Big Boring Bar

[Josh Bowman]

Like a kid at Christmas, couldn't wait to try the McEvoy boring bar. So I went up to the firewood pile and got a piece of cherry that looked manageable. Screwed on the faceplate and went to it. The form is ruined since I went too deep at the end, but this was just a learning experience, not the next big thing. I just wanted a shape to play with.
The bar and handle are two pieces and over 6 feet long! The round bar is 1.5 inches diameter solid steel. The back roller stand is independent of the lathe and the front rest is nothing short of massive. All together this thing weighs in at nearly 100 pounds! Once you get the bar on the roller and front stand, it moves fairly easy back and forth. There was very little chatter at over 12 inches over the tool rest, even when you hog. The first mod I'm doing is adding a laser to help with the thickness. Should be easy since there is a lot of beef to mount too. You'll see in the last picture that I got a little thin.:rolleyes:

[Josh Bowman]

There was very little chatter at over 12 inches over the tool rest, even when you hog. The first mod I'm doing is adding a laser to help with the thickness. Should be easy since there is a lot of beef to mount too. You'll see in the last picture that I got a little thin.:rolleyes:

[charlie knighton]

have fun, that set screw really jumps out at me, anyway to get it like level and use a t square tool to tighten and loosen??????

[Chip Nasworthy]

When useing a bar like this do you use it dead above center or below center? Do you drill a hole first or let the bar do the center hole. I just got one yesterday but I have never used one. I tryed today, it was on a 16 in. jet already set up I have a 16 in. nova. It is 3/16 above center at this time.

[Josh Bowman]

I use them on center, and it's best to drill a hole. Much easier to do the work and find the bottom with the hole.

When useing a bar like this do you use it dead above center or below center? Do you drill a hole first or let the bar do the center hole. I just got one yesterday but I have never used one. I tryed today, it was on a 16 in. jet already set up I have a 16 in. nova. It is 3/16 above center at this time.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Josh that looks like a fine hollowing machine.

[Olaf Vogel]

Josh, That looks like a great set up and should serve you well.
I've also been using a home-made boring bar 1.5" and about 4' long. Although its a single bar.

I found that the weight created a lot of friction which took away the fine feel which I wanted (or was used to) from a chisel.
The first time is used it, it cut so well that I ripped right through the base and ruined the whole piece.

So I got a commercial steel roller (on BB's) about 16" wide and bolted it onto a spare tool rest. That allows the bar to roll frictionless in and out.
Since its steel, it will still slide sideways. The back end of my rig has another roller for in and out, plus a set for left/right.
This way the whole 50# set up moves very easily. Any vibration from the cutting or different wood densities is dampen by the weight.

Just a thought. Olaf

[robert baccus]

To drill the hole is almost necessary for sure. The tool bit being any special place is simply complicating the procedure. Above center is cool but the vertical movement is a very good adjustment to the cutter effeciency. A lot depends on the cutter tip of course but I want to see 3/8 to 1/2 " curls and small adjustments make a big difference.

[Thomas Canfield]

Josh,

I saw that bar demonstrated last Saturday and it is a massive bar. They applied some wax to underside of bar to reduce friction sliding across toolrest if you have not noticed that. It looks like you have a lot going on in your shop, and I would suggest some hanging shower curtains to drop shavings and prevent scattering them over all the other things going on.