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Central ND | Hear it and see it run under power is the best place to start. THERE are machines that have variable speed drive pulleys up on top and also machines that just have step pulleys on top. BOTH of them work just fine but variable speed is just a little more convenient and I believe a newer machine build.( but obviously, more parts to wear out). Everything below that variable speed top part housing (or step pulley housing)is the same on all of those machines no matter the vintage and they were made the same below that deck for DECADES!. If it has a variable speed converter, then it doesn't matter which it has. But all of the above will work just fine. A RUST FREE machine is also a PLUS!
>>LISTEN for smooth operation of the spindle and bearings. CHECK that the down feed for boring works.(stuff can be fixed but there is a lot of finicky parts to deal with.) Those spindles have to be tight and smooth running. MAKE DARN SURE that the machine doesn't have a bent up spindle or the machine is basically junk. You need the drawbar and the table crank to go with it or you will have to buy one. A "still working" one shot oiler is a plus. Take note if its still 3 phase or if it single phase conversion. Look for abuse on the table and especially on the ways. YOU can make a worn Bridgeport do a LOT of good things for you if you compensate for backlash, even if the scraping is worn away, but a broken up one(smashed up broken ways) there is little help for and cant be fixed either. NICE SCRAPING on the ways indicate a lightly used machine. NO scraping indicates worn heavily used machine. Backlash in the infeed's and cross feeds also indicates wear issues . DIGITAL readout would be really nice and a big plus so then backlash doesn't really matter.
USE H&W Machine CO repairs to get all you parts and pieces for repairs and YOUTUBE videos on how to fix them. "THEY are AWESOME" and prompt and have just about everything you will ever need to fix one up. Their videos will help you dissemble and reassemble just about every single part in that machine. Rebuilding on the first time will take you a bit of time, not a fast thing the first time. But you can order parts online or on the phone, and they will be here in the mail in just a few days. H&W machine co. has been awesome to work with !
You can spend some serious money buying tooling and parallels and blocks and t slot tools and Vices and rotary tables etc, etc, for a Bridgeport as you start to make more and more things. Getting and taking time to run it and make things is sometimes hard to do when you are in the middle of farming.
> Prices are all over the board, if you buy a fixer upper, plan to have anywhere from hundreds to a 3 or 4 thousands in just bearings and parts if it has been WELL used up in its lifetime..
They are heavy and clumsy, plan for about 2,200 LBS of awkward top heavy weight when you move it home.
Edited by School Of Hard Knock 11/4/2025 07:41
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Help Buying a bridgeport mill
