Boring bar holder

[jalbert]

I needed a boring bar holder so I could use my micro boring bars and threading tools in my AXA tool holders, so I spent a few hours this weekend making one. I started with a 1" diameter piece of bar stock, and turned a portion of it down so it would fit in the tool holder (I think it ended up being approximately 1/2" diameter), and drilled a 1/4" hole through the entire piece. I scribed a center line down the entire piece, centered the piece in my mill vise, and cut the flat on the shank of the tool holder, then drilled and tapped the holes for the set screws.
I'm quite happy with it, and it works perfectly. I left the front end quite meaty to allow for vibration reduction, as well as to provide a good amount of thread engagement for the set screws. The wide flat front end also serves as a depth stop.

 

[FGarbrecht]

Nice work John. Makes me think I should buy a min-mill. (I actually had a Sherline mill, but never had the time to use it so I sold it a long time ago; kicking myself for that!). I have a couple of those tiny boring bars too, and since they don't fit in the standard AXA boring bar holder I've used them directly in the AXA-1 (I think that's the one, the standard holder for square tools). They work fine that way for acrylic and ebonite but probably not rigid enough for boring in metals (haven't tried it and probably won't).

 

[magpens]

Aha ! . So you are not only a pen craftsman par excellence, but also a machinist !! . Might have known that !!

Thanks for showing this work, John !! . It is always inspiring and informative to see work of all kinds from you.

 

[bmachin]

Nice work John. Makes me think I should buy a min-mill.

Fred,
Amazing how much you can get done with a file (sez Bill as he flips the switch on his bench mill.)


Bill

 

[More4dan]

I've played with my boring bar a little bit. It will NOT let you use it in the tail stock to bore aluminum in a wood lathe. the set up isn't stiff enough. I did however see a very cool video showing a ball turner design using the boring head. I'm working up a way to try something similar but mounted in the wood lathe tool rest holder Pointing straight up. I have a 20mm straight shaft adapter coming, in about a month.

Danny