Buying way bellows !!

Hi I am in the process of rebuilding a Ajax AJT1 milling machine and I am after some bellows to cover the slides, the machine is similar to a Bridgeport just bit larger. I was wondering if anyone can suggest a supplier for these ? I have spoken to arceuro trade who sell a few but they could not help with what I want.

anyone got any other ideas ?

cheers Darren.

Darren Put camera bellows in google They may be able to help

Roy

I saw a website some time ago about making your own bellows, but can't remember the actual site. If you have some folding skills this may be a cheap way forward.

Doug

Hi Darren,
If you can't find any ready made bellows you could try making some yourself. I made some from damp proof course material for my X3 mill.

These have been in use for a couple of years now.

Les.

Here's a video illustrating the process.

Video

Joe

Is this any use to you?

On My AJT4, I used a piece of butyl type pond liner between the back of the be and the top of the column ways, been there for a couple of years and still ok. I've got some left somewhere if you want a piece for the cost of postage. PM me the size and I can sort some out for you.

cheers

Graeme

**LINK**

I'm looking for someone to try these and report back. I think you can cut some to size.
It does seem to be a bit of a broken record as half the queries on here seem to end up pointing to this company but I can only assume it is because they actually take the trouble to work out what we hobbyists actually need.

Darren,

If you need to go for a custom made you might look at

http://www.beakbane.co.uk

They do many different styles, one I used in the past was from a dip plastic coating.

For 1offs the moulding former may make it expensive so one of their standard ones would be more cost effective if you can get one to suit.

Bob D

Thanks I was looking at their web site a bit earlier may contact them tomorrow to see what they say !. Or I might just wait till I have the machine back together and see what the one's that Arceurotrade do look like, they do one that is bigger than the slides but it may work ok and help keep the dwarf off a bit more. Will keep you posted.

Cheers for the suggestions.

Got the big set of bellows from ARC on my bridgeport, not fitted them just dropped them over the back.

impressions, keeps a load of crap off the ways but because they have not been cut and fitted stuff still get in at the corners.

My fault needs to be fitted correctly and it would stop that.

They are wearing well except for steel chips sticking to the bellows, not as bad as it sounds as they do brush off and are not buring thru but I do use this machine in anger, it's a paying workhorse and big cuts with decent inserted cutters are the norm.

Light cuts with steel brush off as does alloy etc. In a home shop I suspect the life span is a fair few years, in my industrial shop probably two years and they will start looking tatty.

Hope this is a truthful answer.

"Camera Bellows" of Birmingham, appears to have been reborn as "Custom Bellows"

... haven't used them recently but, years ago they were excellent people to deal with.

MichaelG.

I have been look at the ARC ones and I think I might go with the same idea as John suggests to use the larger ones as the AJT1 is not that much different to the Bridgeport and fix then using a custom plate to the top of the colour and top of knee, then to the back of the main saddle in the same way might order a couple to have a play cheers

Darren