# lathe boring tables



## Loose nut (Mar 6, 2008)

British lathes like the Myfords and even the Chinese 9 by 20's have cross slide decks with tee slots so that castings etc. can be clamped to it for machining, like line boring cylinders. Has anyone an idea or have info on mounting a boring table to an American style lathe that doesn't have this feature. My 13" has a large flat deck but I'm loathe to drill and tap it, to fasten a boring table down and the only method I have seen is a table fastened to the tee slot of the compound slide but it didn't look very firm or stable. I'm looking for a removable table idea that doesn't require any major alterations to the lathe. ???


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## BobWarfield (Mar 6, 2008)

I wouldn't be afraid to drill and tap. That isn't going to weaken anything much. In fact, bolting a T-slot table on top will probably beef it up.

I'm with you, I like lathes that have the feature built in. Seems very useful.

Cheers,

BW


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## Loose nut (Mar 7, 2008)

It's still fairly new, I have to wax and polish it daily and give it a hug at night. Defiling it with drill bits would be sacrilege.


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## DickDastardly40 (Mar 7, 2008)

How is the compound slide secured, if you remove that there may be scope to mount a milling slide around there without touching your pristine saddle.

Just an idea

Al


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## deere_x475guy (Mar 7, 2008)

Mine was a couple of days old before I had to drill to mount the DRO.... 

But I know what your saying....it was tough to do.


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## Loose nut (Mar 8, 2008)

The compound is mounted with the tightening screws so it should come right off and I will probably just drill and tap some holes to bolt on a false boring table, Sigh!!! the tears are shorting out my key board.


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## Bernd (Mar 8, 2008)

Loose nut  said:
			
		

> The compound is mounted with the tightening screws so it should come right off and I will probably just drill and tap some holes to bolt on a false boring table, Sigh!!! the tears are shorting out my key board.



Mind you now this is just a suggestion. How about purchasing a lathe with such a table. : After all we all need more equipment to produce our machines on accuratley. 

Bernd


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## steamer (Mar 8, 2008)

Hi Loosenut,

I know how you feel.  What I'm going to do is use the end bolts on the cross slide that the hold on the outboard way cover to hold a piece of stock to bolt the table to. That and the bolts that hold my compound on

And making the table out of 3/4" or thicker Jig plate ( very stiff)


Heres a sketch of what I mean







Dave


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## steamer (Mar 8, 2008)

You will probably have to clearance the bar so it fits around the ways and keeps them clean, but you get the idea.....



Dave


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## Loose nut (Mar 9, 2008)

mine doesn't have the way cover, I should add one, but I like the idea of tapping the end of the slide better than the top. Maybe i'll do a two for one. Thanks


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## steamer (Mar 9, 2008)

Might want to add a couple of dowel pins once its set where you want it...so it won't move around.

That's what I'm going to do to my 12" Logan.....

Dave


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## dparker (Mar 17, 2008)

Hello All: Some years ago I built a boring/milling table for my lathe out of a piece of hot rolled steel from the dumpster where I worked and machined away the parts that didn't look like they belonged there. I should go back and make the table a bit shallower above the tee slots to give a little more room for parts. I think I overbuild because of the test setups we made for testing pumps up to 1400HP.




There are now kits to make these with cast iron for the Atlas and South Bend lathes available. 
A few months ago in one of my HSM magazines I noticed a picture of a lathe like mine with a Atlas Boring table and recognized that I had inherited a similar (same) table on a X/Y table from my Dad.









It fits right on where the compound goes and even has a degree mark for matching to the cross slide. That thought had never occurred to me as I have a mill/drill and a rotary table and did not realize the table was even transferable until looking at it closely after reading the article.
don


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## ronm (Mar 17, 2008)

Have you seen these? This Co. offers crossslide tables for SB, Logan, Atlas...
http://www.sc-c.com/metallathe/S-4382.html


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## steamer (Mar 17, 2008)

Hi,
Nice boring table!

Yes I am familiar with Metal Lathe accessories.  NICE stuff

I bought his steady rest kit and the iron is wonderful to machine.

His tables are too small for my 12" Logan I'm afraid

As to the Atlas. I have the same table and cross slide and it fit my old atlas lathe wonderfully also....the guy who bought the atlas from me was starting to bore me as he was haggling too much...the price was fair...so I left it out.  I still have it.

Nice looking Atlas you have there!.....I think I see some bread crumbs on the ways ;D

Warm regards,


Dave


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## steamer (Mar 17, 2008)

By the way, I found a design for a boring table that elevates and mounts on the same spigot as the compound.

If I can figure out how to up load I'll put it there.

Dave


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## steamer (Mar 17, 2008)

Hello again,

I uploaded the boring table design by Woodson. It was published in PM in 1941 and has been floating around for a while on the net.

Dave ;D


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