Gonna Get Boring....Everede or....?

Splat

Splat

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So finally got my 12x36 lathe up and running. Among the first few jobs is one that I'll need to get some boring tooling for. It's a boring job taking a hole up to about 15/32". I've no boring tooling now and am wondering what to get. I see Everede makes boring bars that take HSS or carbide inserts. Link here. I was specifically wondering about their #235 bar, which has a 10º lead angle, uses 5/32 bits, and has a 1/2 bar. I like the idea of using HSS toolbits, though I'm not totally against carbide inserts. I mostly work mild steel and aluminum. Would this be a good bar to start with or what other recommendations would you guys have? Thanks.
 
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Splat said:
So finally got my 12x36 lathe up and running. Among the first few jobs is one that I'll need to get some boring tooling for. It's a boring job taking a hole up to about 15/32". I've no boring tooling now and am wondering what to get. I see Everede makes boring bars that take HSS or carbide inserts. Link here. I was specifically wondering about their #235 bar, which has a 10º lead angle, uses 5/32 bits, and has a 1/2 bar. I like the idea of using HSS toolbits, though I'm not totally against carbide inserts. I mostly work mild steel and aluminum. Would this be a good bar to start with or what other recommendations would you guys have? Thanks.
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Well, first, a 1/2" diameter bar might not fit well in a 15/32" hole ... :)

How deep do you need to go? That will determine what the bar must be made from. If the depth of the bore is less than about four times the diameter of the bar then a steel bar is fine. If greater than that then a carbide bar is better. You have to remember that the bar has to fit in the hole and still clear chips so for a 15/32" hole, you're looking at maybe a 3/8" boring bar (inserted tip or brazed carbide or HSS/cobalt). Those Everede bars vary with the tool stickout so you'll have to figure that one out.
 
My mistake Mikey. I was wrongly thinking the back end of the bar that would go into the QCTP holder. I haven't measured the depth of the hole yet but from memory it's roughly 2". Googling around some more I found AR Warner's boring bars that can use either their HSS or carbide inserts. I hate being locked into having to buy inserts from one place (Warner).... would prefer something that uses an easily found toolbit.
 
Splat said:
My mistake Mikey. I was wrongly thinking the back end of the bar that would go into the QCTP holder. I haven't measured the depth of the hole yet but from memory it's roughly 2". Googling around some more I found AR Warner's boring bars that can use either their HSS or carbide inserts. I hate being locked into having to buy inserts from one place (Warner).... would prefer something that uses an easily found toolbit.
Click to expand...

There is a whole lot of variables that you need to answer before choosing a boring bar. You might think you can just buy any old bar and it will work for everything you do in the shop but it ain't so. Depth of the bore, material being bored, tolerance and finish requirements, etc, etc, etc. Too much to discuss here - I'll send you a PM and let the other guys have at it.
 
Yeah, I know there's options based on materials and desired results. I was hoping I could get something for my first bar (or set) that would handle a few basic boring jobs and then attain what I'd need down the road for the jobs I'm not prepared for. Thanks Mikey.
 
Geeze I must have a dozen indexable insert bars ranging from 1/2" to 1-1/4". Half of those are custom made for a specific job. A box of assorted sizes of brazed carbide bars with various custom grinds and a number of solid carbide bars ranging from 1/16" to 3/8".

I think my very first set were brazed carbide but with carbide, brazed or solid you really need to have a grinding wheel(s) for carbide to get the most out of them. A lot of brazed carbide sets are not even ground properly to be used out of the box.

When we setup a lathe for the high school we got this indexable set from Shars. Takes CCMT & CCGT inserts. http://www.shars.com/products/index...-8-1-2-5-8-3-4-sclcr-indexable-boring-bar-set

Has worked out well for them. They have also accumulated a number of smaller solid carbide bars.
 
I have had good results with old school boring bars which take a HSS bit. Also, the homemade kind that Stefan features on his Youtube series worked great.

Cheap import brazed carbide bars have not worked out so well. Their poor geometry gives low depth of cut, spring back, and high potential of boring oversize.
 
I have a collection of Everede boring bars from 7/32 all the way up to around 1-1/4". Even a couple of solid carbide bars in the mix. They are handy to have, easy to grind a bit for just about any internal operation including cutting threads. I have many carbide insert boring bars, too. In my younger years, I ground up a Acme threading bit for the 7/32 bar and threaded a cross slide nut for my 9" SBL. I'm not trying to encourage you to by it, I would say for a beginner this might be the route to take. One word of caution on the 3/8" bars and smaller, DO NOT over tighten the screw holding the tool bit in place, just enough torque to keep the tool bit from moving is all you need. If you over tighten the screw, it will break off the end of the bar that holds the tool bit in place. How do I know this? Well lets just say I've broken off my share of them over the years by over tightening the screw. Ken
 
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