Bridgeport knuckle dimensions

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

I recently picked up a bridgeport milling head with the intentions of mounting it to the overarm of my Tom Senior mill. The Senior is a great machine, but the knuckle type vertical head lets the machine down, you get very little room under the tool, between 4-5 inches max, and it has no quill so drilling holes, is a pain, and drilling holes at an angle is not possible.

What i need to mount the BP head to the Senior is a plate to bolt to the end of the overarm, is a plate with the same shape and dimensions as the head to ram knuckle of a bridgeport, that allows the head be tilted left or right, and nodded forward and back. This part is what holds the four large bolts that protrude through the head itself.

Would anyone who might have such a part in their shed or workshop, or who might be rebuilding or working on their Bridgeport, be able to make a dimensioned sketch of it please ? I would buy the part, but they are expensive, usually located in the USA , so shipping is hugely expensive, and i am going to have to cut the part in half anyway as i only need the front portion that the head contacts.

Thanks

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Here you go.

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

Thanks John, off to the steel stockists and see what i can scrounge

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Did something similar about 10 years ago to mount a J head on a round ram Bridgeport. If I recall correctly material was 5/8 thick steel plate as we had large enough pieces lying around. Round front piece fixed onto two near square sidepieces with 6 or 8 hex scoket capscrews each side. Probably M8. We decided to limit nodding capability to around ± 2° or so. Just enough to ensure it could be set with the spindle vertical using a pair of opposed jack screws. Worked well for at least 6 years before I drifted out of contact with the guy I made it for.

If you are interested I should have a picture and drawings on a computer somewhere.

Clive.

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

Clive

Thanks for the offer, have you seen the machine in the link posted below ? Its basically what i am doing. The nodding ability is something i do not need apart from the need to adjust the spindle square to the table.

**LINK**

[davebParticipant @daveb17630]

Does your machine have the dovetail overarm? The J head is heavy, you may need an angle bracket to give it extra support, it's probably too heavy for the round overarm.

Dave

[davebParticipant @daveb17630]

OK, just saw your latest. That should do nicely!

Dave

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

Yes Dave it is the "vee" overarm. It is a very heavy and i would think designed to be much more rigid than the previous round overarm. The head itself will only be overhanging by an inch or so, so the rigidity problem doesn't really come into it imho.

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