# Machinists / Engineers **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [October 29, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485 "2009-10-29T11:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/1 "2009-10-29T11:07:22Z")
I’m looking to pick up a vertical knee-mill for our shop and have been looking around at used units. I’ve only ever purchased CNC machines before. I’m looking at a Bridgeport that is rated at 1HP, is that going to be a bit anemic? We will only be doing small jobs, metals and plastics, but never anything super aggressive. Since this will be prototypes and run manually throughput is not really that large of a concern for me. One of the alternatives would be a (gasp) new asian unit (probably a JET). Like I said, this is going to be used as a once in a while, prototype, fix stuff mill, not a job shop or production unit. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![ultradriver10000](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ultradriver10000/32/7397_2.png) [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/2 "2009-10-29T11:46:08Z")
A 1hp Bridgeport should be fine in your application. I’d just want to be sure it wouldn’t ever need to be pulled into a production roll down the road. That is where you will see the 1hp being inadequate. FYI [http://albany.craigslist.org/bfs/1439723056.html](http://albany.craigslist.org/bfs/1439723056.html) OLDIE [http://albany.craigslist.org/tls/1402581881.html](http://albany.craigslist.org/tls/1402581881.html) Might be worth a look here… [http://albany.craigslist.org/tls/1399819189.html](http://albany.craigslist.org/tls/1399819189.html) ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/3 "2009-10-29T12:13:42Z")
Thanks, I’ve got a local Machine Tool company that sells used units. (I’m in Atlanta) Waiting for them to confirm if it is a step-head or variable since the quote says one thing and the picture says another. ---
**Author:** ![Cavi\_Mike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cavi_mike/32/5217_2.png) [@Cavi\_Mike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cavi_Mike)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/4 "2009-10-29T12:19:23Z")
The gear reduction will get you a lot more realized HP. ---
**Author:** ![ultradriver10000](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ultradriver10000/32/7397_2.png) [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/5 "2009-10-29T13:06:43Z")
> [@Cavi Mike](#): > > The gear reduction will get you a lot more realized HP. True, but variable speed is oh so nice. Wasn’t sure where you were Walter I thought Albany for some reason. I want to get one for my garage is that weird? LoL ---
**Author:** ![Jim1234664](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jim1234664/32/7438_2.png) [@Jim1234664](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jim1234664)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/6 "2009-10-29T13:17:03Z")
my dad has a midlevel jet from right when they started being outsourced, nice machine except im not at all happy with the way the head locks down, still has a bit of rotational play ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/7 "2009-10-29T16:35:49Z")
This is a great refurb’d bridgeport, like $3500… I will likely have one in my next place for no other reason than to say I do. ---
**Author:** ![vt1992s10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vt1992s10](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/vt1992s10)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/8 "2009-10-29T18:18:38Z")
This is the style of Bridgeport we used in the Machine shop/Baja Shop at RIT. The only problem we had with them was the Draw bar would strip out every so often, other then that they were great. ![http://www.rit.edu/cast/mmetps/images/labs/milling_machine.jpg](http://www.rit.edu/cast/mmetps/images/labs/milling_machine.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 8:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/machinists-engineers/75485/9 "2009-10-30T08:16:32Z")
Pretty standard vertical knee mill, VS head, power draw bar, power feed on Xaxis, DRO… nice aftermarket yellow powercoat job… The one I’m looking at is a step-head which is mildly annoying but for what we’ll be doing its fine.