Van Norman Boring bars?????

T

Tamper84

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I have been researching engine machinist work lately(both full size and scale models is where my interests lies), and came across Van Norman boring bars. There are several YouTube vids of them running but really no instruction on setting up/actually using them.

In different forums/videos I have seen them on use on the floor, fixed to the back of a Bridgeport, and on a speacially designed table. They appear to be pretty versatile.

What would be the advantage of using these to bore a block over a standard vertical mill? I'm guessing they have more travel then the spindle of a mill but I'm not sure. :dunno: Anyone here own/run one that wouldn't mind doing a little tutorial about them?

Thanks,
Chris
 
Well I guess that to be a no lol. But for anyone else that is interested in the subject, I just stumbled across this video. http://youtu.be/HShR1r0vVl4 It is about the most information I have found on them.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Never ran a VN, but have a Kwik-Way. I think the main advantage would be the travel yes, but some of these automotive machines can bolt to the block and be pretty close to square with the bore, which is a plus on vee engines, or any block that would be awkward to mount to a table. I have bored jugs for H-D's in a lathe, using a plate for a case fake, and that works too.
 
Thank you Tony!!! So you just bolt them to the block and center them up on each bore correct? Doesnt seem that bad lol.

Thanks,
Chris
 
I have 2 VN bars and a rottler. I have had them ten years longer than I have had a lathe or mill. They have an apprx 12" stroke. One of my VN's is set up on a 1 3/4" thick plate that is surfaced on both sides. It is bolted on with allen bolts right into the base of the machine, there is a 3.5" hole that it is centered on(guess what cut that hole). Small cylinders can then be clamped up to the bottom surface, centered by the bar and then bored. Works good on motorcycle,snowmobie, and small engines that will fit into it.
I usualy use my rottler on automotive engines. I set it right on the deck of the engine (head surface)It is old but very stout and accurate. It has a 2.5"+ shaft. My Van normans have 2.2" and the other 1.8" boring shaft.
Lots of old chevys and Fords out there 4"+ bores...expect to cut within a .001 easily...From the boring I've done on a mill it seems much harder to hold that tollerance.. maybe that is easier on the larger diameter??? seems it would be harder..VN.JPG

VN.JPG
 
Thank you for the info and the picture Russ!!! I appreciate it!!!!

Thanks,
Chris
 
I used VN portable bars for years. They are great! I bored thousands of cylinders with them. I used the Quickway FN bars as well but always had a soft spot for the VN777 and the smaller 944 What was cool about he VN bars are the expanding "paws" They stabilize the cut in the cylinder and are very accurate for a portable bar. Many automotive machine tool companies made stands but just bolting to the deck for most applications worked fine. There is just a round bolt that screwed into the head bolt hole, slide the bar over and center with the paws tighten the bar down and start cutting. Once the paws were in the cylinder you expand them to stabilize the bar to the bottom of the hole. I always would hone at least about 3 to 5 thousandths out for optimum surface finish on a power stroke hone. But this was just for finish, the dang holes were always strait with very little if any taper with the VN bars.

The Quickway bars became popular because they were faster and they would extract under power where the VN bars you had to crank out of the cylinder. Not a big deal. The VN bars were a bit more compact then the Quickway bars.
 
If you're buying one be sure the tool kit comes with it. I have seen these tool kits sell for as much as an entire boring bar on ebay, the micrometer alone can bring $600.00.
If you get one with out the micrometer all is not lost. My rottler had no tools with it when I got it and I made a setting fixture out of some steel and a dial indicator. The indicator remains dedicated to the fixture bolted to it. You then begin the process of boring and writing down indicater readings vs size cut. It's more delicate than a mic but works good. I keep it in a foam lined box.
CIMG2079.JPG

CIMG2079.JPG
 
How do you center these portable boring bars up on the hole? Do you have to loosen the clamp bolts and slide it around until it's centered, or does the boring bar have a way to displace it relative to its mounting plate?

What do they sell for on eBay or Craigslist?

Cal
 
They seem to sell around 800-1000 bucks. At least with the tool kit, and from what I have seen. I think this will be on my list after a mill :lmao: Thanks for all of the great info on these!!!

Chris
 
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