Y axis way cover for the Bridgeport

Machine Shop
#1

Following the recent bridgeport cleaning, there are quite a lot of chips migrating into the bridgeport’s Y Axis gib slot and the knee.

A good way to prevent this is to make some way covers out of fabric reinforced neoprene, as many have done:

Poking around on McMaster it looks like material cost will be less than $60. I’d be happy to put it together and donate the materials, but we’d probably need to drill/tap some holes in the machine’s castings. @Team_Machine_Shop, perhaps we should gather around the Bridgeport sometime between now and the committee meeting and have a look before anything is done.

What say y’all?

#2

A flexible cover is nice but considering these mills go 50-60 years without them and without issue Its a nice luxury but otherwise unnecessary. Just IMHO and would not want the casting drilled.

1 Like
#3

Magnets work for attachment.

3 Likes
#4

excellent alternative.

1 Like
#5

Ah yes, magnetic attachment would be an easy way to start and easy to remove for maintenance/etc.

I’m sure that the machine should last without the covers and with proper care, if only our world was so ideal. I think it’s cheap insurance. Next time I’m at the space I’ll take some measurements and make some sketches, maybe post them on talk or discuss them with anyone from the committee who’s there.