This weekend, my machinist neighbor next door to my shop comes over to tell me he is closing his business and has some shelving and stuff for me if I want it. He also says that his son’s Camaro is for sale, and all of his equipment. After asking about the Camaro, he starts rattling off stuff he needs to sell, like his air compressor, workbenches, trick granite measuring table, etc. And then he gets to my favorite. The Bridgeport. Bastard…
I thought he was taunting me with it because he knows I can’t afford it, but when I ask how much he wants for it (more out of courtesy than anything else), and he says $500 I scream I’LL TAKE IT!!!! hoping I’ll get it out of my mouth before I pass out and fall to the floor. So, unless his best friend Marty decides he has to have it, I should be the proud owner of a recently rebuilt Bridgeport in the next week or so. Woot woot!
But, hopefully, realizing my dream of owning a Bridgeport Mill got me thinking. What are some of the other “Dream Tools” that people would love to have in their garage. I realize that a machine the size of a Bridgeport isn’t always practical for folks, and they are almost never this cheap, so the list of possibilities could be endless.
But in the spirit of big tools that a lot of people don’t have room for, and ones that are normally pretty pricey, I’ve put together four “Dream Tools” that I expect at least three of are on most guys lists.
But if someone told you that one of these could be yours. You pick which one. Which would you choose and why?
Here are you options.
Bridgeport Mill (And if you don’t know how to use one, who cares. You can learn that stuff.)
A super trick Tig Welder (Again, knowing how to use it isn’t a problem. You can learn.)
A 4-Post Lift (If you don’t know how to work this one you shouldn’t have one. And you should wear a helmet. All the time.)
A Big Media Blasting Cabinet (I’ve never had one of these but have always wanted to have one.)
So? Which one would you choose?
If you have more dream tool suggestions for a future BangShift Question of the Day, email me. [email protected]
Bridgeport, lathe behind it, TIG welder, 2 post lift instead of 4 post and blast cabinet in that order. Have them all, acquired in that order and used thusly. If you get a mill the handiest tool is a rotary table 9-12″ then mount a 4 jaw chuck on it as well.
Might check with him and see if you have enough concrete to hold that bad boy… heavy mothers.
The lift is more of an issue than the Bridgeport. Four post lifts are fairly forgiving but not 2 post lifts – failed a 4-5″ slab floor in one garage. Bridgeport is ok on 4″, or even a sturdy wooden base if bolted down.
I have a 1983 series 1 Bridgeport mill and it is heavy but it is fine just setting on my regular thickness 4in garage floor. Buy a cheap enco rotary table and a good 6in Kurt vise. I also have a 1950s Sebastian lathe as well as a Haas CNC tool room mill. My dream tool is a lift.
I would want the Bridgeport. The other items can save a lot of work, but have cheaper substitutions that can do much of the job.
Hopefully the tool gods will smile on you and you will get the Bridgeport, you must have been storing up a whole load of gear head good karma to have that kind of luck.
On a much smaller scale I recently scored a Myford Super 7 with screw cutting gearbox in mint condition for £400. I couldn’t believe my luck, I’m sure the seller wanted me to have it as he knew I’d use it and not sell it on for a profit.
An I agree withe last comment, there are other things cheaper that will do the job. But really a good mill would be superb
Bridgeport Mill, with the mill and proper attachments you can build any tool you need. (within reason) In college shop classes we learned this is the only tool that can replicate itself. It would take a while but can be done.
Not to be argumentative, but I was told by an old machinist years ago a lathe is the only tool that can replicate itself…
Milling operations would be super time-consuming, for sure. I guess one would cutters in the lathe jaws and use some sort of a cross slide to hold the work piece.
Conversely, I can’t imagine a [vertical] mill being able to perform turning and threading operations.
Please insert the word, “place” between would and cutters for readability.
used Bridgeports are cheap, and plentiful especially without power feed and hardened ways and slect speed and sophisticated measuring attachments, usually digital. By-the-pound cheap. Get an estimate on moving costs – you will e shocked. How are you going to power it – better check it out if is it 3 phase, etc. Not cheap to configure in a residential situation.
Tooling is expensive. Ask me how I know this. . .
Thus endeth the lesson.
An electronics engineer friend of mine has a [3-phase] Bridgeport mill in his home’s garage.
If I remember correctly, he made a “phase faker” (my term) using a washing machine motor.
Of course, there are fancy (?) manufactured units available, too.
Two options for 3 phase from single: Either a VFD which accepts single phase input or a rotary phase converter. Have one of each, Hardinge lathe on rotary converter and 600 volt Bridgeport on a Variable Frequency Drive with a transformer to step up the 240 to 600 volts. Check the forums on Practical Machinist for details on each.
“and he says $500 I scream I’LL TAKE IT!!!! hoping I’ll get it out of my mouth before I pass out and fall to the floor.”
LMAO! x2!
I’d take a two post lift first, because I’d use it regularly, then the blast cabinet that I would use some, followed by the TIG that I’d use once in a while, then the Bridgeport, lathe, etc. that I would look at admiringly, when they didn’t have a bunch of parts and stuff stacked on top of them.
X2
Fortunately when you get something from your next-door neighbor, power (presumably he’s on the same thing you are) and moving (anybody got a forklift? Or an engine hoist will do) aren’t going to be much of a problem. That IS the way to go.
A plasma cutter would be a nice addition to all those lists..
always go with a mill machine first. it will do a lot of work. drill, mill, turn, etc. I have a Induma. Italian version of a b/p only heavier. 2 lathes older than me and other various pieces of equipment. I really want a horizontal bore mill so I can make my own blocks. as always, the garage is getting smaller. lol
Hope the Bridgeport came with a DRO (digital readout) or else it really sucks reading the dials!
I had the opportunity to get a Bridgeport mill years ago for $500 too but didn’t have the room to store it and I kick myself almost everyday for not buying it!
My next large investment is going to be a 4 post lift because I’m getting too old and fat to lay on the ground!
BP miller any day – welders + sand blasters are cheap these days
Don’t need a lift – cribbing and house jacks will pick up anything
have walked under the keel of 30 boats using the same
Bridgeport.
The blast cabinet would be nice, for sure.
I can skip the TIG and stay with a MIG. Hell, what I do – a 240 volt machine spooled with flux core would do just fine. TIG is sexy but MIG gets the job done, too.
I used to work under 2-post lifts. I miss having a lift a little but the adjustment isn’t life-changing.
The bridgeport, though… fabrilicious.
SHOP? What’s that? I have a shade tree. My garage was built in 1909 and is full of parts and stuff.
Got the bridgeport,got the lathe,got the ac/dc tigs/pulse migs etc,got the scissorlift for the bike with the gantry crane for engine removal.
I have access to a couple of mills and i have a lift one of my dream tools is one of those plasma tables so i could make brackets and what not and yea a 4 post would be nice if it came with an alignment machine
4 post lift – I’m tired of laying on my back too! Then a nice blast cabinet would be awesome. You’re gonna expand my garage too right?!
If I had to pick one right now I would take the TIG. I currently have no way of welding Aluminum. I want all the tools on the list but right no I work on my vehicles in a one car garage. I need a much bigger shop but until I win the lotto I’m stuck fixing my junk in the driveway.
I already have a mill. A lift is just a convenience thing, it wouldn’t let me do anything I can’t do already. A bead blaster would be nice, but I can use the one at the machine shop if I give my friend some beer money, and I have a sandblaster at home. So…that leaves the TIG…the only thing holding me back is that I am not a very good welder, and I know my TIG welds would look as bad as my O/A and MIG welds. But it would be nice to be able to stick aluminum parts together.
You forgot the most important 3 “must haves” in the shop area. Fridge, Microwave, and the Crankin KICK ASS STEREO system. I have all those tools in my shop also My own tire machine and balancer and the BIGGEST-NASTIEST air compressor I could afford.
Without a doubt, I’d go with the Bridgeport. Of course now I’ll need a 3 phase converter, tooling money and lessons. Why haven’t I got one of these already?