Power Feed for Knee Bridgeport & Clones

[Toolmaker51]

I fully support powered knee turret mills. Mine isn't yet.
I'd recommend two additions. Counterweight the knee, there are a handful posted here, for reduced motor load, but not such a ratio the knee is 'weightless'.
A low RPM geared DC motor with a variable speed control seems ideal. It really doesn't need much faster than you'd crank by hand. I do know of one instance a corded 1/2" Milwaukee in the hands of an aggressive apprentice wore out the lead screw nut trying to achieve escape velocity.
Anyway; my interest is to broaden the feed rate per spindle revolution [typ .0015, .003, & .006]. This increases tool radius selection, desired surface finish on varied materials. Also allows the spindle remain fully retracted and locked for an extra bit of rigidity.

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...archid=1530489