Boring Head Choice.

[Marc N Fournier]

Since you all have more experience than I and I do not want to post in twelve forums, I politely request someones assistance and input.

Trying to decide on a boring head for this X2 mill that will go CNC when I get the tools together.

I all ready have 3/8" shank boring bars. I have found out that most boring heads use 1/2" bars.

The most common found is like the one LMS sells.

Grizzly sells a boring head (smaller)

Problem is both units at 10$ apart. LMS one comes with 9 piece, 1/2" bars, with carbide tips.

Grizzly one comes with 3 piece, 3/8" bars, HSS. Since I all ready have a 9 piece set of 3/8" shank with carbide inserts (from the lathe) I wonder what would be the bettre option.

Are 1/2" boring bars going prove to be too much for the shaky, spongy X2 ? ( or for the mini lathe for that matter )

Should I simply stay with the 3/8" boring bars ?

Minimum size, depth, max size hole are not much different. I just want to throw 80$ in the right place and not start over again on a bad initial choice. Ebay prices are in the same ball park.

Marc N Fournier

[cyclestart]

It seems unlikely the shank itself would make any difference in the flex of that type of bar, the small cross section is in the extension.

Hard to go wrong with littlemachineshop in this price range, they understand shipping to Canada better than any other American vendor I've dealt with.

[Marc N Fournier]

Hard to go wrong with littlemachineshop in this price range, they understand shipping to Canada better than any other American vendor I've dealt with.

My personal experience with them is a hard time on certain items. When it came time to order a mill I turned to them and placed my order. Took over 2 weeks and ended with too complicated, to expensive, too this and that for THEM to ship to Canada. Go figure as I was going to pay for it. Guess they were not making enough off the sale to ship to Cdn.

So I turned to Grizzly and within a week I had a mill. If you get the Grizzly 2012 catalogue, my comment is in print.

That did not burn me. I did not hold it against LMS and have purchased other items from them as well. If the price is ok, I buy from them. But to say they understand shipping to Cdn is not par for the course.

To bad the cross section of the bar is not given but I assume the 1/2 would be a tad stiffer. Just hate to put 80$ on more boring bars if not really required and they just gather dust.

Marc N Fournier

[cyclestart]

Sorry to hear about the freight disaster.... I've never considered ordering anything larger than an assembly from LMS. According to their website "You need to find a customs broker" so it looks like sending freight to Canada isn't on their priority list. For non-freight items they offer a variety of shipping options and an explanation of those options.

The pictures @ LMS suggest the 1/2 + 3/8 bars are similar in size but I can't say for a 100% certainty. A picture is kind of hard to wrap a caliper around

[Marc N Fournier]

Logicaly the 1/2" shank bar should also have larger diameter extention.

Looking closely at the Grizzly one and the online user manual show the adjustable head and body to not be up against each other but floating.. Does not give a warm fuzzy feeling. Opinion ?


Marc N Fournier

[wizard]

So you really need to know what the head will be used for. You could buy a general purpose head to use as needs arise but it is fairly difficult to say that any one unit will be ideal.

All of that being said I'd suggest a head that takes fairly large boring bars. If need be you can make sleeves for smaller diameter bars. The main reason here is that larger bars should support boring deeper holes.

Beyond that don't buy a boring head for the included bits which may be of questionable quality. Instead focus on a mechanically sound boring head. There is nothing worst than buying a tool twice because one did not live up expectations.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

So you really need to know what the head will be used for. You could buy a general purpose head to use as needs arise but it is fairly difficult to say that any one unit will be ideal.

All of that being said I'd suggest a head that takes fairly large boring bars. If need be you can make sleeves for smaller diameter bars. The main reason here is that larger bars should support boring deeper holes.

Beyond that don't buy a boring head for the included bits which may be of questionable quality. Instead focus on a mechanically sound boring head. There is nothing worst than buying a tool twice because one did not live up expectations.

Let's remember he's asking about a boring head for an *X2*. He will NOT be boring particularly large diameter, or particularly deep, holes....

Regards,
Ray L.

[WaveDude]

I have the Grizzly one. If you look closely there is no "gib" for the dovetail so no adjusments for that. To get it to "lock", you've got to put quite a bit of pressure on it with the single screw to flex the steel head to get it to pinch tight. It works but if I had a "do-over" I would get a different head.

[Marc N Fournier]

Since I all ready had a set of 9 3/8" boring bars with the carbide tips did not want to by more bars even if they are 1/2" and also have carbide tips so Wavedude responce comes few hours to late for me. I ordered the Grizzle boring head..

Guess if I can't do anything about it, simple like, it will go back to where it came from.

Thanks to all who responded.

Marc N Fournier

[wizard]

Let's remember he's asking about a boring head for an *X2*. He will NOT be boring particularly large diameter, or particularly deep, holes....

Regards,
Ray L.

True! Sometimes I think in terms of the Bridgeport at work. Even so there are a number of different boring heads available that would fit that machine. In the long run I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with more than one boring head.