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How a Machine Better Than Bridgeport Was Forgotten by Machinists

The Gear Archive

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Moldmakers and tool room machinists passed the name Tree from one craftsman to another like a professional secret: the upgraded Bridgeport almost nobody knew about. This is the complete story of Tree Machine Tool, from a wartime proving ground to the legendary 2UV and 2UVR mills, and the brutal market forces.

Sources consulted and referenced in our research:

VintageMachinery.org - Tree Tool & Die Works / Tree Machine Tool Co. (Racine, WI): http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/...
Practical Machinist forums - Tree 2UV and 2UVR owner discussions: https://www.practicalmachinist.com/fo...
Wikipedia - Bridgeport (machine tool brand): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgep...)
Wikipedia - Kearney & Trecker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kearney...
Wikipedia - Machine tool industry in the United States: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine...
TAJMAC-ZPS (Zlin, Czech Republic) - official site: https://www.tajmac-zps.cz/
Wikipedia - FANUC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FANUC
Wikipedia - Haas Automation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haas_Au...
Wikipedia - Giddings & Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gidding...

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20 Comments

@RandomGuy-gy9dj 1 month ago

It is interesting how certain areas become know for different things. Wisconsin built machine tools. Massachusetts (Starrett) did precision tools. Detroit built cars in massive factories. Grand Rapids built grinders and supplied the car makers with their stamping dies. At one time there were more tool and die shops in Grand Rapids than Detroit. All gone now.

@blackdaan 8 days ago

worked on bridgeport kondia and lagun.. now i own my own lagun . amazing powerhouse it is

@AmericanMachineWorks 3 weeks ago

This is such a fascinating piece of machining history. It’s amazing how advanced technology can still be forgotten over time.

@TheMachinistsArchive 3 weeks ago

This is fascinating! It’s amazing how a machine with better capabilities could still disappear from the spotlight while the Bridgeport became an industry legend.

@johnwallace9002 1 day ago

I'm a machinist for last 55. Years and would keep the Bridgeport.

@garys9694 1 month ago

I'm an old tool and die maker (graduated from a registered apprenticeship) and then advanced into management. Started in the late '60s. Ran both machines and the Bridgeport out shined the Tree every time. Manual machines.

@sakosti7990 3 weeks ago

Never heard of Tree until now. I do have my own Bridgeport 2J and Monarch 14C in my basement machine shop I use for gunsmithing mostly. A dream to operate both.

@KeithLuttrell-fj7tu 1 month ago

I really love that wide Saddle on Tree. I knew of them but never saw one. I did get to use some Moore jig bores and grinders.

@fasturn-fc2of 1 month ago (edited)

TREE Was the beast. BRIDGEPORT was comfortable, but the TREE was a money maker with the snap change collets. Much heavier too. The 325 with a Dynapath control was not bad in its day. The TREE and I are just apart of history now ❤

@georgeszilva1223 1 month ago

Spent the better part of 16yrs operating a Bridgeport...great MC.

@BillKurn 1 month ago

The shop i worked for in the late 70s-early 80s had a mixture of Bridgeport, Gorton and Excello vert mills, and a big clunky Kearney Trecker horizontal manual machine, with uttery worn out lead screws. What a beast!

@waydegutman7339 1 month ago

When I was going through the Machine Tool Technology program at MiraCosta College, the Tree mill would be my first choice for a milling project. If it was in use, then I would use the Bridgeport.

@richarddio1143 3 weeks ago (edited)

I used them, correct the Tree was better solid as an Oak. Actually I prefer The Wells-Index. I do have a Bridgeport now, Its a Series Two. Has 4 inch box ways on the Y and the table is 11 wide. Has 14 inch travel in Y and 38 in X. It is very accurate, and extremely solid. I like a lot.

@maxvelocity2 1 month ago (edited)

Tree master journeyman 425 was a pretty capable tool room mill. I was so fast at programming on the conversational control just because of how it was layed out.

@roofermarc1 1 month ago

I damn sure wish I'd become a machinist and knew how to use these mills!

@JöhanJötár 1 month ago (edited)

To own a Mill and a Lathe would be the dream.

@sentimentalbloke7586 1 month ago

personally I believe that bridgport would have made more money from fighting patent infringements than they ever did making and selling the machines. I am a retired toolmaker I cut my teeth on a bridgeport and kept a few when I retired. I went from the advent of computers and CNC and ran several toolrooms, I regard this little machine as an extension of my hands and I have seen and used the lot.

@deedeeindustrialsuperprecision 1 month ago

The vertical mill a machine that does absolutely everything but not one thing particularly well. The Bridgeport was the easiest to use and most productive. The Tree had its own collet system but did make the famous Tree angle boring head.

@randyshoquist7726 1 month ago

Actually a pretty good report. It didn't get annoyingly repetative, like most AI generated scripts, untill the last ten minute. And thanks for saying damping, rather than dampening.
The CNC shop where I worked had a 2UVR which we used for some second ops. Not being a mold maker, I don't know that I liked it better than a BP, but it was silky smooth. A very nice machine to operate. I programmed and ran a couple of Tree CNC machines as well.