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Rebuilding Your Machines: More Production/Less Cost

To Rebuild or Not to Rebuild...

The Bridgeport name has always been associated with Cadillac and Harley-Davidson. Quality, quality, quality. Did we mention U.S. manufactured?

Bridgeport milling machines can be found in almost every machine shop across the country and for good reason. The quality of Bridgeport mills are 2nd to none. The only imported vertical mill worth rebuilding is the Lagun (manufactured in Spain). All other imports we tend to stay away from due to the quality of the castings and the cost to rebuild compared to purchasing new.

Ball screw kits for Bridgeport milling machines

Every Bridgeport mill rebuild has the option to upgrade to a Precision Ball Screw kit, but only 1 in 6 will purchase the upgrade, according to Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders. The initial cost will typically scare off a Purchasing Agent, Maintenance Manager, or Machine Shop Supervisor. But if those ball screws will last longer and be much more accurate over the life of "multiple" acme screws, does it make sense to add this option to your Bridgeport mill rebuild?

Let’s dig a little deeper into this and see if a precision ball screw upgrade makes sense.

Harig Surface Grinders - Made in the USA

We recently found some old Harig Products literature and wanted to share. The logos had changed numerous times over the years, but as you can see they always featured the name. The name Harig has always been synonymous with hand feed surface grinders. Granted they ventured into automatics (Autostep/Slicer/etc.), but the Harig 612 and 618 hand feeds were their bread and butter.

Machine Tool Repair & Rebuilding

Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders has been rebuilding and repairing machine tools for the last 35 years. Over the last 5 years, Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders has created Rebuilding Divisions to allow their Service Techs and Machine Rebuilders to concentrate and focus on specific areas.

Rebuilding & Repair Divisions under the Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders umbrella:
  • Bridgeport Mill Rebuilding Division
  • TRAK Bed Mill Rebuilding Division
  • Harig Surface Grinder Rebuilding Division
  • Mitsui Surface Grinder Rebuilding Division

Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders will buy your used Bridgeport mills... in almost any condition!

Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders is always searching for Bridgeport milling machines to purchase, rebuild, and then resell with a 1-year warranty. Thirty-one percent of their business comes from reselling rebuilt Bridgeport Series I mills.

"Our company has purchased Bridgeport mills from all over the country and almost in any condition", said Colon Kelly (VP of Sales/Marketing). "We do ask a lot of questions, because the actual value is based on a certain criteria that we require."

For the purchasing department to even consider, it must meet the following:

    Precision Ball Bearings for Machine Tools

    "Come on guys. It’s so simple; maybe you need a refresher course. It’s all ball bearings nowadays." Chevy Chase in the movie Fletch (1985).

    Well things haven’t changed much with regard to precision ball bearings. Our Bridgeport Machine and Spindle Rebuilding Divisions are knee deep in ball bearings. Always have been and always will be.

    Ideas to Overcome the Manufacturing Skills Gap

    We recently read a great Blog addressing the U.S. Manufacturing skills shortage and wanted to share.

    Derek Singleton of Software Advice focuses on something that all manufacturers should implement at their local levels. Most manufacturing facilities have numerous high schools with machine shops and technical schools right in their backyard, but simply fail to implement a plan to grow and nurture this untapped resource.

    Harig Products gives the "Nod" to Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders (1970's)

    We decided to recirculate this Press Release in our Blog after a recent meeting between two very important people in Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders existence. Recently, Klaus Harig (Founder of Harig Products) and Sonny Kelly (former Plant Supervisor at Harig Products and Founder of Bridgeport Machine Rebuilders) met while on vacation in Florida. They shared many stories and laughs while visiting (many we can’t repeat). So please go back in time with us and see how it all began.

    Original Press Release: