Sliderule Racing Products

Bridgeport 3 Axis CNC Kit Plans

This page is probably a little late in development but if you got here then you are probably interested in converting your Bridgeport to CNC and do not wish to spend tons of cash on an industrial solution that you have little need for.  

That's the boat I was in when I designed the kit.  I had picked up a Bridgeport after selling an Enco Mill-Drill that I had already converted to CNC.  The Bridgeport was a bit bigger, though, and the hobbyist solutions seemed a little sparse.  I took some time to try to design a relatively simple-to-make kit that allowed me to upgrade the mill to 3Axis CNC.  Being a hobbyist and not a shop, I had a few key requirements for my design:

    - Inexpensive raw materials (i.e. no castings!)

    - Able to be machined without CNC

    - No permanent changes or modifications to the mill (in case I wanted to sell it later without CNC)

    - Retain manual control (this is big for us hobbyists!)

In any case, the plans I have constructed have met these goals and I use my Bridgeport frequently with my 3 axis design.  These plans do not get into the motor, driver and controller aspect of the conversion.  For that, a VERY good reference is the Mach 2 controller manual.  You can get that here.  Art's program is simply out of this world at a very reasonable price point.  It is highly recomended.

The plans I am selling are the plans to generate motor mounts to support NEMA 42 motors to drive all 3 axes of your Bridgeport along with the specifications for all the belts, pulleys and hardware you need.  Part numbers are given with prices so you can order right away.  Also, all components that require machining or modification are detailed in true engineering prints (generated in Solidworks).  Finally, a color photographic manual detailing the disassembly and reassembly of the axes describes how to pull it all together.  

I encourage people to modify the design in any way they see fit to best suit their needs, though you can use the design straight out of the box - so to speak.  Of course, the manual is copyrighted so reproduction is prohibited.

The kit is provided electronically, with drawings, manual and bill of materials via email.  for $15 more, a color copy can be printed and mailed.

I think if you are embarking on the CNC conversion for your mill, these plans will likely save you much time hunting down parts and give you a concept with detailed plans to start from - the hours saved are well worth the purchase price.  If you would prefer to purchase by check, simply email me and we can work out the details.  chrisbruno@comcast.net

Thanks for visiting!!