Homemade Boring bar for ML

[Justturnin]

I did my 1st project on my new metal lathe actually using metal today. While there was no "turning" of the metal I used the lathe as a mill to square up the bar stock and drill it out. I went to the scrap yard and picked up a 10" disk of 1/2" 516SS along with some steel all thread and some aluminum rod. I cut a strip of SS using the grinder, it ate 2 wheels and you can see a couple of scars from the grinder. Once done I smoothed it over and installed it into one of my 1/2" tool holders. I used a 5/8" end mill to clean it up. It only took a few hours. Anyway I am happy with how it came out. It gives me 3.25" of boring ability which is what I was needing. I am still working on my grinding of the 1/4" round HSS cutter but what I have on there now was giving some nice shavings.

I made this because I wanted a boring bar for something I am working on and decided it would be a great experience to make my owns instead of dropping the money on a bar, special tool holder etc etc.

C&C please.

 

[ironman123]

Way to go Chris. You are a DIY Tool Maker.
You will be making a lot of tools, I did. Save hundreds even thousands of dollars, after a while.

Good job.

Ray

 

[Justturnin]

Way to go Chris. You are a DIY Tool Maker.
You will be making a lot of tools, I did. Save hundreds even thousands of dollars, after a while.

Good job.

Ray

Yea, I plan on making a longer one too out of the next cut but milling on the lathe took forever. I don't know if it was because of the metal I was cutting or if that's just the way it is w/ milling on the lathe but the cuts had to be SUPER light and slow or the carriage started bouncing around. I tightened everything down and it would still bounce so I figure it is a limitation of milling on the lathe. Also, the piece was long compared to the slide 4.25" travel so I had to mill in steps and not all at once. I can see why folks say once you mill on the lathe an actual mill ends up being in the near future. I was just going to buy some 0.50" bar stock but all I could find were 12' lengths. The price was only $127 for it but I just don't need that much.

 

[ironman123]

Wow!, that is a heck of a price for 12 feet. Was it SS or steel?
When I quit my Ornamental Iron business, we were paying $4.16 for 20 feet of 1/2 inch square bar.

I buy some now and then from Speedy Metals or Online Metal. You can buy 2 inches if you want from them. Expense comes when they add the shipping. I was looking to buy 3 bars at 2 feet the other day and it was like 13 for steel and 15 something for shipping. No thanks.

I have one Steel Supply about 15 miles from me and another about 30 miles away, for hot roll stuff.

How big of holes are you wanting to bore?

Ray

 

[Justturnin]

Wow!, that is a heck of a price for 12 feet. Was it SS or steel? He said it was 304SS
When I quit my Ornamental Iron business, we were paying $4.16 for 20 feet of 1/2 inch square bar.

I buy some now and then from Speedy Metals or Online Metal. You can buy 2 inches if you want from them. Expense comes when they add the shipping. I was looking to buy 3 bars at 2 feet the other day and it was like 13 for steel and 15 something for shipping. No thanks. I think if I run into a point where I am looking for 1/2" stock often I may just pick it up just to have.

I have one Steel Supply about 15 miles from me and another about 30 miles away, for hot roll stuff.

How big of holes are you wanting to bore? The hole I "made" the bar for was to be about 2.5" by 3" deep. With the cutters I had I could not hit the 3" depth even when coming from both sides. This one will do 3" no problem but I may make one more that will reach up to 5" but I dont know what the outcome of that kind of reach will be. I am not using it on metal but I am sure there will be some flex no matter what at that depth.

Ray

I used the cutter today and it worked so freakin well I am almost excited. The cut was clean and using the HSS instead of the Carbide gave a much better cut.

 

[ironman123]

Congrats on the performance of the boring bar.

HSS does give a nicer cut than carbide. I am lazy in the sharpening department is why I use carbide mostly. When I use HSS, even on my wood working tools, I always have my EZE-LAP handy. It is a life saver. I get them at www.brownells.com , item #290-100-001WB for the fine, called Fine Diamond Hone & Stone.

Ray