Boring bar question / compound rest

[alexkuzn]

Does anyone use boring bars on woodworking lathes?
I'd love to be able to use boring bars to make precise and accurate holes but I don't have a metalworking lathe.

I wonder if anyone have tried to put a compound rest or cross slide on woodworking lathe and if it worked OK.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[Wildman]

Think an arbor chuck (Jacobs) & drill bit mounted in the tailstock and work mounted in headstock simplest & cheapest solution. You can always use those machinist-boring bars in the chuck too.

Adding an aftermarket compound sliding table with tool rest to a wood lathe can be done but expensive option. Not sure would be any more accurate than arbor chuck set up.

Think you can buy Bonnie Kline, Hut/Sherline, or similar system and be time and money ahead.

 

[alexkuzn]

I understand that a boring bar can be mounted into the tail stock but this setup will allow you to bore only one fixed size holes.

Thanks for pointing me to Bonnie Kline, Hut/Sherline. Did not know such systems exist. They all pretty expensive though at around $360. I am thinking it probably makes sense to add another $300 and get a Microlux 7x14 metalworking lathe.

 

[Wildman]

At one time, several homemade boring bars use to core bowls using standard tool rest. Went in on an angle until could pop out the core from a blank. Then clean up and finish with bowl gouge. Commercial example would be Robert Sorby slicer tool, and Kelton hollow with slight bend, Omni Bore tool. Kelton does sell a holder called Hollowing Gate. An arm brace recommended for these tools. In the old days folks didn't use arm braces.

Most folks have moved on to "Center saver systems."

If you want to make your own boring bar might have a look at:
http://www.aroundthewoods.com/oland.shtml

If my link doesn't work just google Oland tools.

 

[alexkuzn]

Wildman,
we are talking about different things.
You are describing "woodturning" boring bar that you hold in your hands while I am asking about "metalworking" boring bar that sits firmly in a tool holder on the compound tool rest.
Metalworking boring bar allows you to make very precise holes. You change hole size by moving compound tool rest perpendicularly to the axis of workpiece rotation.

 

[Wildman]

I understand good luck with it!

Might google ornamental turning lathes for more info.

 

[JeffinWIS]

I understand that a boring bar can be mounted into the tail stock but this setup will allow you to bore only one fixed size holes.

Alex, an adjustable boring head may work. Slop in the tailstock quill and backlash in the screw may limit the finish attainable. Good quality units here....

http://www.criterionmachineworks.com/

china junk likely available for much less.

 

[RAdams]

I would try to find a different bar. One with cuter women, and better music on the Juke box. Crappy music is usually the first sign of a boring bar!

 

[holmqer]

I would think a cross slide vise and a clamp block drilled to match the shaft of the boring bar would work fine. The only issue would be the depth of the hole which would be limited to an inch or two if you use the typical mini-lathe boring bars.

Precise setup is key, use the dead center to scribe a line on an aluminum block to ensure that the hole in the clamp block is positioned to ensure that the cutter is the same height as the point on the center.

 

[KenV]

Alex -- Nova sells a compound rest that is adaptable to the bed of many lathes as part of the ornamental lathe package they sell. It is about the price of a small lathe and weights about the same. It is capable of mounting a tool holder and doing basic machining cuts.

There are a lot of design tradeoffs differently done between a wood lathe and metal lathes so they are not interchangable.

Can you do it -- yes. Depending on the circumstances and the application it may or may not be a good idea. Boring bar for light cuts and approximate work is likely to be just fine. Heavy cuts and tolerances to tenths you are in the wrong gear. Moving toward threaded boxes with machined threads, right on

 

[alexkuzn]

Thank you guys for your input.
Nova compound rest looks really cool.
It looks like for me the best way to go is to buy a metalworking lathe.
$700 should get me a relatively good mini lathe that can be used for many things other than pen turning.

 

[mredburn]

Ebay Item 160369531137 is at 79.00 with 23 hours left. Might be what your looking for.
Mike

 

[wood-of-1kind]

I would try to find a different bar. One with cuter women, and better music on the Juke box. Crappy music is usually the first sign of a boring bar!

Good comic relief.arty:

 

[jleiwig]

Not sure how handy you are, but there are lots of old projects like this in popular mechanics and the like....here is an example

http://www.vintageprojects.com/machine-shop/lathe-tool-slide.html

 

[lorbay]

You might want to check KBC Tools, I think they are in the states as well as Canada. But they sell a real nice X & Y axses vice for around $400.00. A friend of mine just bought one and it is very, very accurate. Not like the $50.00 ones you find at + or - 1/8". LOL

Lin.