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I bought a new machine. And then got carried away!

delalio

Plastic
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Location
Dublin
Good evening gents.

So I had previously messaged a couple of members on the forum, and they advised me to post this as a new thread! This is my first thread on PM, despite being a member for a while.

So here is the short-ish version of the story!

I am a hobby engineer, living in Dublin, Ireland. I make model steam engines, and small parts at home, on a Myford Super 7. I have a small YouTube channel, called BestLathePlans (for anyone interested - https://www.youtube.com/bestlatheplans)
I decided I needed a Mill, so I thought it would be a great idea to buy a nice small mill, so I bought a Bridgeport form the UK. Whilst figuring out transport back to Ireland, I realised it was not much more expensive to bring several machines back. So I ended up buying a bunch of machines to keep the Bridgeport company on the journey.

In total I ended up buying:
  • Bridgeport BRJ (1971)
  • Tom Senior Horizontal Mill (1977)
  • Progress 3A pillar drill - dual speed motor, 70-1800RPM (year unknown)
  • Colchester Master Lathe (1963)
  • Studer OB Grinder (1955)
  • Guyson Shotblasting Cabinet and filters and gun
(Side note, I did not view or test anything before buying. Buying from another country and travel etc made it somewhat inconvenient. Reckless? maybe! Luckily it all seems to be going well so far however!)

The Studer and pillar drill were a total impulse buy. I have never done any grinding, other than shaping some tool steel cutters for use on my Myford lathe.

In total I spent €1800 on machines, and another €1100 on transport, customs, tax, fuel, etc, etc, which I thought was actually not too bad at all...

So, I just wanted to say hi, and post a few pics of the machines. I'll probably be posting a bunch of queries in the coming weeks/months, when I realise how much work I've taken on.
If you want to see any other views of the machines, just give me a shout!



Cheers,

Del
 

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Dang..... you don't just go halfway, do you?

Definitely not bad pricing, assuming the stuff is in decent shape, as you seem to say it is. Around here, a Bridgeport at the probable effective price you paid (dividing up the price by machine) would be basically scrap iron. Even at the price of all plus shipping, it would probably be only so-so. You seem to have done better than that for sure.
 
There is an old saying in the USA, "The luck of the Irish." You have more than your share.

I bought my blast cabinet around 1978. The maker suggested a 50-50 mix of aluminum oxide grit and glass beads, so that is what I have been using ever since. It works well to remove paint, rust, heat treat scale and some machine marks. You need a good size air compressor to run one. Mine is 5 HP dual stage and with age and wear, no longer keeps up with the blast cabinet usage. My cabinet came with a vacuum dust extractor, pretty essential for these things.

Shot blasting is a different process, possibly using a spinning element to throw the metal shot out with centrifugal force. My employer used to use shot blasting to lengthen fatigue life on forged steel front axle steering knuckles. Not long ago, I read that it is beneficial to treat steel sword blades in a similar manner.

Larry
 
Are the indoor pics from the dealer, or is that your "hobby" shop?
Ha, I wish that was my hobby shop! Currently my Myford is in the livingroom, quietly living in the corner.

The indoor pics are actually of my work. They've allowed me to store the machines there until I have figured out what I am doing with them! (Built a nice big shed!)

We have a machining dept where I work. They normally work with much newer CNC machines, a Hermle 5-axis I think was the last machine they got in, so I'm getting some pointers from those guys.
 
Dang..... you don't just go halfway, do you?

Definitely not bad pricing, assuming the stuff is in decent shape, as you seem to say it is. Around here, a Bridgeport at the probable effective price you paid (dividing up the price by machine) would be basically scrap iron. Even at the price of all plus shipping, it would probably be only so-so. You seem to have done better than that for sure.
Yeah, the shipping for just the bridgeport was like €900. All the machines together was like €1100. So if I ever wanted any of the machines in the future, it was worth getting them on the same truck. So I just committed... I paid on average 200/machine, so another truck journey would have cost the same as all the other machines together.

I picked them up from a couple of auctions, and the sellers were actually quite glad they were going to someone who was going to use/restore them. But like others have said, that'll be a lot of work over the next several months!
 
There is an old saying in the USA, "The luck of the Irish." You have more than your share.

I bought my blast cabinet around 1978. The maker suggested a 50-50 mix of aluminum oxide grit and glass beads, so that is what I have been using ever since. It works well to remove paint, rust, heat treat scale and some machine marks. You need a good size air compressor to run one. Mine is 5 HP dual stage and with age and wear, no longer keeps up with the blast cabinet usage. My cabinet came with a vacuum dust extractor, pretty essential for these things.

Shot blasting is a different process, possibly using a spinning element to throw the metal shot out with centrifugal force. My employer used to use shot blasting to lengthen fatigue life on forged steel front axle steering knuckles. Not long ago, I read that it is beneficial to treat steel sword blades in a similar manner.

Larry
Very interesting. So I have a blast cabinet? We have a Guyson dealer fairly close, and they apparently still provide spares for the older machines inc mine, so I'll be getting new hozes, viewing window, lights etc for it in the near future! I've got lots of parts from the other machines to clear up now! haha.

I'll probably get new gloves for it too. If I leave it at work, they have an industrial compressor room, with mental capacity. If I bring it home, then I'll need a new compressor.
 
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Dang..... you don't just go halfway, do you?

Definitely not bad pricing, assuming the stuff is in decent shape, as you seem to say it is. Around here, a Bridgeport at the probable effective price you paid (dividing up the price by machine) would be basically scrap iron. Even at the price of all plus shipping, it would probably be only so-so. You seem to have done better than that for sure.
Yeah the machines were insanely cheap, hence why I was so easily persuaded. (Not that it took much! ha)

I paid €550 for the Bridgeport. It came from a known toolshop, and had little use from the current and experienced owner.
€150 for the Colchester lathe. It came with the toolpost + 3 QC holders, a Pratt Bernard chuck, travelling and fixed steady, plus some dead and live centres. So even if I just sold those on Ebay I'd probably cover the whole order.
The Tom Senior M1 cost me €200, and it came with a reasonable vice which on Ebay was going to cost me about €160.
I also got a 12" rotary table and 12" angle plate for €50.
The Studer was €300, and that came with a set of about 20 Schaubin collets, grinding wheels, and other fittings which I'm yet to figure out.
The pillar drill and blasting cabinet were about €300 + €200 respectively, and I got some steel cabinets and other bits (Drawbars, etc) too.
Oh, and most the machines came with lamps too, which for some reason seem to sell for like €200 each here...

So in all, I think I did quite well. I'm actually sad the machines all sold for so little. They're solid, and will probably out-last me.
 
You're doing it right. Get everything when you can, you can always offload a machine or two if you don't need them later.
As for space for the machines, build a small shed and live in it. That way you can use the house as your shop. You'll be in your shop all the time anyway so you might as well be comfortable.
 
I also have a Studer OB grinder. In case you don't know that round can is setting behind, it's a secondary filter for when you do grinding where you want an ultra high finish or are holding extremely close size. It is full of these flat round filter pads that I don't think you can get anymore. If you get curious to open it do it outside, it's going to really going to stink from the bacteria thats been growing in it for who knows how long. Did you get any accessories with it?
All The Best From the other side of the pond.
Todd W
 
I also have a Studer OB grinder. In case you don't know that round can is setting behind, it's a secondary filter for when you do grinding where you want an ultra high finish or are holding extremely close size. It is full of these flat round filter pads that I don't think you can get anymore. If you get curious to open it do it outside, it's going to really going to stink from the bacteria thats been growing in it for who knows how long. Did you get any accessories with it?
All The Best From the other side of the pond.
Todd W
Hey Todd, thanks for the reply!
That is awesome. I did open it and it's been well cleaned out and is just the metal casing and piping now. I think it needs all new filters and plates fitting inside. I actually found the official Studer instructions and drawings for it too, the Filtrox WS, drawings sheet numbers 237-1 and 827-1. I can share them if you like. (I spent ages trying to get all the documentation possible, as I've a lot of learning to do!)
Would you be interested in doing a video call and showing me round your machine? Or have you posted any videos to YouTube?

Kindest Regards,
Del
 
Very interesting. So I have a blast cabinet? We have a Guyson dealer fairly close, and they apparently still provide spares for the older machines inc mine, so I'll be getting new hozes, viewing window, lights etc for it in the near future! I've got lots of parts from the other machines to clear up now! haha.

I'll probably get new gloves for it too. If I leave it at work, they have an industrial compressor room, with mental capacity. If I bring it home, then I'll need a new compressor.
Some blast cabinets have a mylar roll that goes from outside to inside to cover the view port. Others I worked with use a metal mesh / window screen.
My currently unit uses cheap 1/16 lexan to protect the borosilicate glass replace when it gets clouded up.
 
Nice machines!

I also have a Elliott Progress 3A which I started refurbishing a a couple of years ago.

Other projects came along and it is still in bits.

Hoping to get the drill sorted this year.

But I habe now started a J&S 540 surface grinder 🫣
 








 
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