What is a second-hand boring mill, and why choose one for your workshop? Boring mills, also known as boring machines, are a kind of drilling machine fitted with a horizontal spindle. They are used to machine horizontal holes.
What is a second-hand boring mill?
Boring mills are conventional machines used to machine prismatic parts with tight tolerances. They are used when high-quality finishes are required.
On this type of machine tool, the workpiece is placed on the worktable while the boring tool rotates. This tool, known simply as the boring tool, is clamped in the machine's tool spindle. It is in this spindle that the speed required for machining is generated. Machining speed varies with the workpiece material, but also with the axial feed applied to it.
Boring is a machining process carried out on parts of many kinds with the aim of making them much more accurate and with a smoother surface finish. These machines are generally used to machine parts with tapered or cylindrical holes, but they can also be used to machine internal threads.
Unlike conventional lathes, boring mills are able to machine small parts with very tight tolerances that require a specific machining quality. Boring mills can also operate in confined working areas.
How to choose a second-hand boring mill
If you are looking for a second-hand boring mill for your workshop, it is important to know how to choose the right one. You need to consider certain parameters, in addition, of course, to what the machine will be used for and the type of material to be machined. These parameters include the limitations of the parts (their size) and their design. You need to take into account the dimensions of the part, the tolerances it requires and the finish to be achieved.
As for the material, you need to know its hardness: whether it is a cast metal or a soft metal. You should also consider the different boring operations that can be carried out on the machine. A second-hand boring mill can perform the following processes:
- Grooving.
- Finishing.
- Roughing.
- Internal and external machining.
- Drilling.
To carry out these operations, you also need to consider their characteristics and the parameters required. These include the machine's cutting speed, power, depth of cut and drive. Remember that each machining process requires different speeds and power levels. In addition, when choosing a second-hand boring mill, check whether or not the machine requires coolant, whether it performs automatic cycles and what its general condition is.
Types of second-hand boring mill
You may come across used boring mills of different types. Learn the features of each one to find out which you need for your machining workshop.
- Jig boring. The jig boring machine is used to machine dies, gauges and for drilling jigs. It is also used for parts that require very high precision.
- Vertical. The vertical boring mill is characterised by rotating on a horizontal table.
- Horizontal. This boring mill operates in a stationary manner and has a horizontal spindle.
Parts of a boring mill
Whichever type of machine you choose, they all share the same basic elements, arranged in different ways. These common elements include the bed, the worktable, the frame, the spindle, the headstock and the carriage.
When choosing a second-hand boring mill, pay attention to the machine's bed. This is the part that supports the whole machine and it must be robust and stable. Bear in mind that the bed has to absorb the movements and vibrations of machining; the machine bed sits directly on the floor, and the other elements of the machine, such as the frame, rest on it. The frame supports the machine's headstock, which holds the spindle with the cutting tool.
When choosing a boring mill, take all these parts into account, as well as the type of operations you want to carry out on the part. If you are going to machine small parts, a vertical boring mill will be sufficient; if you will be machining parts of different sizes, look for a horizontal boring mill, as it has a greater load capacity.
Why a used machine?
Boring mills are complex machines that are characterised, among other things, by performing various machining operations that involve a high cost. If you add the cost of buying new equipment to this production cost, you may find it more cost-effective to opt for second-hand machinery. Used machines are delivered fully functional and inspected, and repaired if they have suffered any damage.
Used machinery also has the advantage of being available immediately and is sometimes supplied with certain accessories that, if you bought the machine new, you would have to purchase separately.