Play the banjo music. Rush job tapping 175 1 1/2" NPT steel flanges. The ridgid 700 is driving the tap, pipe takes the torque and the bridgeport is aligning and down force. Delivered all flanges 3 1/4 hours after first hearing of the job. Total teamwork, I'm proud of them. We never tried this before.
Heck yeah !! As a kid my dad had me on the ratchet till I ached. He kept their existence a secret. Someday I'm going to try a splitting screw on it.
I don’t miss threading pipe by hand. I also have a Ridgid 300 machine, and had an old 400 machine I had given away.
I know a machinist or two that would consider using a Bridgeport in that fashion abuse. But that's something I would do in a heartbeat (when they weren't looking).
Actually it is easier on the bridgeport. No torque or force's of any kind is being transferred through any of the moving parts of the bridgeport, including the ways and spindle. The quill, spindle in neutral, only guides the start and after that it is not even touching.
Like using your 200 dollar Mitotoyo calipers to scribe a line on your part a certain distance from an edge. They don't show you this in class either ; why ? Because it works so well , who cares about the abuse on your equipment as long as you get the job done. Nice work Guys !!
Yup, you have to figure in value. As long as you designate specific tools and machines to "rough work". You don't want everything to wind up trash. We went as far as purchasing a lathe just for polishing and gritty jobs. And this particular bridgeport is basically used as a drill press with readout.
I completely understand where you are coming from being in that line of work. I think we all have been guilty at one time or another of pushing our tools and equipment a little past their limit or intended use. Lets take a simple screwdriver for instance.... How many times have you used it as a pry-bar ? Snap-On even has on the handles " Do not use as a chisel or pry-bay " ; Have I ever done that ? Absolutely ! and not just once. I try not to abuse things any more than I have to and don't make a habit of it. And Yes , the Bridgeport is the best " drill press " you could ever have.
Preaching to the choir here, but I've worked with purist machinists surrounded by clean room manufacturing who babied their tools, right down to how to properly use a scribe and would be horrified should you be careless enough to drop their favorite one on the floor.
And old timer told me the tool works for him not him working for the tool lol. I live by this if it breaks I fix it or replace it
