You might look into a crank handle with a clutch for the manual crank. Search for Safety Ball Crank Handle. They are not expensive. You push in to engage and otherwise they free-wheel. I have these on both my X and Z axis power feed shafts.
I bought my full size Comet knee mill brand new in 1994. It is made in Taiwan as well. Although it shows plenty of use, it is still going strong. No complaints from me.
My lathe is from Taiwan and my Mill is from China and the difference is night and day. The Mill is the first one that ACRA approved from China, but compared to their Taiwanese model, the difference is dsignificant.
I would love to add power feeds to the Y & Z axis. I’m not sure I’m as patient as you tho, I’d have spat the dummy & thrown tools across the shop & cursed everyone and their dog if I had to go through all of that. With the Z axis just have the adapter and my 18V lithium battery Ryobi 2speed drill. On low speed gear it moves the table up & down easily, so I’m not really seeing the need yet to go to the expense & effort to add power feed to the Z axis. There’s not a huge amount of travel on the Y axis, & like yourself I have my vice overhangs the back of the X axis table, as w ell as the X axis DRO scale back there with its alloy cover, so even less rearward travel. I guess I can just hand wind the Y axis for now but surface finish is undoubtedly better with the uniformity of feed rate from power feeder compared to hand feeding. Expense, effort, stress, I find myself asking if I really need to go down this path just yet. Having just bought my new lathe - that emptied the bank balance as well as all the new tooling I need for the lathe, means that short of winning the lottery or robbing a bank, finding the spare $ to do all the mods I’d like to do on the Bridgeport is definitely on the back burner for now. There’s the pneumatic draw bar powered device, the air mister coolant thing. I’d like a Z axis DRO & scale coz my eyes I struggle to read dials at the best of times. Where does it all stop? All I ever seem to do is have my hand in my pockets with this hobby. 🙄😜😂😂
You might look into a crank handle with a clutch for the manual crank. Search for Safety Ball Crank Handle. They are not expensive. You push in to engage and otherwise they free-wheel. I have these on both my X and Z axis power feed shafts.
Good tip thanks
Thanks. The Chinese Z axis kit came with a spring loaded disengagement feature, but I hated it and removed the spring.
@@DudleyToolwright Mine have saved me too many nasty thumps to remove the springs but your mileage may vary.
My milling machine is made in Taiwan, very accurate and well built, great video and thanks for the spray gun from vevor it's awesome..
I bought my full size Comet knee mill brand new in 1994. It is made in Taiwan as well. Although it shows plenty of use, it is still going strong. No complaints from me.
My lathe is from Taiwan and my Mill is from China and the difference is night and day. The Mill is the first one that ACRA approved from China, but compared to their Taiwanese model, the difference is dsignificant.
If you take the cover off of the limit switch assembly, you can swap the two limit switches if you need the switch logic reversed.
That was a mental option. Thanks for the idea. Others might really find your advise useful.
Nice review and info Robert !
Much appreciated. Thanks.
Nice installation.
I like the power feed.
Is the torque on the new one higher than the Chinese model?
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great day. 👍🇺🇸👍
I have never had either stall.
@DudleyToolwright Thank you Sir.
Have a great day.
Did you consider putting the stops on the opposite side of the knee? It looks a little bit less busy.
The other side of the knee is where my dro scales are mounted and that side is even worse.
I would love to add power feeds to the Y & Z axis. I’m not sure I’m as patient as you tho, I’d have spat the dummy & thrown tools across the shop & cursed everyone and their dog if I had to go through all of that.
With the Z axis just have the adapter and my 18V lithium battery Ryobi 2speed drill.
On low speed gear it moves the table up & down easily, so I’m not really seeing the need yet to go to the expense & effort to add power feed to the Z axis.
There’s not a huge amount of travel on the Y axis, & like yourself I have my vice overhangs the back of the X axis table, as w ell as the X axis DRO scale back there with its alloy cover, so even less rearward travel.
I guess I can just hand wind the Y axis for now but surface finish is undoubtedly better with the uniformity of feed rate from power feeder compared to hand feeding.
Expense, effort, stress, I find myself asking if I really need to go down this path just yet.
Having just bought my new lathe - that emptied the bank balance as well as all the new tooling I need for the lathe, means that short of winning the lottery or robbing a bank, finding the spare $ to do all the mods I’d like to do on the Bridgeport is definitely on the back burner for now.
There’s the pneumatic draw bar powered device, the air mister coolant thing. I’d like a Z axis DRO & scale coz my eyes I struggle to read dials at the best of times.
Where does it all stop?
All I ever seem to do is have my hand in my pockets with this hobby. 🙄😜😂😂
The drill motor solution is used by many and seems to be a decent solution. Thanks for sharing your approach.
Buy a round handle off of Mcmaster carr then you won’t catch your fingers.
Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.