In need of bushings (reducing sleeves) for hollowing rig

[Glen Blanchard]

My hollowing rig accepts a 1" boring bar. I'd like to use both a 1/2" and a 3/8" boring bar, thus I am in need of two bushings (reducer sleeves) that will accommodate these reductions in diameter. Both Trent Bosch and Dave at D-Way sell these types of bushings but not in these configurations. Does anyone happen to know a source for such things?

[Dwight Rutherford]

A local machine shop should be able to make the sleeves easily.

[allen thunem]

check with monster tools

[Scott Hackler]

After I bought my Gizmo articulated hollower, I needed the same thing to use my Trent Bosch bars and I had a local machinist make one from aluminum. I think he over charged me at $25, because I could have made one in 10-15 minutes if I had access to a metal lathe...but I don't soooo..I got it done and it works.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Glen - if you don't have a local machinist you trust, try McMaster-Carr - search for bushings, sleeves, bearings and spacers. You'll find any size you need and just about any material you can imagine. I've had good service and good pricing...

[Thom Sturgill]

I buy 3/4" 6061 aluminum bar by the foot. You would need to buy 1" bar. Speedy Metals (http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-2445-8368-1-rd-6061-t6511-aluminum-extruded.aspx) and Metals Depot (https://www.metalsdepot.com/products/alum2.phtml?page=round&LimAcc=%20&aident=) are good sources.

- Cut pieces about 4" long and mount them on the lathe - you can stick them in the chuck and grip with the inner area of the chuck though at 1" pin jaws would also work - or I use a collet chuck for 3/4".

- Use an appropriate drill bit in a jacobs chuck in the tail stock to drill in 2 - 3" to receive the boring bar. Mark center with a punch and use a centering bit to start the hole.

- Drill and tap a hole near the end for a set screw.

- 'Permanently' mount this to the end of the smaller boring bars with the set screw and optionally with epoxy.

- Do this for each bar that's smaller than what the hollowing rig requires. I had to sand the aluminum bar slightly to get a slip fit.

My rig takes 3/4" and so do two straight handles and an arm brace. Pretty much all of the larger tools have been adapted this way so I have 3/8" 1/2" 5/8" and 3/4" bars both straight and bent that can be used in any configuration and I do not have to hunt for adapters. In your case if you have handles that you use for manual hollowing they probably accept 3/4" - adapt everything to 3/4" and buy a piece of 1" OD 1/8" sidewall aluminum tube. Cut a short section and drill a hole where the set screws on the rig would go through to grip the bar inside it. This tube and rod combo works well for tool handles when covered with vinyl tube with the mesh inside. A 2' length of tube would give you an adapter and a long handle for manual hollowing.

[Marvin Hasenak]

Since I have no hollowing rig I have no clue if this would work, but I would try Delrin, a hard rubber that is used a lot for bushings. The Delrin being hard rubber is self lubricating, easy to machine and can be machined on a wood lathe. I used it as a bushing for a hand powered drill, it sure beat the old wood column that the shaft previously rotated in.

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi Glen,
Like Thom said buy or scrounge a few end cuts of 1" round steel from a friend or welding shop.
insert in your lathe spigot jaws and drill to fit the accessory bars you want to use in your hollowing jig.
Any fitting and edge chamfering you want can be done with a big file and slow speed on your wood lathe. You can easily cut the round bar with a hacksaw on the lathe.
Peter F.

[Thom Sturgill]

Here's a picture of what I did
309393

Also a small leftover piece of the tube I mentioned with the 1 3/8" (1"ID) plastic hose (Home Depot).

[Glen Blanchard]

Lots of good ideas here. I think I'm going to try to hunt down a machine shop near me and acquire the rod from them and (attempt to) do the milling myself.

Thanks for the help!