# Small boring head



## lensman57 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hi,

Happy new year to you all, wish you all a healthy, prosperous and peacful new year.

Does any one have plans for a small boring head that I could build to use on my Taig or Sherline mills? I have the Sherline boring head but I find it difficult to work with and there is quite a bit of flex in the body and the HSS tool. The usual 2" Chinese or Indian stuff are just too long and bulky to use on a Taig. I can't see myself wanting to bore anything larger than 30 mm diameter at the moment.

Regards,

A.G


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## joe d (Dec 31, 2012)

Hi Lensman

I built one for my taig mill a few years ago, see the link below.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f13/boring-tool-holder-2055/

I made the body from aluminium, if I was to do it again, I would go for steel.
As it is, I really need to revisit the build, and add gibs to the dovetails, the 
aluminium on aluminium is not optimal... sticks to itself.  Usually right when you just need that last thou of adjustment.

Good luck, and show us what you come up with!

Cheers, Joe


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## cwelkie (Dec 31, 2012)

I've always thought this design was worth building - by Harold Hall.  Link to the page on his website ...  http://homews.co.uk/page199.html
Good luck on your quest ...
Charlie


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## rcfreak177 (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi,

Found this on page 3 of the downloads section.
Kindly donated by a fellow member *walnotr*. Is for the Taig or Sherline mill.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/downloads/small-boring-head-for-taig-mill-169.html


Baz.


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## workshopman (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks Charlie for giving my web site a mention, and in particular the mini boring head. This was specifically designed for the smaller machines for which at the time, probably now but I have not looked, a suitable head did not seem to be available.

Readers of this thread may like to see the picture of it being used. This is at
http://homews.co.uk/LrgMiniBoringHead15.jpg

It is shown being used with my  lathe mounted milling head 

Harold Hall


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## lensman57 (Jan 9, 2013)

Hi Harold,

May I first say that I have a couple of your books and I have thoroughly enjoyed them and recommend them in particular to inexperienced soles like myself. 
Of all the designs that I have studied, yours seems to fit my requirements the best. Do you think however, that this design is suitable for a Taig mill as at least in my case I do not think of it as a rigid enough mill, I know that others have a different opinion than mine.

Regards,

A.G


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## workshopman (Jan 9, 2013)

The simple answer is A.G. that it depends what you want to do with it. Inferred by that of course is that yes it will work within the limits of the machine. 
I do not have any first hand experiance of the Taig but have seen evidence of useful work being done on them, some being items from my books and articles. I am not in the workshop at the moment but the head will work upto about 30mm probably a little more. At that diameter I would see no reason why there should be a problem providing you kept the width of cut and feed rate down.

The head width of cut is calibrated in divisions of 0.025mm but is not numbered as there is not room on such a small dial. However, this enables one to increase depths of cut by known small amounts, say 0.05, 0.1, 0.2mm depending on the material being machined. If you have a lot of metal to remove then you probably will have to be patient, but that is often the case when using a boring head.

Do you use a fly cutter on the mill, if so then you can be assured that the boring head will do better than that as invariably the cut is continuous, which is rarely the case with a fly cutter.  

Harold Hall


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## lensman57 (Jan 9, 2013)

Hi Harold,

Many thanks for your reply, I have already gathered the materials for the boring head and will probably start the construction soon. I think that the free length of the boring bar has a lot to do with the flex that a boring head set up suffers, IMHO most of the boring bars that I have seen , in particular some HSS ones have too long a free length to be rigid, I'd probably either have to source or learn to make efficient rigid boring bars.

Regards,

A.G


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## gus (Jan 10, 2013)

workshopman said:


> Thanks Charlie for giving my web site a mention, and in particular the mini boring head. This was specifically designed for the smaller machines for which at the time, probably now but I have not looked, a suitable head did not seem to be available.
> 
> Readers of this thread may like to see the picture of it being used. This is at
> http://homews.co.uk/LrgMiniBoringHead15.jpg
> ...



Hi Harold,
I am about to complete the 75 mm wide BoreHead from your book. But I am recycling surplus bars so BH ended up 50mm wide but it fits well with my Japanese Mini Mill. I like your mini version in the foto.Please advise source of this plans? If it is in your latest book,I will glad to buy same.See foto of your book and BH.


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## workshopman (Jan 12, 2013)

The details you require Gus for the mini boring head can be found on my website at
http://www.homews.co.uk/page199.html

 I am pleased that available materials have prompted you to downsize the boring head described in my milling book as I have always thought it was too bulky for the smaller milling machines now available. The boring head was first published in the   Model Engineers' Workshop magazine in 2002 (the book then in 2004) when the mini mills were only just appearing, apart maybe for the Tiag/Sherline mills which I think had been around earlier. The design therefore had the larger mill drills in mind. I would like for the book now to give this fact a mention, suggesting that the design could be scaled down a little, but the publishers are not keen on changes unless they are for major errors.

 I am not sure if I have given this a mention on this forum but I recently changed the details of the items on my website from a random list to an alphabetical one making it much easier to find items. This helps readers (and me) to locate articles such as the mini boring head. The first page of the index can be found at   http://www.homews.co.uk/page463.html

 Harold Hall


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## gus (Jan 12, 2013)

cwelkie said:


> I've always thought this design was worth building - by Harold Hall.  Link to the page on his website ...  http://homews.co.uk/page199.html
> Good luck on your quest ...
> Charlie



Hi Welkie

Thanks for the drawing. If I had seen this earlier,I would have gone for it.
For the Japanese Vertical which takes 12mm end mill max. This BH is best suited. However,the 2" BH is now completed and waiting for the boring bar to come in from UK. See foto.


Gus


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## cwelkie (Jan 12, 2013)

No worries Gus - I'm glad I could help in a small way.  I've built a few of Mr. Hall's designs and all have performed very well to say nothing of the sense of achievement.  His web site has given me hours and hours of enjoyment and  education as I browsed through it.  The tricky bit is remembering all the gems "hiding there".

I love your choice of back drop in your boring head photo.  The head looks great!
Cheers
Charlie


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## Swifty (Jan 13, 2013)

Gus, I see that you even take your boring head fishing with you 

Paul.


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## gus (Jan 13, 2013)

workshopman said:


> The details you require Gus for the mini boring head can be found on my website at
> http://www.homews.co.uk/page199.html
> 
> I am pleased that available materials have prompted you to downsize the boring head described in my milling book as I have always thought it was too bulky for the smaller milling machines now available. The boring head was first published in the   Model Engineers' Workshop magazine in 2002 (the book then in 2004) when the mini mills were only just appearing, apart maybe for the Tiag/Sherline mills which I think had been around earlier. The design therefore had the larger mill drills in mind. I would like for the book now to give this fact a mention, suggesting that the design could be scaled down a little, but the publishers are not keen on changes unless they are for major errors.
> ...



Hi Harold,

Thanks. I find your book------Milling,A Complete Course very useful. The projects when done will provide ample practice for the machinist,beginner to intermediate. Am about to go thru" LatheWork" too. Having done machining in Trade School 50 years did help. Will machine the small BoreHead shorlty from now. Your small BH is about the size sold by Sakai Vertical Mills.Same from Japan will cost a bomb.


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## Cogsy (Jan 13, 2013)

Swifty said:


> Gus, I see that you even take your boring head fishing with you
> 
> Paul.


 
I think Gus may have gone swimming if it had fallen over the side...


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## workshopman (Jan 13, 2013)

Gus, The most feared aspect, for most, when using a lathe is to machine parts fitted to the faceplate. When you have completed the boring head, if using my methods, such a fear will be largely overcome as its a good project to come to terms with the process. Good luck with the project. 
Harold Hall


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## gus (Jan 13, 2013)

Cogsy said:


> I think Gus may have gone swimming if it had fallen over the side...



Hi Guys,

Gus was so enthralled by two weeks of daily efforts to finish up mill. Used fan grinder to sand BH. Sand Grinder is Emory Sander Roll. File and sand paper was too slow.

Used the sunlight to take fotos.If the boat rocked,BH will be gone forevever into the mud bottom. Fortunately the sea was mirror calm and no boats or ships passing by.

Fishing was good Saturday with two 10 pounder Marine Catfish. Sunday was bad. Zero. But we had a good time,beer ,good food and good time chatting away. They say-------fishermen live longer. The fishing-----the food-----or the beer????


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## gus (Jan 14, 2013)

workshopman said:


> Gus, The most feared aspect, for most, when using a lathe is to machine parts fitted to the faceplate. When you have completed the boring head, if using my methods, such a fear will be largely overcome as its a good project to come to terms with the process. Good luck with the project.
> Harold Hall



Hi Harold,

I have double fear. Have no faceplate so have to make one. Oh Well.Another project------make face plate. Will order CI disc.No worry. By now my slotting cutting not too bad. See you.

Gus from faraway Singapore.


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## gus (Jan 14, 2013)

Swifty said:


> Gus, I see that you even take your boring head fishing with you
> 
> Paul.



Hi Paul,


Gus will take you out for a spin and beers.And if the fish will bite,we will fish for dinner.No worries.We won't get lost. I have Chartplotter and AutoPilot.The inland sea is very calm.No storms.
Where about you live? My daughter lives in Glenhuntly. Nellie and Gus would drop by now n then to see the two grandchildren before grow too big and tall.


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## gus (Jan 14, 2013)

gus said:


> Hi Harold,
> 
> I have double fear. Have no faceplate so have to make one. Oh Well.Another project------make face plate. Will order CI disc.No worry. By now my slotting cutting not too bad. See you.
> 
> Gus from faraway Singapore.



Hi Harold.

BoreHead completed. After shop trial,will go on to build the mini BH using 1 1/2" Square Bar on hand which will be best suited to turn on my mini lathe with the 4" x  four jaw chuck. Now reading up the "H.H." material diligently before jumping in. Also want to build your Rotating Table. Please advise this can be found in which "H.H."  Book. See fotos. Calibrating the Dial was fun.I used method done by my father's turner sometime just after WW-ll. Graduated Cardboard and rubber band.The marking finish looks OK.


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## Swifty (Jan 15, 2013)

> Hi Paul,
> 
> 
> Gus will take you out for a spin and beers.And if the fish will bite,we will fish for dinner.No worries.We won't get lost. I have Chartplotter and AutoPilot.The inland sea is very calm.No storms.
> Where about you live? My daughter lives in Glenhuntly. Nellie and Gus would drop by now n then to see the two grandchildren before grow too big and tall.



Hi Gus, I live about 45 minutes south of your daughter in Mount Martha. Had a boat years ago and fished Port Philip Bay often. A large, relatively shallow, bay that commanded respect if the weather suddenly turned. A long way back in if it was rough, so had a rule no beer until safely back, you needed your wits about you to battle the weather.

These days I mainly stick to fly fishing rivers.

Paul.


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## workshopman (Jan 15, 2013)

The method you used Gus for calibrating the dial is one I have frequently suggested. However, I have always suggested using a strip from a sheet of adhesive paper as used when making large self adhesive labels using a computer printer. Sometimes, if the chuck or faceplate is the slightest greasy it will not adhere sufficiently so I particularly  like the elastic band idea, will definitely remember it for the future.

You mention a rotary table of mine, do you mean the one here http://www.homews.co.uk/page462.html

If so, then this was specificaly designed to satisfy a promise I had made to the Projects in Metal web site and can be found on their website here
http://www.projectsinmetal.com/a-simple-rotary-table-without-a-worm-drive/

It includes both the drawings and the proposed method of manufacture.

I have not published it in any of my books, but have now made it available to the Model Engineers' Workshop magzine and is to be published in the 200th edition which will be out in a few weeks time.

Harold Hall


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## gus (Jan 15, 2013)

workshopman said:


> The method you used Gus for calibrating the dial is one I have frequently suggested. However, I have always suggested using a strip from a sheet of adhesive paper as used when making large self adhesive labels using a computer printer. Sometimes, if the chuck or faceplate is the slightest greasy it will not adhere sufficiently so I particularly  like the elastic band idea, will definitely remember it for the future.
> 
> You mention a rotary table of mine, do you mean the one here http://www.homews.co.uk/page462.html
> 
> ...



Hi Harold,

Thanks for the support. You have just replaced my former idol and hero-----the real/late "Tubal Cain" You are now my new idol and hero in DIY machineshop tools. The USA TubalCain is quite good and I follow his YouTube Videos for exposure.
Thanks for link to the Rotary Table. Now that I have the Boring Head which will help in machining other tools. If Harold drops by Singapore,Gus will buy beer and lunch and dinner for my Guru.


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## gus (Jan 15, 2013)

Swifty said:


> Hi Gus, I live about 45 minutes south of your daughter in Mount Martha. Had a boat years ago and fished Port Philip Bay often. A large, relatively shallow, bay that commanded respect if the weather suddenly turned. A long way back in if it was rough, so had a rule no beer until safely back, you needed your wits about you to battle the weather.
> 
> These days I mainly stick to fly fishing rivers.
> 
> Paul.



I get to hear about the Red Snappers and the bad storms in Port Phillip Bay.
Sad to hear that when the fish are biting and a storm is coming,some folks especially the new arrrivals risked their lifes over fish.

Went fishing off the East Coast of Malaysia and got caught in three successive
Sumatra Storms.Fortunately you can see it coming like a black curtain. The Albin 28 is a good boat for such weather. The inland sea of Singapore is very calm.No worries. Still struggling with the fly rod casting. Might go for classes.
See you.

Best Regards,

Gus


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## gus (Jan 15, 2013)

gus said:


> Hi Harold,
> 
> Thanks for the support. You have just replaced my former idol and hero-----the real/late "Tubal Cain" You are now my new idol and hero in DIY machineshop tools. The USA TubalCain is quite good and I follow his YouTube Videos for exposure.
> Thanks for link to the Rotary Table. Now that I have the Boring Head which will help in machining other tools. If Harold drops by Singapore,Gus will buy beer and lunch and dinner for my Guru.



Hi Harold,

Would also love to build the RT with worm drive and divider plates.Plan to go into gear cutting,tooth by tooth.


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## deverett (Jan 16, 2013)

Swifty said:


> Hi Gus ... (snip)  Had a boat years ago and fished Port Philip Bay often ... so had a rule no beer until safely back, you needed your wits about you to battle the weather.
> 
> Paul.



Your caution is not shared by others because there are quite a few empties lying on the bottom and are a favourite hiding place of the nasty little blue ring octopus.

Dave
The Emerald Isle


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## gus (Jan 16, 2013)

workshopman said:


> The method you used Gus for calibrating the dial is one I have frequently suggested. However, I have always suggested using a strip from a sheet of adhesive paper as used when making large self adhesive labels using a computer printer. Sometimes, if the chuck or faceplate is the slightest greasy it will not adhere sufficiently so I particularly  like the elastic band idea, will definitely remember it for the future.
> 
> You mention a rotary table of mine, do you mean the one here http://www.homews.co.uk/page462.html
> 
> ...



I just went thru your book on "Dividing" and saw your paper band which was more neatly done than mine. Need to make some dividing plates for gear cutting and was wondering how to divide 100----150 holes.Been racking my brains for some time.
Will be test boring tomorrow. Will post.
Thanks for sharing trade secrets with us.


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## workshopman (Jan 29, 2013)

Sorry Gus for the delay but other forums and other tasks have been taking up much of my time.

First, a big thanks for the offer, but we have never been globe trotters and am now at an age where it is too late to start.

With regard to the points you have commented on, starting on the easier one, to discuss that is.

Making a dividing plate with a large number of holes, typically 100, if using the paper strip method there will be nominally lines spaced at 3mm if on a 100mm face plate. If making a low load, low speed gear the accuracy should be adequate, but of course the system becomes more suspect the greater the number of divisions to be made.

An alternative is to using the paper strip method, working out the X and Y coordinates for the holes and producing the division plate on the milling machine using the values can be cosidered. This should be more accurate.
Working out the values can be quite a task unless one is into using spread sheets or has a programable calculator. 

If you have a particular large number to divide I could possibly work out the coordinates for you as I have it programmed and only takes a minute or so to set up and a split second for the results to appear. I could convey the results using another website that I use. For this do contact me using the contact page on my website.

My web page regarding holes on a PCD is here
http://www.homews.co.uk/page400.html

If wishing to screw cut a worm gear the resulting pitch/TPI will almost certainly be a complex number. Rather than go into detail here the subject is covered on my website here
http://www.homews.co.uk/page362.html

I have a page on my website that lists all the pitches possible using any of the combinations (over 66.000) using 13 Gears(I think that is the number) This is ideal for the complex values that are required when cutting a worm or metric threads on an imperial lathe. Also simple values where the user has only an incomplete set of changewheels. The pages are here
http://www.homews.co.uk/page28.html

Should anyone be reading this and learn of my website for the first time a good place to start is at the index for the metalworking section. This is here
http://www.homews.co.uk/page463.html

Hope this helps Gus.
Harold Hall


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## gus (Jan 29, 2013)

Hi Harold.

Thanks for the info.
 Heading to TokyuHands,Osaka,Japan for a great time windowshopping for tools.
Imported Chinese tools of higher quality sold here is cheaper than the Japanese made. 
Will be buying some mini worm and wheels to make mini dividing heads.


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