, and maybe the dirtiest.)
It would cost me about $2,000 all in to get it to my garage. In my 60-75 minutes of Googling, I cannot find anything online that helps me identify this model, other than "bridgeport clone". I'm concerned that handles and knobs may be hard to come by, and that it might be an orphan.
Can you look at the pictures and give me any guidance? Should I go after a Harbor Freight (https://www.harborfreight.com/vertical- ... 40939.html) new one or take my chances with this? They seem to be about the same price. Assuming I'm going to spend this amount of money would you suggest this is a wise purchase?
I would very much appreciate any guidance and suggestions. I am not a machinist and I have a lot to learn.
Here is a link to my google photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XAAZxeK97etMXmtr9