Convert a Mill

Howdy all -
I have the opportunity to get a used Bridgeport Mill at a reasonable price (a few hundred dollars). I have *NEVER* used one before, but from what I can see; it will open up a whole new world of possibilities! I built my CNC from a booklet a friend had. It is not as accurate as it could be, and it is only good for wood working, so I'm liking the possibility of getting this mill.

I am a windows guy, but I did figure out how to install LinuxCNC on my PC (dual boot). The CNC is using a Xylotex control board. With the possibility of getting the new milling machine, I came here and did a search for [bridgeport]...and I caught this post!

I glossed over some of this thread (it's 97 pages long!). So, if I missed any of the following questions, (or they are posted elsewhere in the forum, I apologize!)

I'm interested in knowing how this will work with the Mill.

What kind of logistical nightmare would I get into trying plug the computer into the Bridgeport?
Will I need special hardware?
Additional software?
etc...
I'm the first to admit that I am not very electronically or mechanically inclined, so the potential to purchase a precise and a professional machine on the cheap is REALLY exciting! (Even if I don't know how to use it!)

Thanx in advance for your patience and understanding!

well your in luck , as their are a few who have converted a bridgeport .
it wont be a walk in the park , but with a little time and assistance from a few moderators , you'll manage it

but to be able to guide further we would need to know a bit more about the mill as to it's version
or if you have the manuals etc .

i personaly would recomend you use a mesa 5i25 / 7i77 breakout combination but we need to make sure of a few things first
as to the types of servo's and encoders fitted , this we can figure out before you buy anything .
Also is the mill in working order ?.

i also would suggest keeping the servo's and servo drives , and only changing the controller .

can i also direct you to gnipsel.com , where you will find most of the linuxcnc files and information on a conversion , no doubt their are others

Please start a new thread for this.

Chris M

I am just getting started with a retrofit of my Bridgeport Interact mill. If your mill has a the same controller (TNC-151a) then you could piggy-back on my plan. It's a daunting task with a lot to learn.

Well, after a chat with my wife today; we've decided the logistics were weighted to far against us to pull it off. It is being sold at an on-line community service auction (for the United Way) the auction closes tomorrow, I don't know anything about it.

The posting doesn't say what model it is, how old it is, if it runs/works, what condition it is in, if any accessories come with, etc...
Plus; it is my responsibility to pick up and deliver.

With such short notice, all I could do is park it in the garage, where it would sit for months before I could do anything with it! And even though the bidding is still under $200.00, the inconvenience is too much. I believe that in the long run, this would have been an excellent deal...but it just isn't pragmatic for me at this time.

Oh well.

Thanx again!