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Thread: motorize horizontal boring on lathe

  1. #1
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    motorize horizontal boring on lathe

    I drill lots of holes in dowels. I made a jig with drill bushings that works ok except for short dowels. So I center bore the short ones on the wood lathe. Crank the tail stock in crank the tail stock out. Crank open the chuck remove the dowel and repeat. Hundreds of short dowels becomes thousands of cranks. I am not complaining but there is a better way for me in my advanced years!

    So I removed the tail stock wheel and drilled and tapped the tail stock tubing for a set screw and inserted a 5/8 steel rod that is long enough to protrude an inch past the reinstalled tail stock wheel. Chucked on the cordless drill set to low speed and it works great. Poor mans' horizontal boring machine!!

    PS. as is normal protocol, hang on to that drill chuck when reversing.
    Ask a woodworker to "make your bed" and he/she makes a bed.

  2. #2
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    It is an easy job for a CNC.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

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  3. #3
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    Do you mean a CNC metal lathe? I have a CNC router. The dowels are not really round and change dimensions with the weather. I am interested Lee if you are taking about a CNC router. Thanks.
    Ask a woodworker to "make your bed" and he/she makes a bed.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gordon Stump View Post
    Do you mean a CNC metal lathe? I have a CNC router. The dowels are not really round and change dimensions with the weather. I am interested Lee if you are taking about a CNC router. Thanks.
    A cnc lathe could do the job automatically, including cutting long dowels into short ones after boring the hole on center. It wouldn't care if it was wood or metal being cut.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    A cnc lathe could do the job automatically, including cutting long dowels into short ones after boring the hole on center. It wouldn't care if it was wood or metal being cut.
    Thanks Lee
    Ask a woodworker to "make your bed" and he/she makes a bed.

  6. #6
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    'Traditional' shop solution is a lever feed. A simple link and lever, not a rack and pinion like a drill press. Much faster, but limited on thrust for larger drills.

    Switching between lever and handwheel can take more time than you might like though. I've seen some clever solutions to improve that, including 2 in 1, but there's more time and trouble to design and fab. The other option is a second tailstock.

  7. #7
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    Thanks for all the input. I really wanted to motorize the tail stock like I did with my drill press table and the Stroke Sander with the Killer Craftsman garage door opener. But the cordless drill was so effective and easy I moved on. Kind of let down I did not get to place an order with Surplus center for DC motor, controller, etc.
    Ask a woodworker to "make your bed" and he/she makes a bed.

  8. #8
    Good idea. If I may ask, what do you make with these hollow dowels?
    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  9. #9
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    All kinds of musical instrument stand pegs for my business: Heritage Music Products.

    Thanks
    Ask a woodworker to "make your bed" and he/she makes a bed.

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