# Which clamping kit for Bridgeport



## alexmin (May 30, 2010)

Yesterday after two years of looking I have finally found and bought a nice clean Bridgeport. 
It is 2HP 3 phase variable speed. Accurite DRO on XYZ axises. Powerfeed on X axis. One-shot lube. 

What clamping kit would you recommend to get for my BP? 

Thanks,
Alex


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## gadget_lover (May 30, 2010)

Congratulations! 

Unfortunately, I do not know BUT.... 

Measure the width of the slots and you will know the size of the T-nut. That will tell you which one will fit. The stud size can vary.

Daniel


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## precisionworks (May 30, 2010)

You found The Holy Grail of vertical mills  A 2J with one shot, power table & DRO is a sweet machine to use. 

The standard slot width for all Bpts is 5/8", but it's worth a quick check with a caliper. On any used Bpt, it's worth taking 15-20 minutes to run a file up and down the length of each T-slot to knock off any burrs. Do this both with the file vertical & with the file angled back into the slot to leave a chamfer on the slot edge. Then scrub the slots with a maroon Scotchbrite pad & WD-40 until they're clean.



> What clamping kit would you recommend


Two ways to go, a cheap import kit or a TE-CO kit. The import kits are sold everywhere for $35-$40. They will work, and if your budget is tight & your patience is great they'll get you started.

The TE-CO kits are many times better in all areas - fit, finish & function. Some people say that clamps are clamps, but the difference is night & day. Two options are available from TE-CO, one in powdered metal & one that's forged.

The 20402PL (sometimes called the 20402P) is the powdered metal kit, available for $99 from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HGGS64/?tag=cpf0b6-20

The 20402 is forged, and costs about twice as much. 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HGGS5K/?tag=cpf0b6-20

If you plan to clamp huge parts, the forged kit is worth the money, as the clamp bars will not bend or flex, no matter what. For more typical use, the PM kit does a nice job. That what I use on my mill-drill, after putting up with an import set for way too long.


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## 65535 (May 30, 2010)

If you can swing the price or forged clamps over sintered parts you'll be absolutely happy you did, the forged parts are an entire magnitude stronger IMO. I personally have a bit of a shyness towards anything sintered due to the fact that it just isn't solid forged stock. (Ok nobody give me poop for inserts and lots of carbide stuff, it's almost all sintered.)


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## cmacclel (May 30, 2010)

I have never had a problem with my $30 imported set that came with one of my mills and use it all the time.

Mac


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## wquiles (May 30, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> Two ways to go, a cheap import kit or a TE-CO kit ...


+1

I followed this advice from Barry back over a year ago and got the (I think forged) TE-CO 20413 Machinist Clamp Kit, 1/2" Table T-Slot x 3/8-16" Stud, 52 Pieces - for $76 on Ebay.


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## alexmin (May 31, 2010)

Thank you Barry for you recommendation. I am ordering 20402P.

BTW here are some pictures of my new lathe:


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## narey (May 31, 2010)

It seems that you all get a big project!:thumbsup:


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## KC2IXE (May 31, 2010)

alexmin said:


> ....snip...BTW here are some pictures of my new lathe:



Odd looking LATHE


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## precisionworks (May 31, 2010)

That is a nice looking 2J :twothumbs

You'll love the X, Y, Z scales on the Acu-Rite, plus the W scale on the quill. Acu-Rite is the same DRO I have on the mill, and they provide terrific tech support, as well as documentation on every model they've made for the last 40 years.

Was that machine in a one man shop or in a tool room? It certainly never sat on the floor of a job shop - no holes in the table


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## alexmin (May 31, 2010)

Barry,

I was told this mill is from R&D shop at some medical company.
It took me long time to come by this beauty. Most of the used BPs on local Craiglist are badly worn or overpriced.
I am very glad I found this mill! 


There is also a 12" Yuasa rotary table that came with this mill.
When I had a smaller MIllrite mill years ago I often missed having a rotary table. Surprisingly many of my "simple" projects required rotary table.
I can't wait to get clamping kit and R-8 collets and start making chips.

Barry, I am thinking about ordering these collets. The seller claims that they are hardened and TIR is 0.0005" What do you think?


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## precisionworks (Jun 1, 2010)

Alex, can't comment on those (having never used them). $5.20 each may be a great price or it may be more than they're worth, depending on how they're made.

The one brand you'll find in most tool rooms & job shops is Hardinge, and they are consistently well made and accurate - the OD threads are nicely ground as it the locating slot, ID threads (for a stop) are smooth, and diameter is accurate - neither too large nor too small when gripping known size stock like turned-ground-polished drill rod. $12 each from Plaza Machinery, about half of retail. I have a set of 35 coming soon & will post photos.


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## alexmin (Jun 1, 2010)

Barry,

I am looking at Plaza Machinery inventory list and can see only Bridgeport collets for $12. If he still have Hardinge collets I'll get a dozen of them for the end mills I already have and will be buying more as I go along. 


Thanks,
Alex


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## precisionworks (Jun 1, 2010)

WHOOPS - you need R8 and I quickly looked at them and thought 5C 

Send an email to Joe to see what he has, as he doesn't always list everything available. You might also want to consider an ER40 collet chuck, buying collets as needed, as that allows going up to 1". The 1" size is nice as it allows running a 1" solid carbide end mill as well as 1" straight shank (and Weldon shank) tooling.


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## alexmin (Jun 2, 2010)

Barry,

do you have any brand recommendation for ER40 chuck?

Thanks,
Alex


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## precisionworks (Jun 2, 2010)

Quite a few people like the Bison ER40 chuck, which is available by itself or in a set. A ball bearing collet nut is a nice addition. I bought a set like this & filled in the missing sizes:

http://cgi.ebay.com/BISON-TOOLMEX-R...m&pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item45f0e1662b

That isn't a bad price, but someone like Johnson Cutting Tools may be able to do better, as might Rocky at Ajax Industries.


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## alexmin (Jun 3, 2010)

Just talked to Tom from Johnson Cutting Tools.
Really great guy. He'll be on my "Approved vendors" list.
Thanks, Barry.


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## Per-Sev (Jun 3, 2010)

That is one sweet machine its been a long time since I ran one but I remember they bought the cheap hold downs and we were always bending or breaking them but they did see some hard use also but I believe that you get what you pay for so I would buy the forged ones. The machine did not come with any tooling did you get a vise with it, you said you got a rotary table that's nice to have. I remember all the problems we had with a cheap collet kit half of them would not thread in the stud and we had to re-thread them and some just broke when we tightened them down. The owner was cheap but he learned after a while and starting buying the good stuff. I don't know what brands we used because I never did the ordering I would just run the mill and lathe. When you spend 50 hours a week on the same two machines you learn what works and what does not and when ever I saw that china sticker I new it would not last long. All my own tools were Starrett and they never failed.


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## alexmin (Jun 3, 2010)

Yes, I got a 6" Enco vise. I wish it was Kurt. 
But I am not ready to pay $600 for a Kurt yet. 
May be later I'll get a Glacern vise: http://www.glacern.com/gsv_690


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## wquiles (Jun 3, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> Quite a few people like the Bison ER40 chuck, which is available by itself or in a set. A ball bearing collet nut is a nice addition.



+1 on the Bison set 

+1 on the ball bearing collet

I have a project almost finished in which I took a "few" pictures and you guys will see the Bison/BB collet nut in action :devil:


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## wquiles (Jun 3, 2010)

alexmin said:


> Yes, I got a 6" Enco vise. I wish it was Kurt.
> But I am not ready to pay $600 for a Kurt yet.
> May be later I'll get a Glacern vise: http://www.glacern.com/gsv_690



You can buy from Enco on special for $409 new, and free shipping. Just have to wait until they do the special again (that is how I got my 6" Kurt). Also, somebody here in this sub-forum got one new/mint on Ebay for like $200 or so - that was a great deal


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## precisionworks (Jun 3, 2010)

> I am not ready to pay $600 for a Kurt


Mine was cheap at $275 on eBay, but this one for $250 is even nicer & includes a parallel spacer & speed handle -

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kurt-D675-6-Vis...m&pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item3cadce6c2c

EDIT - that one sold three hours after posting it here


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## KC2IXE (Jun 4, 2010)

Yeah - you want a Kurt - watch eBay - there are usually very good to great deals to be found. That's where I got my 6"

I really should sell my 4" Kurt


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## alexmin (Jun 4, 2010)

Guys,

what are the common end mill sizes do you normally use?
I am looking at this Maritool ER40 collet set:
9/32,5/16,11/32,3/8,13/32,7/16,15/32,1/2, 17/32,9/16,19/32,5/8,21/32,11/16,23/32,3/4,25/32,13/16,27/32,7/8,29/32,15/16,31/32,1.0

This set is missing smaller size collets.
I've read that larger diameter(3/4" and up) end mills tend to slip in ER40 collets.

Should I instead of a set above get individual collets that will cover smaller sizes so I can use them with small drill bits too and don't get any collets above 3/4" size if they slip anyway.


Thanks,
Alex


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## precisionworks (Jun 4, 2010)

> larger diameter(3/4" and up) end mills tend to slip in ER40 collets.


Never had that happen, and a 1", 4 flute solid carbide end mill is my tool of choice whenever it can be used. Probably have half a dozen 1" solid carbide tools, some square edge, some radius edge, a couple that are tapered, and my milling style is agressive - all the DOC and feed that the machine will take.

ER40 collets have about twice the grip strength of an R8 collet, plus much less run out. If you want killer grip, get a set of TG collets since they have twice the grip of an ER40 - because the range of collapse is half as much ... but you'll need twice as many 

A good thread here https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/227660


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## StrikerDown (Jun 6, 2010)

Alex,

Did you find a clamp set? I was cleaning out the garage and found an extra set I bought with my mill not realizing that it came with one! Brand new in box, 1/2 list price from Enco plus shipping, should not be to bad from Sac to SF. 

Let me know if interested. I need to check the size of the T-nuts tomorrow, I took it to work to get it listed on ebay.


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## alexmin (Jun 6, 2010)

Ray, thanks for the offer but I've already ordered Te-Co [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]20402P [/FONT]set from Penn Tool for $69.


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## alexmin (Jun 10, 2010)

Guys, 

do you use anything to protect your mill ways?
Do you think this way cover set is worth buying?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bridgeport-Milling-Machine-Way-Cover-Set-/220618628229


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## wquiles (Jun 10, 2010)

alexmin said:


> do you use anything to protect your mill ways?


Yes.



alexmin said:


> Do you think this way cover set is worth buying?
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Bridgeport-Milling-Machine-Way-Cover-Set-/220618628229


Hell no. You can make your own MUCH cheaper. Enco sells the material in 1 foot lengths - that is what I did for my mill, and I was able to make it much wider than the OEM unit which works even better 

If you look at my knee mill thread you will see I made my own (post 80):
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/223336


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## alexmin (Jun 10, 2010)

Will, 

Enco has neoprene and rubber-vinyl sheets. You've used neoprene, right?


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## wquiles (Jun 10, 2010)

alexmin said:


> Will,
> 
> Enco has neoprene and rubber-vinyl sheets. You've used neoprene, right?



I don't remember which one I ordered, but I should note that if doing it all over again, I would make sure that you ordered the "oil resistance"" type, as whatever I got is holding OK, but I can tell that it is somewhat "degraded" a little bit with the constant exposure to solvents, oil, etc..

Will


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## precisionworks (Jun 10, 2010)

> make sure that you ordered the "oil resistance"" type


Listed as Buna-N on the Enco site, page 870 in the catalog.


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## precisionworks (Jul 9, 2010)

I gave incorrect information in my prior post about the price differences in the Te-Co kits 

I couldn't find any specific info on the Te-Co website, so I phoned tech support at 800-543-4071 and spoke with Sam. He stated the following:

*All* the step blocks in all the kits are powdered metal, because it performs well under compression.

The biggest difference in the two kits is the clamping stud. The PL kit has studs made of 1018 low carbon steel, case hardened, with a tensile strength of 60,000 psi. Sam says these are OK if the situation doesn't need maximum strength. Also, the studs have no clamping flats between the threaded sections.

The higher priced kit has studs made from 1541 medium carbon steel, heat treated & through hardened, and have a minimum of 125,000 psi tensile. All studs have clamping flats.

Sorry for the misinformation in the prior post


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## wquiles (Jul 9, 2010)

Thanks Barry


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## Wilmette (Jul 9, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> Listed as Buna-N on the Enco site, page 870 in the catalog.



+1 (listen to this guy!) 

Also worth reading is the Wikipedia entry on Nitrile Rubber. BUNA-N and Nitrile are different designations for the same thing. Follow each word link to resolve what each chemical group is.

Excerpt:

> Nitrile rubber is generally resistant to aliphatic hydrocarbons. Nitrile, 
> like natural rubber, can be attacked by ozone, aromatic hydrocarbons, 
> ketones, esters and aldehydes.


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