Home : 32mm : Tools : Boring :
There are a number of 13 spindle, entry level, machines on the market. The Delta, at approx. $1,000 without bits, is the least expensive I have seen. These machines are a huge step from any of the manual/jig systems and are well suited to the small shop. Here is a picture of the stock delta machine and one of the Ritter.
Here is a bigger picture of how I have set up my Delta. As you can see it has a much bigger table than on the stock machine. Working with 8 and even 10 ft goods is infinitely easier. I don't know if you can see the crank but the boring machine moves relative to the table. This works out very nice. It is easy and accurate. The fence is 1 1/4 square aluminum with a 1/4" slot cut in it. It can use the stops that come with the boring machine. I also use some simple block stops that fit the track as extra OEM stops run about $75 and I haven't had the time to come up with something better. I am finding I really only need a few setups and would like to leave the stops where they are.
Someone asked how I setup the machine to move relative to the table. When I made the cabinet I made some extra pieces the same width as the box. The top of the box has no cross members instead one of the extra pieces is a permanently mounted shelf a few inches down from the top. On top of this shelf sits a sandwich made from the other extra pieces. The machine is mounted to the sandwich. The sandwich contains a couple of square nuts trapped nice and tight along with a hole for a threaded rod. The front of the threaded rod has the threads ground off and passes through a piece of angle iron that is mounted to the permanently mounted shelf. The rod has a collar on each side of the angle iron. I had someone weld the crank to the rod. Turn the crank and the sandwich/machine is pulled forward or pushed back. There were some logistics to allow the full range of travel (0-6"?). There is a bit of slop in the crank but the weight of the machine and friction keep it in place. I would probably like it better if it had a slot in the shelf and something like a carriage bolt trapped in the sandwich passing through the slot with a knob on the other end to clamp the sandwich to the shelf. The machine has a ruler that was used by the small table that came with the machine. I set up a cursor, mounted to the counter top, over the ruler on the machine. The result is similar to the cursor/ruler of the Biesemeyer fence.
Delta Boring Machine
There are a number of 13 spindle, entry level, machines on the market. The Delta, at approx. $1,000 without bits, is the least expensive I have seen. These machines are a huge step from any of the manual/jig systems and are well suited to the small shop. Here is a picture of the stock delta machine and one of the Ritter. Here is a bigger picture of how I have set up my Delta. As you can see it has a much bigger table than on the stock machine. Working with 8 and even 10 ft goods is infinitely easier. I don't know if you can see the crank but the boring machine moves relative to the table. This works out very nice. It is easy and accurate. The fence is 1 1/4 square aluminum with a 1/4" slot cut in it. It can use the stops that come with the boring machine. I also use some simple block stops that fit the track as extra OEM stops run about $75 and I haven't had the time to come up with something better. I am finding I really only need a few setups and would like to leave the stops where they are.
Someone asked how I setup the machine to move relative to the table. When I made the cabinet I made some extra pieces the same width as the box. The top of the box has no cross members instead one of the extra pieces is a permanently mounted shelf a few inches down from the top. On top of this shelf sits a sandwich made from the other extra pieces. The machine is mounted to the sandwich. The sandwich contains a couple of square nuts trapped nice and tight along with a hole for a threaded rod. The front of the threaded rod has the threads ground off and passes through a piece of angle iron that is mounted to the permanently mounted shelf. The rod has a collar on each side of the angle iron. I had someone weld the crank to the rod. Turn the crank and the sandwich/machine is pulled forward or pushed back. There were some logistics to allow the full range of travel (0-6"?). There is a bit of slop in the crank but the weight of the machine and friction keep it in place. I would probably like it better if it had a slot in the shelf and something like a carriage bolt trapped in the sandwich passing through the slot with a knob on the other end to clamp the sandwich to the shelf. The machine has a ruler that was used by the small table that came with the machine. I set up a cursor, mounted to the counter top, over the ruler on the machine. The result is similar to the cursor/ruler of the Biesemeyer fence.
