A Word about Boring Heads

Boring Head Basics

The basic boring head is made up of three components: the body, the bar holder and the graduated micrometer screw (dial screw). The body is usually threaded, permitting the use of the boring head on most machine tools. Note: the boring head supplied for the MTRC is an integral shank (one solid piece unit) this was done to improve machining by enhancing rigidity. This boring head will also fit a Bridgeport milling machine since it also takes R8 shank tools. Conversely if you are buddy with a unit that has a Bridgeport their R8 tools fit your Smithy! The bar holder contains a dovetail that is mated to a dovetail slot running the full width of the body. A web, machined on the underside of the bar holder, rides in a slot ground into the head section of the dial screw. As the dial screw is advanced or retracted, it moves the bar holder along with it permitting controlled adjustments of .0005, or less. A boring head depends on a single-point tool to produce a hole. The advantage of this type of tool lies in its ability to form a perfect circle as it rotates around the centerline of the machine tool spindle. And because in a single-point tool the cutting edge is constantly equidistant from the centerline, the hole it bores is true. A boring head typically has 3 positions to place the boring bar. The first position is on axis with the spindle axis, the second is spaced away from the center line hole to allow for boring large holes. As the size of the bored hole increases the selection of the 1st or 2nd hole and the amount of head offset adjustment changes. The third hole is a cross hole (perpendicular to the rotational axis), this allows for much larger boring to be done. The selection of which hole to place the boring bar should follow the rule of making the least adjustment of the head as possible to minimize the inherent unbalance of this tool.

Suggestions for Better Boring Head Performance

1. Cutting edge of tool must be on centerline. 2. Tool sharpness for boring is more critical than for O.D. work. 3. Keep tool overhang to a minimum. 4. Use power feed whenever available. In the case of the Smithy a steady feed with the fine feed knob should be used. 5. Make allowances for "spring" or deflection when taking a heavy cut. Additional material will be removed on finish cut even though an additional adjustment has not been made. 6. When using carbide, avoid reversing or stopping the spindle in the middle of a cut. This can cause chipping or breakage. 7. For best surface finish the spindle should be turning and fed back slowly while tool is being retracted from the bore. 8. Avoid "bottoming-out" in a blind hole. A boring tool is not designed for end cutting.

Drill Drift (why drill dont make straight holes) MTRC Boring Heads

jck - 11/2010

Drill drift can be the result of a poorly ground multi-flute tool or may occur when one of the flutes becomes dull. As the cutting edge breaks down, greater pressures are exerted on the dull flute. This forces the tool to drift in the direction of the freer cutting flute. A well ground reamer may correct some of this condition. However because it is also a multi-flute tool, it will have a tendency to follow the original hole. Drift can be corrected only with a single-point tool such as used in a boring head.

True Position
One of the great advantages of using a boring head with a single-point tool is its ability to establish the true position of a hole or a series of holes. This is possible only because a single-point tool can remove more stock from one side of a hole than the other.

In the illustration, the original drilled hole is out of print tolerance. In other words, the centerline distance between the holes is not correct. By simply dialing in the correct centerline distance the hole can be re-bored to its true position. However, this operation can only be successful if there is sufficient stock remaining in the hole for a 100% cleanup.

MTRC Boring Heads

jck - 11/2010