Docsmachine- If you were closer I'd bribe you over with a case of your favorite beverage for some lessons.
-And if I were closer, I'd probably accept.
You guys have any links for beginner use on a Bridgeport?
-Unfortunately, that's a pretty open-ended question, sort of like "what do I need to get started making knives".
My first recommendation is to see if your local college/university has a machine shop course. I've taken the various classes at my local community college three times, and I learned a bundle each time. Either with or in place of that, see if you can find a copy of
Machine Tool Operations (it's a textbook) and/or
Machine Tool Practices.
Both are somewhat general, covering everything from metalcutting bandsaws to shapers, but they give theory of operation, and some simple training/practice projects. Also some good data on layout and measuring tools.
Second, register
here and
here, and start reading. HSM is more "home shop" friendly, PM is more geared to the industrial or professional machinist.
Use the search functions, read up on some of the existing information. Two things I'd immediately suggest looking up: How to "tram" the mill head, and proper service & maintenance of a Bridgy. (The quill, for example, needs to be lubed
every time, or nearly so, more important if it sits for long periods between uses.)
After you've read for a while, then feel free to ask some questions. Don't be surprised if one or two of them get a bit grumpy and say "search around, it's been asked before"- just ignore them and wait for one of the more friendly guys to help out.
Third, get some aluminum pieces- bar and block of various sizes- and some tools. Presumably you have a collet set, and at least one endmill. (Is it sharp?) Clamp some aluminum in the vise- make sure it's all square and well secured- and cut some chips. On aluminum and light cuts, all you need is a bit of WD-40 to keep the cutter from loading up.
More on tools: You'll need at least a few collets. An M-head takes R-8 (well, most of them do, anyway) which are dirt-common. Find an ENCO catalog (or hit their website) if you don't have any. Don't bother with the 15 and 20-piece sets by 32nds, you'll never use 'em. Get 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4". Those'll take care of 98.7% of your milling duties.
Grab some cheap import endmills- again, some 1/8" with 3/8" shank, some 3/8"-3/8" two and four-flute, a couple of 1/2" and a 3/4" or two. Don't bother with "micrograin carbide" or TiAln/TiNitride coatings or any of that nonsense. Get the cheap stuff while you practice, because you
will break 'em and/or wear 'em out. That's okay, you're s'posed to.
More: A dedicated drawbar wrench, and a place to hang it. Get into the habit from day one that you pull the drawbar wrench off the pin/hook, tighten or loosen the drawbar, put the wrench back on the pin. Always, always, always. Fire up the spindle with the drawbar wrench on there, and you're gonna break something, probably something expensive or painful.
Also get a 6" dial caliper, a good mechanical one (as opposed to those cheap import digitals) and learn how to read it. A 0-1" micrometer is handy. A hold-down clamp set, an import version will do, just use twice as many for big heavy jobs.
Now, go practice, practice, practice. Just like blacksmithing or knifemaking, don't be discouraged by early failures, or results that don't come out quite like you'd hoped. Spend a few minutes trying to figure out
why it happened, and try it again.
Doc.
