pneumatic help

[frank shic]

i just purchased an ancient hinge boring press with a pneumatic head and i'm trying to figure out how to hook it up to my air compressor. the head has two holes and if you channel air into one, the head rises and if you channel air into the other one, the head descends. i'm thinking that i'll need to connect both lines up to some contraption that allows me to switch air flow. is a toggle valve the right fitting to use?

[Matt Meiser]

I'm thinking something like this:
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2007100917220154&item=4-1544&catname=air

Hopefully someone has a cheaper source.

[Bill Jepson]

i just purchased an ancient hinge boring press with a pneumatic head and i'm trying to figure out how to hook it up to my air compressor. the head has two holes and if you channel air into one, the head rises and if you channel air into the other one, the head descends. i'm thinking that i'll need to connect both lines up to some contraption that allows me to switch air flow. is a toggle valve the right fitting to use?

Frank,
The VALVE you are looking for is a mechanical two way toggle. Think the valve they used on old automotive air/oil lifts. These toggle valves are center off, and function like a DPDT electrical switch. Grainger or McMaster-Carr would sell them. You want the opposing side to go open when one side pressureizes. If the quill of your machine doesn't have oil dampening you may need to provide it.
Bill

[Matt Meiser]

Ooooh--even better:
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2007100917271383&catname=&qty=1&item=4-1668

That would probably be worth it for the convenience.