Line boring machine

[Jim Hager]

Do any of you guys use a line boring machine to do pin holes??? I've begun the search for one for my own use and I was looking for a recommendation from someone who has one. I saw the Delta industrial machine on the net yesterday for around a grand, some are cheaper I'm sure and some of them much much more. Do you guys have a recommendation for a one man operation??

[tod evans]

jim, i should have seen this comming after reading that you poked pin holes this weekend:) what a pain! i`ve looked at and driven several but for me i can`t justify buying one that will last and do a good job. of course scmi makes a fantastic unit but they`re pricy, ritter is the same. i just called a friend who mentioned some time ago that he was having a single row machine built over in taiwan. i don`t know when he expects the first container full but what i was quoted made me think it would be doable for the one man shop. and knowing this fellow they`ll be built stout even if they`re made from recycled american beer cans:) when i hear back i`ll ammend this post, good news or bad...tod

[Quinn McCarthy]

Ritter makes a great one. Doesn't the Blum machine have that functionality as well? I just use a long steel bar that I built using my drill press. It really does a great job but it isn't exactly production mode however it's better than one hole at a time. Veritas also makes a jig for drilling holes which it on the same desigh as mine. Hope that helps.

[Justin Nelson]

I just purchased the delta unit for the new shop, based on recommendations from Woodweb. There is also another unit made by "Conquest " that has all metal drive gears, instead of the Delta plastic ones that I seen on ebay for about $1300. Unless your going full bore on holes all day I think the delta unit is a good machine, although I have yet to bore with mine. Best of luck.

Justin

PS Heres the link to Woodweb: http://www.woodweb.com/forum_fdse_files/cabinetmaking/433254.html

[Steve Clardy]

I,ve considered one for some time, but haven't bought one.
Salice has one made, $900.00
There was one on the bay sometime ago I bid on. Can't remember the brand name, but would do salice, blum, etc.
I stopped bidding at $600.00. It was brand new.
Went for around $800.00

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have the Ritter R113. It is a very nice machine. I have had it about 12 years without any problems. I owned a Delta for 1 day.
The day after I bought the Delta I saw the Ritter & traded on the spot. At the time the Ritter was about $600.00 more than the Delta. I believe the Ritter is 10 times the machine the Delta is. The only comparison between the two machines is that they both have 13 drill bits. I am not saying that the Delta is a bad machine. I am just saying the Ritter is a much nicer one.

http://www.rittermfg.com/r-113.html

[tod evans]

jim, i just talked to my buddy and if you can hold off `till june-july there will be a new 23 spindle comming on the market targeted toward the small shop and the best part is it ain`t made in taiwan! tod

[Jim Hager]

jim, i just talked to my buddy and if you can hold off `till june-july there will be a new 23 spindle comming on the market targeted toward the small shop and the best part is it ain`t made in taiwan! tod

It usually takes me about that long to make up my mine anyway:eek: Who is making it?? I want some more information. You should know better than to dangle a carrot in the face of a tool junkie without providing full information.:D

[tod evans]

It usually takes me about that long to make up my mine anyway:eek: Who is making it?? I want some more information. You should know better than to dangle a carrot in the face of a tool junkie without providing full information.:D

what i know so far is that it`s to be built in canada, 23 spindle, american motor and no relying on double ended stops to align the holes. i hope to see the prototype sometime in the next 60 days? that`s all i`ve got for now.....tod

[Marcus Hutchison]

Hello Jim,

I've owned a delta machine for about 2 years now and use it full-time in my cabinet shop. In the past two years I've made hundreds of cabinets with it, without any problems. I think there are better machines out there, but not for the same money. I looked at the conquest, but after reading some bad reviews, I decided to go with the Delta machine. I was a little concerned about the plastic gears at first, but after 2 years they are showing no wear and are still working fine.

Once you have a line boring machine you will wonder how you ever got along without it. I use the system holes to mount all of my doors and drawers. Now (on a typical base cabinet) I can assemble a cabinet, mount the doors, assemble & install the drawer, hardware, and shrink wrap for delivery in 20 minutes (the uppers are even faster). I don't think it would be possible without the system holes.

Now, if I just had a two-row machine, I wouldn't have to spin the panel around to drill the rear holes. I guess no matter what you've got you always want something bigger and faster.

Hope that helps.

Marcus

[Craig Feuerzeig]

I have the delta, and don't know the price difference, but...If i had to buy again I would get one with only five spindles instead. I spend more time removing extras, often eleven is to many when doing small pieces.

[Jim Hager]

Thanks for the input, love to hear how other people are getting along with what I'm wanting to do.

[Alden Miller]

I've got the Delta and it is a real time saver! If I had money to blow I would get the pneumatic attachment for it. When you do a run of bookcases you feel like you were using the chin up bar.

-Alden