I dunno--does anyone on amc know how to use a BP??

You will get add'l feedback on rec.crafts.metalworking.

My non-expert 2c:
On really clean machines, I have mistaken non-chrome ways for chrome. A
more practiced eye proly wouldn't get confused, but the "scalloped" look of
the ways is similar on both. Mebbe a scratch test? Chrome is really hard,
and shiny-er.
Maybe check out machines locally, chrome and non-chrome, to get a visual
feel for the diff.

BP should be able to tell you from the serial #. They (Hardinge now, I
think) are pretty helpful. Will tell you the year of your machine, as well.

How important? Pretty important for production use, less so for hobbyist
use.

But with a machine set up like you describe, sheeeit, it's a
no-brainer--take it!! Depending on price, of course.
Might it be possible to chrome them ad hoc?

Post back w/ the winning bid!
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"Max Krippler" wrote in message
...
I know this is off topic, but you guys might be the ones who know
this:

I've finally found a really sharp Bridgeport Mill in Los Angeles (it
seems like most of them are in the midwest or back east) and I was
wondering how to tell if it has the "chrome ways" that seemed to be a
desireable option?

This thing comes with so many options (3axis DRO, 3axis powerfeeds,
pneumatic drawbar, Kurt vice, micro-drop lube spray, etc, etc.) that
I'm tempted to get it anyway, but the family selling it didn't know if
Dad bought the "chromed ways" option. How important is it to get the
chrome ways on a Bridgeport? I drove out there to see it and the
machine is in perfect shape and has almost zero backlash, but if you
guys can educate me about the 'chrome' I would love to hear about it.

Maybe you can tell by seeing the pictures? Here is the eBay ad
listing number: 7590917948

Thanks for any info you can give me...

--Max

I've finally found a really sharp Bridgeport Mill in Los Angeles (it
seems like most of them are in the midwest or back east) and I was
wondering how to tell if it has the "chrome ways" that seemed to be a
desireable option?

This thing comes with so many options (3axis DRO, 3axis powerfeeds,
pneumatic drawbar, Kurt vice, micro-drop lube spray, etc, etc.) that
I'm tempted to get it anyway, but the family selling it didn't know if
Dad bought the "chromed ways" option. How important is it to get the
chrome ways on a Bridgeport? I drove out there to see it and the
machine is in perfect shape and has almost zero backlash, but if you
guys can educate me about the 'chrome' I would love to hear about it.

Maybe you can tell by seeing the pictures? Here is the eBay ad
listing number: 7590917948

Sure looks Chromed to me. If not, it shows no signs of wear, at least
on the exposed Y ways in the photo. But, the bright color sure looks
like chrome. Note that the way surfaces that face the chromed way
is NOT chromed, but bare cast iron. That probably creates a lower
wear combination.

Jon

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:28:42 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

I just measured the ceiling space in the basement, and unless my wife
can put up with having TWO islands in the kitchen, I can't fit it in
there. This is killing me, but I guess I'll have to settle for
something less-- like a mill/drill.

I'm sure that beauty will go to some deserving soul... Oh well...
-


I've finally found a really sharp Bridgeport Mill in Los Angeles (it
seems like most of them are in the midwest or back east) and I was
wondering how to tell if it has the "chrome ways" that seemed to be a
desireable option?

This thing comes with so many options (3axis DRO, 3axis powerfeeds,
pneumatic drawbar, Kurt vice, micro-drop lube spray, etc, etc.) that
I'm tempted to get it anyway, but the family selling it didn't know if
Dad bought the "chromed ways" option. How important is it to get the
chrome ways on a Bridgeport? I drove out there to see it and the
machine is in perfect shape and has almost zero backlash, but if you
guys can educate me about the 'chrome' I would love to hear about it.

Maybe you can tell by seeing the pictures? Here is the eBay ad
listing number: 7590917948

Sure looks Chromed to me. If not, it shows no signs of wear, at least
on the exposed Y ways in the photo. But, the bright color sure looks
like chrome. Note that the way surfaces that face the chromed way
is NOT chromed, but bare cast iron. That probably creates a lower
wear combination.

Jon

Max Krippler wrote:
On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:28:42 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

I just measured the ceiling space in the basement, and unless my wife
can put up with having TWO islands in the kitchen, I can't fit it in
there. This is killing me, but I guess I'll have to settle for
something less-- like a mill/drill.

I'm sure that beauty will go to some deserving soul... Oh well...
-


I've finally found a really sharp Bridgeport Mill in Los Angeles (it
seems like most of them are in the midwest or back east) and I was
wondering how to tell if it has the "chrome ways" that seemed to be a
desireable option?

This thing comes with so many options (3axis DRO, 3axis powerfeeds,
pneumatic drawbar, Kurt vice, micro-drop lube spray, etc, etc.) that
I'm tempted to get it anyway, but the family selling it didn't know if
Dad bought the "chromed ways" option. How important is it to get the
chrome ways on a Bridgeport? I drove out there to see it and the
machine is in perfect shape and has almost zero backlash, but if you
guys can educate me about the 'chrome' I would love to hear about it.

Maybe you can tell by seeing the pictures? Here is the eBay ad
listing number: 7590917948


Sure looks Chromed to me. If not, it shows no signs of wear, at least
on the exposed Y ways in the photo. But, the bright color sure looks
like chrome. Note that the way surfaces that face the chromed way
is NOT chromed, but bare cast iron. That probably creates a lower
wear combination.

Jon


Rather than a Mill-Drill consider any of the better grades of "A1S"
imported knee mills (both bench and floor models) or the slightly
smaller Clausing Mills. These are a lot like a mini-bridgeport, perhaps
2/3 the size. They're certainly NOT a BP, but if you don't have room for
a BP they're a good alternative, and more capable than most Mill-drills.

I have a BP at work, and a KBC "A1S" in my basement. For it's size,
weight, and cost, I am quite satisfied with the KBC.

Dan Mitchell
============

You can lower your basement floor--no foolin. Depending on the type of
floor, may not be as much work as you think, even if concrete. Now,
concrete w/ rebar can be a pita, but abrasive saws can make short work of
that also.
If you take the head off, you can dig out *just the footprint* of the mill,
set the base/frame in place, *then* put the head on--that way you have much
less digging to do.

There are Burke horizontal/vertical mills, often w/ small Bridgeport heads,
pretty small table. Really cute, two motors. A guy by me has one for about
$2K.

Oh, holes thru the ceiling are not unheard of! Mebbe she can use another
island!
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"Max Krippler" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:28:42 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

I just measured the ceiling space in the basement, and unless my wife
can put up with having TWO islands in the kitchen, I can't fit it in
there. This is killing me, but I guess I'll have to settle for
something less-- like a mill/drill.

I'm sure that beauty will go to some deserving soul... Oh well...
-


I've finally found a really sharp Bridgeport Mill in Los Angeles (it
seems like most of them are in the midwest or back east) and I was
wondering how to tell if it has the "chrome ways" that seemed to be a
desireable option?

This thing comes with so many options (3axis DRO, 3axis powerfeeds,
pneumatic drawbar, Kurt vice, micro-drop lube spray, etc, etc.) that
I'm tempted to get it anyway, but the family selling it didn't know if
Dad bought the "chromed ways" option. How important is it to get the
chrome ways on a Bridgeport? I drove out there to see it and the
machine is in perfect shape and has almost zero backlash, but if you
guys can educate me about the 'chrome' I would love to hear about it.

Maybe you can tell by seeing the pictures? Here is the eBay ad
listing number: 7590917948

Sure looks Chromed to me. If not, it shows no signs of wear, at least
on the exposed Y ways in the photo. But, the bright color sure looks
like chrome. Note that the way surfaces that face the chromed way
is NOT chromed, but bare cast iron. That probably creates a lower
wear combination.

Jon

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 13:44:25 GMT, Max Krippler
wrote:

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:28:42 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

I just measured the ceiling space in the basement, and unless my wife
can put up with having TWO islands in the kitchen, I can't fit it in
there.

Raise bats. They don't use floor space.
--
Cliff

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:08:49 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

You can lower your basement floor--no foolin. Depending on the type of
floor, may not be as much work as you think, even if concrete. Now,
concrete w/ rebar can be a pita, but abrasive saws can make short work of
that also.
If you take the head off, you can dig out *just the footprint* of the mill,
set the base/frame in place, *then* put the head on--that way you have much
less digging to do.

Before suggesting something like that, you may want to determine how
high the water table is in the OP's neighborhood, and what kind of
waterproofing they did to the basement floor slab.

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you disturb
it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's basement...

There are Burke horizontal/vertical mills, often w/ small Bridgeport heads,
pretty small table. Really cute, two motors. A guy by me has one for about
$2K.

Oh, holes thru the ceiling are not unheard of! Mebbe she can use another
island!

No, you call a general contractor and a house moving company.

The house movers slide I-beams and jacks under the house and pick it
up about two to three feet (depending on how dumb the original builder
was about leaving low ceilings) and the general contractor raises the
sills of the foundation to meet the new level. Bingo, instant
headroom in the basement.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:26:14 GMT, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you disturb
it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's basement...

What luck !!
You've seen the prices they get for bottled water .... when
city water is better for you ...
--
Cliff

Max Krippler wrote:
On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:28:42 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

I just measured the ceiling space in the basement, and unless my wife
can put up with having TWO islands in the kitchen, I can't fit it in
there. This is killing me, but I guess I'll have to settle for
something less-- like a mill/drill.

There may be a way to get around that. One way is to find a
1J head with the "pancake" motor made by US Motors. You will have
NO trouble selling the 2J head on the machine. Everybody wants
them. Really, I'm VERY happy with the 1J head and a VFD on my
machine, and I get electronic braking every time I stop the spindle.
There is also a version of the 2J that has the motor
mounted BELOW the varispeed drive to get back a few inches.

The machine with 2J head is 82.5" tall. With the 1J head, it is 77.5"
according to the manual.


If you have standard joists in the main floor, you can position the
machine so the head is between the joists. I can't imagine a place
that can't clear 77.5" even below the joists. For that matter, I AM
74" tall, so I'd be busting light bulbs off of a 78" ceiling!

Don't worry about how you will get the machine into place, you
will want to either flip the head upside down or remove it to lower
the center of gravity anyway.

Jon

Oh, this thing has that insane power drawbar on it.
Pull that off, you really don't need it, unless you
are 4' tall. It adds nearly a foot to the top of the machine.
I was going to say you'd need to keep the air compressor running
all the time, but I guess you would anyway for the mist unit.

Jon

Cliff wrote:

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:26:14 GMT, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you disturb
it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's basement...

What luck !!
You've seen the prices they get for bottled water .... when
city water is better for you ...
--
Cliff


Really? I've seen reports that indicate that bottled water is not any
better for you than city water, but I've not seen a single report that
indicates city water is better for you than bottled.

Pete C.

Pete C. wrote:
Cliff wrote:

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:26:14 GMT, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you
disturb it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's
basement...

What luck !!
You've seen the prices they get for bottled water .... when
city water is better for you ...
--
Cliff


Really? I've seen reports that indicate that bottled water is not any
better for you than city water, but I've not seen a single report that
indicates city water is better for you than bottled.

Pete C.

Well Pete,
I think the idea is that city water is fluoridated. There was a piece
somewhere recently that bottled water was rotting kids teeth or something.
OTOH, tap water the LA basin can frequently enough lead to a case of
cryptosporidiosis and that really sucks.
BTW, I drink bottled. You pay a lot but it won't make you ill.

--
John R. Carroll
Machining Solution Software, Inc.
Los Angeles San Francisco
www.machiningsolution.com

Digging down a foot would cause water problems? Hard to imagine.
Raise the house instead?? Goodgawd....

Note that I suggested digging down just for the footprint of the machine.
He could always pour concrete back on top of the base of the machine!

Actually, I've heard of a few people who dug down the whole area of their
basement to get that critical few inches of headroom back.
If you figger a 12x12 area (fairly sizeable), that's about 5 cubic yards for
each 6 inches you dig, ie, 10 yards for a foot of depth. I have easily dug,
bucketed and dumped 1 cubic yd in an hour (loose dirt). Well, not quite
easily--you do huff and puff.
A Bosch hammer, or an air hammer can usually make short work of most floors.
Here in pricey-pricey Westchester, NY, a 10 yard dumpster, unlimited weight,
is between 3 and 4 hundred bucks.
So, it's not for the faint of heart, or for those allergic to manual labor,
but it's still quite doable.
And that's 12x12.
For a mere machine footprint, hell, you could have the wife do it!
And put the rubble out with the regular garbage, little by little.
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"Bruce L. Bergman" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:08:49 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

You can lower your basement floor--no foolin. Depending on the type of
floor, may not be as much work as you think, even if concrete. Now,
concrete w/ rebar can be a pita, but abrasive saws can make short work of
that also.
If you take the head off, you can dig out *just the footprint* of the
mill,
set the base/frame in place, *then* put the head on--that way you have
much
less digging to do.

Before suggesting something like that, you may want to determine how
high the water table is in the OP's neighborhood, and what kind of
waterproofing they did to the basement floor slab.

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you disturb
it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's basement...

There are Burke horizontal/vertical mills, often w/ small Bridgeport
heads,
pretty small table. Really cute, two motors. A guy by me has one for
about
$2K.

Oh, holes thru the ceiling are not unheard of! Mebbe she can use another
island!

No, you call a general contractor and a house moving company.

The house movers slide I-beams and jacks under the house and pick it
up about two to three feet (depending on how dumb the original builder
was about leaving low ceilings) and the general contractor raises the
sills of the foundation to meet the new level. Bingo, instant
headroom in the basement.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:31:01 GMT, "John R. Carroll"
wrote:

OTOH, tap water the LA basin can frequently enough lead to a case of
cryptosporidiosis and that really sucks.

That's a bit hard to buy ... ?
--
Cliff

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 17:42:19 GMT, "Pete C." wrote:

Cliff wrote:

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:26:14 GMT, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you disturb
it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's basement...

What luck !!
You've seen the prices they get for bottled water .... when
city water is better for you ...

Really? I've seen reports that indicate that bottled water is not any
better for you than city water, but I've not seen a single report that
indicates city water is better for you than bottled.

Cheaper for one thing .....
"Both Pepsi's Aquafina and Coke's Dasani are bottled at one of many bottling
plants across North America where municipal tap water is used as the source, as
is the case with most leading brands."
http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/Bot...ter_Better.cfm

"You see, the Federal regulations that govern bottled water only require it to
be as good as tap water, not better."
http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/Bot...ater_Facts.cfm

"The most popular containers for bottled water are transparent, flexible
plastic bottles. If you choose bottled water to avoid chemicals in tap water,
you could be trading them for the plasticizers that have been known to leech
into the water."
http://www.diabetesinsipidus.org/4di_all_bottled_up.htm
--
Cliff

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 17:42:19 GMT, "Pete C." wrote:

Cliff wrote:

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:26:14 GMT, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

If they knew this was a potential problem and did extensive
waterproofing of the hole before they built the house, and you disturb
it, you've just unleashed an artesian spring in the guy's basement...

What luck !!
You've seen the prices they get for bottled water .... when
city water is better for you ...

Really? I've seen reports that indicate that bottled water is not any
better for you than city water, but I've not seen a single report that
indicates city water is better for you than bottled.

See charts: http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/nbw.asp
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/chap3.asp
--
Cliff

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 15:59:50 -0500, "Proctologically Violated©®"
wrote:

Digging down a foot would cause water problems? Hard to imagine.
Raise the house instead?? Goodgawd....

Note that I suggested digging down just for the footprint of the machine.
He could always pour concrete back on top of the base of the machine!

Actually, I've heard of a few people who dug down the whole area of their
basement to get that critical few inches of headroom back.
If you figger a 12x12 area (fairly sizeable), that's about 5 cubic yards for
each 6 inches you dig, ie, 10 yards for a foot of depth. I have easily dug,
bucketed and dumped 1 cubic yd in an hour (loose dirt). Well, not quite
easily--you do huff and puff.
A Bosch hammer, or an air hammer can usually make short work of most floors.
Here in pricey-pricey Westchester, NY, a 10 yard dumpster, unlimited weight,
is between 3 and 4 hundred bucks.
So, it's not for the faint of heart, or for those allergic to manual labor,
but it's still quite doable.
And that's 12x12.
For a mere machine footprint, hell, you could have the wife do it!
And put the rubble out with the regular garbage, little by little.

Perhaps he has a garage ?
--
Cliff

Cliff wrote:
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:31:01 GMT, "John R. Carroll"
wrote:

OTOH, tap water the LA basin can frequently enough lead to a case of
cryptosporidiosis and that really sucks.

That's a bit hard to buy ... ?

Unless you have water service. Most do.

--
John R. Carroll
Machining Solution Software, Inc.
Los Angeles San Francisco
www.machiningsolution.com

On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:06:51 GMT, "John R. Carroll"
wrote:

Cliff wrote:
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:31:01 GMT, "John R. Carroll"
wrote:

OTOH, tap water the LA basin can frequently enough lead to a case of
cryptosporidiosis and that really sucks.

That's a bit hard to buy ... ?

Unless you have water service. Most do.

--
John R. Carroll
Machining Solution Software, Inc.
Los Angeles San Francisco
www.machiningsolution.com


I dont think the DWP ever finished explaining why they spend over
$100,000 per year on bottled water

Regards
Daveb

DaveB wrote:
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:06:51 GMT, "John R. Carroll"
wrote:

Cliff wrote:
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:31:01 GMT, "John R. Carroll"
wrote:

OTOH, tap water the LA basin can frequently enough lead to a case
of cryptosporidiosis and that really sucks.

That's a bit hard to buy ... ?

Unless you have water service. Most do.

--
John R. Carroll
Machining Solution Software, Inc.
Los Angeles San Francisco
www.machiningsolution.com


I dont think the DWP ever finished explaining why they spend over
$100,000 per year on bottled water


LOL
Yeah, they didn't have to :)
They didn't want to say that their faith in the product they deliver varies
from their public pronouncements when the use of that product involved them
rather than the nebulous "public" they refer to. Not out loud at any rate.
The bill said it all for them.

--
John R. Carroll
Machining Solution Software, Inc.
Los Angeles San Francisco
www.machiningsolution.com

Max Krippler wrote:
On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:28:42 -0600, Jon Elson
wrote:

I just measured the ceiling space in the basement, and unless my wife
can put up with having TWO islands in the kitchen, I can't fit it in
there. This is killing me, but I guess I'll have to settle for
something less-- like a mill/drill.

I'm sure that beauty will go to some deserving soul... Oh well...
-


I've finally found a really sharp Bridgeport Mill in Los Angeles (it
seems like most of them are in the midwest or back east) and I was
wondering how to tell if it has the "chrome ways" that seemed to be a
desireable option?

This thing comes with so many options (3axis DRO, 3axis powerfeeds,
pneumatic drawbar, Kurt vice, micro-drop lube spray, etc, etc.) that
I'm tempted to get it anyway, but the family selling it didn't know if
Dad bought the "chromed ways" option. How important is it to get the
chrome ways on a Bridgeport? I drove out there to see it and the
machine is in perfect shape and has almost zero backlash, but if you
guys can educate me about the 'chrome' I would love to hear about it.

Maybe you can tell by seeing the pictures? Here is the eBay ad
listing number: 7590917948

Sure looks Chromed to me. If not, it shows no signs of wear, at least
on the exposed Y ways in the photo. But, the bright color sure looks
like chrome. Note that the way surfaces that face the chromed way
is NOT chromed, but bare cast iron. That probably creates a lower
wear combination.

Jon
well jon, ...........think i would consider ......raising the
house....., jacks for starters, then cement bricks to fill the gaps,
yup ..... that puppy would be just a hummin... oh ya..?? 220 3
phase?? well no matter. can always get yur own transformer out side
on the pole for another coupla thou?? whats a little green matter,
guys gotta have his toys, RIGHT???, my better half made me say
this, plz diregard....