Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

[Geoff C.]

[Tom D.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

from Wikipedia:

Started at Bridgeport, CT in 1938, Sold in 2004, when it was acquired by Hardinge, Inc. Hardinge is a multinational corporation whose machine tool brands include Hardinge, Bridgeport, Kellenberger, Hauser, Tripet, and Tschudin. It currently has subsidiaries in England, Germany, Switzerland, China, and Taiwan, ROC.

A small museum exists in... Vermont somewhere (This last comment is not from Wikipedia.)

[Joe L.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

Joe Lucia & I have talked about this former milling machine tool manufacturer. I cannot remember if we took a ride past their address when Joe last visited Bridgeport – methinks (?) prior to the attached photo. This photo was taken May 12, 2011 during demolition of the factory. It’s a big vacant lot today. Drove by it every day for decades on the way to work just a couple of blocks away.

Bridgeport Machines was once the premier manufacturer of machines used to produce tooling: dies, molds, fixtures. It’s the tool used to make precision tools for mass production. I would bet that every Corvette from the 1953 to the 1970’s & maybe beyond had many of their parts made on tooling – and that tooling was produced on a Bridgeport Milling Machine. The Arsenal of Democracy was built on tooling from these machines. They were once the leader in this specialized field.

Today only that name Bridgeport Machines remains as the intellectual property was purchased by another entity. Can’t remember who. There has been a decade of talk about the re-development of this vacant real estate – probably with strip mall regulars like a nail salon, Chinese take out, massage, pizza shop, liquor store. Make America great again & bring back manufacturing so future Corvette restorers will not have to buy cheap Taiwan, Chinese & Indian produced over priced, cheaply made poor reproductions.

Bridgeport like many other is a relic of US manufacturing. It would take too much space to list all the departed manufacturers.

PS Joe is a fibber about disliking side pipes. Although he will deny it: he was smiling ear-to-ear driving my top down convertible 427 with side pipes that day – both on the free way at speed & in city traffic to my warehouse.

Geoff------


I don't recall if we drove by the Bridgeport plant but what an absolute shame of the demise of this factory! I could not agree with you more about it. This represents a microcosm of the demise of American manufacturing. It's even worse because it represents the destruction of the kind of plant that made the tools for the next level of manufacturing. So, we lose both levels of manufacturing. It's just like we've given up. As I've said many times before, manufacturing is the basis for most wealth and, certainly, the basis for the wealth and strength of the USA.

Now, I expect that the machines they once made here will be made in China. Of course, they need the machines more than we do now because the next level of manufacturing is almost completely there, too.

Take heart, though; things are looking up. In the last few weeks I bought some toothpicks and some cotton balls and the packages actually said "Proudly Made in the USA". Doesn't it make you proud?

[David B.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

Guys, it was just the Bridgeport factory building you witnessed being destroyed! Being a demolition contractor for over 25 years I never could figure out why I was outbid on this type of job. Today I understand. Usually the winning bidder got the whole building and equipment he then sold and shipped the old equipment to places like Taiwan at a significant profit. The demo job was a loser but usually payed for itself in scrap iron. Seen this repeated many times but take heart -- the original equipment still exists, it's just in another country being run by a $1.00 an hour laborer.

[Robert L.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

3D printing:

It will all be software and 3D printing soon. Don't have to like it, but it is on the way. Scan in an original part, tool marks and all, and create a part to drive judges nuts.

The price of the cheapest 3D printer came down from $18,000 to $400 within 10 years. In the same time, it became 100 times faster. All major shoe companies have already started 3D printing shoes.

Some spare airplane parts are already 3D printed in remote airports. The space station now has a printer that eliminates the need for the large amount of spare parts they used to have in the past.

At the end of this year, new smart phones will have 3D scanning possibilities. You can then 3D scan your feet and print your perfect shoe at home.

In China, they already 3D printed and built a complete 6-storey office building. By 2027, 10% of everything that's being produced will be 3D printed.

[Patrick C.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

I worked my way through engineering school running a Bridgeport verticle milling machine in the summers and at Christmas vacation. Taught me how to design things that could actually be made. Now everyone runs 5 axis cnc machines. I think that makes me an old guy.

[John D.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

Back when I was a lad working as an engineer in GM assembly plants I was the supervisor of some tremendously gifted toolmakers that could make almost anything using a Bridgeport milling machine and a lathe.

A generation ago there were may jobs in that trade here in the NYC area today there are almost none.

[Michael H.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

Interesting, in today's St.Louis newspaper a big article about machine shops having so much work but the machines are not running due to the shortage of skilled machinists. Kids today need to start looking at these highly paid jobs that are waiting for them, we need skilled tradesman.

Mike

[Geoff C.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

I am aware of 3d printing. Their speed has increased and someday they may even match or exceed other manufacturing methods. A high speed Minster Press with a progressive die will certainly be a challenge to match in the high speed production of many high volume parts.


Some may have missed the point. It’s a loss for made in the USA – many times over. Those jobs are gone. Those skilled workers are out of a job. That real estate is vacant. That property tax base is devalued. Bridgeport, CT property tax mills rates rise. Presently there is no 3d industry here & now in Bridgeport that would meet the payroll, property tax or GDP of the lost industries – yet. Don’t hold your breath. And no more skilled labor to operate machines. Adding further; the local school system sold off the entire metal & welding shops machines on Craigslist a few years ago.

The demise of Bridgeport, CT manufactured Bridgeport Machines did not occur due to the rise of 3d printing. This was a result of foreign manufacturer’s using cheap labor & material & not having to be concerned with intellectual property rights like patents, nor barriers to their import of finished products. In simple terms: cheap knock off the Bridgeport milling machines were made in Asia decades ago. Kind of like Corvette reproduction parts today.



Will a 3d printed Corvette repro pass judging? Will they be printed in the USA? I’ll laugh my gluteus maximus off if 3d printed vin & trim tags with all the right tool marks pass verification – and lead to 10,000 new 67 435’s – especially Black-n-Blue ones.

[Robert L.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

The demise of the buggy whip manufacturing segmenteventually brought us to the 67 435’s – especially Black-n-Blue ones.
Welcome to the 4th Industrial Revolution. Welcome to the Exponential Age .
Software will disrupt most traditional industries in thenext 5-10 years.
Uber is just a software tool, they don't own any cars, and arenow the biggest taxi company in the world.
Airbnb is now the biggest hotel company in the world, althoughthey don't own any properties.
Artificial Intelligence: Computers become exponentially better in understanding the world . Thisyear, a computer beat the best Go-player in the world, 10 years earlier than expected.
Should we now just plain give up on moving forward?I think not. Do I know how to do it? Nope.Will it happen? Yup.Will I see it?Don't know, but things are moving fast right now and I expect they will bemoving even faster so I may be around to see it. It will be rocky for a time whilethings get sorted out.
Any suggestions?

[Leif A.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

Ever read "Future Shock" by Alvin Toffler. This book was originally published in 1970 and talked about how fast (ever changing and evolving) technologies would become and what a low percentage of the world's population would be able to keep up.

[Duke W.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

One recollection I have of Future Shock is that Toffler said in the future we would problems trying to figure out what to do with all our "free time". Ha! Most who are still working are working harder than ever and often need two incomes to raise a family and achieve a solid middle class lifestyle.

Humans have a very poor track record on predicting the future. Remember what Toffler said about desktop computers. smart phones, and the World Wide Web. Absolutely nothing! But I'm still waiting for my robot maid and gardener and my flying car.

He also forgot about all the millions who would be laid off in middle age and virtually unemployable at anything near their former income due to, not automation, but "offshoring".

As far as computers and the WWW are concerned, it's getting way too complicated, and I wonder if we have reached the point were computers are consuming more effort than they save and creating more problems than they solve, and I know a couple of IT professionals who tend to agree.

The world is certainly getting more complicated and difficult to keep up with, which may at least partially explain some of our current social ills, like homelessness. Even some of the brightest people I know can't get their smart phones to do what the manufacturers claim they can do.

Back in the day a 10-year old could hop in a '55 Chevy and figure out how to work everything just by looking around, and the owner's manual, if needed, was no more than about 50 pages. Nowadays if you can't figure out how to start a new car, just refer to the 600 page owner's manual.

Back in the day you paid your bills by writing a check, putting a stamp on the envelope and dropping it in a mail box. You didn't need user IDs, passwords, PINs and three different browsers to get into your various accounts. I'm thinking of going back to paying my bills the old way.

Duke

[Leif A.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

Great recollection of Mr. Toffler's book Duke.

[Bruce B.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

When I started at Pitney Bowes in Stamford, CT. the sound of machines was everywhere.
Bridgeports, Swiss Screw machines, lathes and various CNC machines. I was in a lab outside of the tool room. I thought that was where they kept tools. WRONG.
Very talented tool makers, die makers and machinists were everywhere.
I learned a lot from the Journeyman and the apprentices. I have great respect for all of them.
Now there are very few apprentice programs in American industry except at companies like Volkswagen. They realize the value of well trained people.
Also Bridgeport vertical machines are available at very low prices.
I have had a old 1912 South Bend 9" lathe which I use on a regular basis.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Bridgeport Machines 1938-2004

I remember old timers seemed to call any machine "the Bridgeport." If a job needed to be done on a specialized drill or a lathe or some other machine, they'd say "take it over to the Bridgeport" to get that work accomplished.