BRIDGEPORT CHERRYING HEAD

[RICK DELONG]

I have a bridgeport cherrying head that a friend gave me. Looks to be an M-head which has a threaded morse taper collet. I saw some cherrying cutters in an old machinery book, but I don't have a clue how this head works. As the spindle turns the spindle will come down and travel to one side then as the spindle starts up it will travel to the other side before returning back to it's original starting point, sorta making a circle. If anybody knows how this head works, what it was used for, and what parts did it make, It would greatly be apreciated because I don't have one clue myself. THANKS.

[crypto]

Ran a Pratt and Whitney die sinker a few ages ago. It's spindle could operate in that same manner------ down and around and up again. designed to make cavities in blocks of steel for snap dies for the blacksmiths.

Surprised to learn that Bridgeport made such an attachment. Hot dog! learned something new today.

[Al Messer]

A cherrying head was most likely used to cut the cavities in bullet moulds in days long gone by.

[RICK DELONG]

This is really a coincidence, but I was looking at a new & used machinery site that somebody mentioned on one of the other topics here and they have a cherrying head for sale with a picture under milling machines. The site is http://www.lostcreekmachine.com ( I don't know how to transfer the address) so I hope this gets anybody there that's interested in seeing a picture.You have to go down the list to milling machine assor.

[Ragarsed Raglan]

That's an interesting site Rick. Good to see a dealer making use of pictures of his wares. I must admit I thought a cherry picker head was for replacing the lamps in the shop roof!!!!

I see they have one of the rare dinky Centec 2C millers listed under 'Horizontal mills' ~ wonder if they have the vertical head attachment for it as well? At $1200 its's a bargain as well ~ mmmmmh, wonder how much to repatriate it??

RR

[JCHannum]

Cherrying heads were used to rough out dies and moulds for just about anything.

[Al Messer]

For amateur use, how would a two jaw self-centering jig to hold the blocks work on an ordinary vertical mill table?

[sandman2234]

I don't have it bookmarked on this computer, but Tony's site, where all the manuals are listed and for sale has pictures of this cherrying head, along with another page showing how it works. Kind of neat. David from Jax

[Thrud]

www.lathes.co.uk (http://www.lathes.co.uk)

[RICK DELONG]

Thanks for the address, it took me awhile but i found the ad for the cherrying head.I am going to mount the head to a saw horse in my shop and see how this spindle moves when spinning.

[sandman2234]

I bought one thinking I could zero the radius and just use it as a milling head. Won't work, doesn't work that way. If you don't need a moveable quill, it will work, but very few people need that.
Something else for my widow to worry with...
David from jax