- Thread starter Smouser
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I had bought a spindle and quill from Aliexpress for my BP. The only issue was I had to buy the dog clutch assembly as well for when switching to the back gear but apart from that it was a direct fit. I suggest you measure the current spindle and confirm. Runout isn't too bad either - a bit more than 0.005mm
Smouser
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Thanks, hat is good to know.
I will remove the current quill and measure before I buy a potential replacement.
Currently, it is too crowded in my garage to do anything
I need to get rid of a few things first. I guess my weekend activity will be listing all the bits I want to sell on eBay.
I will remove the current quill and measure before I buy a potential replacement.
Currently, it is too crowded in my garage to do anything
I need to get rid of a few things first. I guess my weekend activity will be listing all the bits I want to sell on eBay.
Smouser
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I guess it will be.Elliott for sale?
I need to decide wich mill to keep, leaning towards the SEMCO.
FTFYElliott for sale cheap?
Smouser
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Had a little bit of time this morning to see if I could get the spindle out of the SEMCO so I can measure it to establish if an Aliexpress 'Bridgeport' 30 taper spindle would fit.
To remove the spindle, you need to remove a grub screw that prevents the locking collar to undo itself.
Once the grub screw is out, all you need to do is to unscrew the locking collar. Easier said than done without the correct pin tool/wrench (similar to a grinder spanner).
There was already evidence of previous removal without using the correct tool with the two holes being pretty chewed up.
I decided to quickly make a tool so that I didn't have to damage the pin holes any further by hitting them with a hammer and drift.
I had some 'standard punch blanks' which were part of a lot I purchased on auction once, they seemed ideal to use for a quick pin tool.
If you don't like dodgy quickly made, badly welded tools, look away now!
It sure is ugly, but it worked brilliantly, I got the retaining collar off.
Evidence of the collar slipping/grub screw not being removed on a previous occasion.
Another photo of the ugly pin tool.
To get the actual spindle out, all I did was hit the spindle from the top with a brass drift so it could drop down.
I used some rags and a box of disposable gloves to absorb the impact as it came out.
Once I get a chance, I will measure it all to establish if an Aliexpress spindle would fit.
To remove the spindle, you need to remove a grub screw that prevents the locking collar to undo itself.
Once the grub screw is out, all you need to do is to unscrew the locking collar. Easier said than done without the correct pin tool/wrench (similar to a grinder spanner).
There was already evidence of previous removal without using the correct tool with the two holes being pretty chewed up.
I decided to quickly make a tool so that I didn't have to damage the pin holes any further by hitting them with a hammer and drift.
I had some 'standard punch blanks' which were part of a lot I purchased on auction once, they seemed ideal to use for a quick pin tool.
If you don't like dodgy quickly made, badly welded tools, look away now!
It sure is ugly, but it worked brilliantly, I got the retaining collar off.
Evidence of the collar slipping/grub screw not being removed on a previous occasion.
Another photo of the ugly pin tool.
To get the actual spindle out, all I did was hit the spindle from the top with a brass drift so it could drop down.
I used some rags and a box of disposable gloves to absorb the impact as it came out.
Once I get a chance, I will measure it all to establish if an Aliexpress spindle would fit.
Smouser
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- 1,265
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- Amesbury, Wiltshire, UK
I regularly order stuff from Aliexpress. Only had one problem where an item did not arrive (courier damaged beyond repair according to the tracking) but Aliexpress did not want to refund.
Claimed the money back through my bank. It was low value, but it is about the principle of things sometimes.
Fugly tool, but it did the job - it's a keeper
Is the grubscrew supposed to locate in the hole as there seems evidence of tightening further around too. Maybe a copper slug needed.
I could paint it, that might smarten it up
It looks like the grub screw should be in the hole. A copper slug might be a good idea.
Smouser
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I have looked at my existing R8 spindle in a little more detail.
The top bearing is a 6206 bearing. Again, there is evidence that somebody has been here before. Either removed the dust shield to regrease the bearing or damaged it somehow. The preload nut has been chewed up a little too, the previous owner/owners must not have had a C spanner and just used a punch to undo/tighten the nut.
The bottom two spindle bearings are 7207 bearings.
It looks like there are two main 'Bridgeport' spindle sizes available on eBay/Aliexpress.
Size1: 25.4mm splined shaft
Size 2: 25mm Splined shaft
I have measured my existing R8 spindle
25mm splined shaft
Close enough to 30mm
Close enough to 35mm
I probably didn't even have to measure the spindle's bearing surfaces. The existing bearings already tell the whole story.
My spindle's overall length is about 540mm too (difficult to measure).
There are some differences in the design of the one I want and my existing R8 spindle.
The main difference is the 'preload' nut being in a different location.
On my existing spindle, the preload nut is situated about halfway up the spindle pressing the top bearing down, and then onto a spacer which presses on the spindle bearings.
On the replacement, the top bearing just sits on the shaft and the preload nut is directly above the spindle bearings.
The metric-sized splined spindle can be bought for around £115 shipped from Aliexpress.
I guess I will also need a new NT30 retaining nut which can be had for about £20.
However, I will also need all three bearings and a spacer between the two main spindle bearings (I have not managed to find a spacer yet).
It might be easy enough to make one?
I am beginning to wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze changing the spindle over to a 30 taper.
To save a bit of money, I could re-use the existing bearings on the new spindle but it is probably better to get new ones.
The main reasons for wanting to change to a 30 taper spindle are:
1. I have existing 30 taper tooling
2. I have a large fly cutter (280mm) and 30 taper seems more sturdy or beefy than R8
Some other not-so-important (to me) advantages of 30 taper:
1. 30 taper is shorter so easier to change tooling without having to wind the knee down if clearance is tight
2. 30 taper has got driving dogs to help prevent tooling slipping.
That being said, by the time I had bought the spindle, the nut, the bearings and the spacer I could have just bought R8 tooling which only really leaves the 'sturdiness' or 'beefiness'.
Not quite sure what I want to do now.
Any thoughts?
The top bearing is a 6206 bearing. Again, there is evidence that somebody has been here before. Either removed the dust shield to regrease the bearing or damaged it somehow. The preload nut has been chewed up a little too, the previous owner/owners must not have had a C spanner and just used a punch to undo/tighten the nut.
The bottom two spindle bearings are 7207 bearings.
It looks like there are two main 'Bridgeport' spindle sizes available on eBay/Aliexpress.
Size1: 25.4mm splined shaft
Size 2: 25mm Splined shaft
I have measured my existing R8 spindle
25mm splined shaft
Close enough to 30mm
Close enough to 35mm
I probably didn't even have to measure the spindle's bearing surfaces. The existing bearings already tell the whole story.
My spindle's overall length is about 540mm too (difficult to measure).
There are some differences in the design of the one I want and my existing R8 spindle.
The main difference is the 'preload' nut being in a different location.
On my existing spindle, the preload nut is situated about halfway up the spindle pressing the top bearing down, and then onto a spacer which presses on the spindle bearings.
On the replacement, the top bearing just sits on the shaft and the preload nut is directly above the spindle bearings.
The metric-sized splined spindle can be bought for around £115 shipped from Aliexpress.
I guess I will also need a new NT30 retaining nut which can be had for about £20.
However, I will also need all three bearings and a spacer between the two main spindle bearings (I have not managed to find a spacer yet).
It might be easy enough to make one?
I am beginning to wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze changing the spindle over to a 30 taper.
To save a bit of money, I could re-use the existing bearings on the new spindle but it is probably better to get new ones.
The main reasons for wanting to change to a 30 taper spindle are:
1. I have existing 30 taper tooling
2. I have a large fly cutter (280mm) and 30 taper seems more sturdy or beefy than R8
Some other not-so-important (to me) advantages of 30 taper:
1. 30 taper is shorter so easier to change tooling without having to wind the knee down if clearance is tight
2. 30 taper has got driving dogs to help prevent tooling slipping.
That being said, by the time I had bought the spindle, the nut, the bearings and the spacer I could have just bought R8 tooling which only really leaves the 'sturdiness' or 'beefiness'.
Not quite sure what I want to do now.
Any thoughts?
To quote @pressbrake1 , both will be "just tickling the job"...
dieselsamurai
Too many projects not enough time!
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Just replaced the bearings on my bridgeport as they were shot and decent 7207 matched bearings are not cheap I think my mate paid just under £250 luckily he covered the cost as he didnt realise they had had it when he got me the machine. Over oiling of the spindle had washed all the grease out
Smouser
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- Amesbury, Wiltshire, UK
Holy smokes!
Didn't realise bearings were so expensive!
For a bloke messing around in his garage, will some cheaper bearings not be good enough?
I mean, I don't need the bearings to last for 10000 hours of use. I do need a certain degree of accuracy though.
Didn't realise bearings were so expensive!
For a bloke messing around in his garage, will some cheaper bearings not be good enough?
I mean, I don't need the bearings to last for 10000 hours of use. I do need a certain degree of accuracy though.
dieselsamurai
Too many projects not enough time!
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Mate paid through his company so I got these . Had him check spacers in his inspection room as have to be absolutely parallel
7207CTRDULP3 NSK Super Precision Angular Contact Bearing 35x72x17mm (s
High Precision Angular Contact Ball Bearings (standard series) have a line connecting the contact points drawn in the radial direction which is called the contact angle. This contact angle makes the bearing suitable for accommodating radial loads, single direction axial loads and a combination...www.bearing-king.co.uk
can get very expensive ...
Just run the machine up and if theres no play or noise cheaper to go R8 route
