What’s a “Bridgeport?”

The Bridgeport milling machine has been a fixture in machine and tool & die shops since 1939. Having had already designed a very successful milling head that could be mounted temporarily, the company decided that the next logical step was to add the head to a machine base as a stand-alone milling machine. Sketched on the back of a paper bag, the design was an instant hit, and looks much the same today as it it did all of those years ago.

Just like the word "Coke" became synonymous with soft drinks, the word "Bridgeport" is used universally to describe a small milling machine. I can tell you from experience - while I don't use them too much anymore - there's nothing like a "real" Bridgeport mill...I've used the knock-offs, and they're, well, cheap. That's why most shops would still rather have a 10-year old used Bridgeport than a brand-new import.

I remember feeling like a "real" toolmaker once started running one, because - well - that's what all the "real" toolmakers did back in the 70's and 80's. 90% of our time was spent whittling out mold inserts, cavities and cores on a Bridgeport.

Today, I think you'll find that most Bridgeports are stuck in the corner as an "Plan-B" option in case something needs fixed in a hurry and there's no time to get the part into a CNC milling machine. They're great for a "quick fix" or a small project, but for any serious production, they're just too slow due to many factors: positioning the table by hand, no real horsepower, and no coolant...plus, as the operator, you're the one supplying all of the power. Kind of like the difference between a handsaw and a chainsaw.

That being said, if I started a shop tomorrow I'd make sure to have at least one Bridgeport around. They're extremely versatile, reasonably priced...and - to be sure - can do almost anything in a machine shop. Just a little slower!

A few months ago, I needed to "sub" in our shop's toolroom as our regular guy took a vacation. Since my time over the last several years has been with much larger CNC milling machines, I thought it might be kind of fun to run a Bridgeport again. Well...after about 10 minutes of cranking handles and getting hot chips in my hair, my trip down memory lane was complete!

Here's the deal: I think every single person who is getting into the machining business as a trade, and every mechanical engineering student in the country should spend at least 200 hours on a Bridgeport mill. You'll learn how to physically "make" something instead of just turning out amateur blueprints with no experience. You'll learn about milling and drilling, you'll learn about cutting speeds and feeds, and you'll get a real "feel" for how end mills, drills, and reamers work...because - just like taking a "drafting" class: there's still a lot to be said about putting your actual hands on something: no buttons!

We live in a world of "apps" and software that I personally think is making all of us lazy: who's the better artist? The guy who knows Photoshop? Or the guy who can paint by hand and has learned depth and perspective from doing it by hand? The guy who can paint by hand will take Photoshop to another level...because he's done the work by hand and will use Photoshop to enhance his work.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting several videos covering the following Bridgeport topics: