What kind of equipment do you bore with?

[FirstEliminator]

    Hey guys,

     Since my last post about the dial bore gage and now boring equipment. I am not looking to get into professional engine machining. Transmissions keep me busy enough. However, I have a Van Norman model 28 milling machine. It's a pretty big machine at 7000 lbs and has a 7 1/2 hp spindle motor. One of my thoughts was to deck a block, then set the block on one deck on the table. Set the mill to the horizonal position then crank in the Y axis to bore the cylinders that are facing horizontal.



    Did I mention I get fixated on certain things? Especially when they are made in New Engand. Well, I have 4 Van Norman mills and a Van Norman cylindrical grinder. VN was made in Springfield, MA until '81. So, the point I was thinkin about before my explanation was: Or, should I buy a Van Norman boring bar? Like a 777 or 900 or 944?  I read a little about them and 777s4 seems like a good one to go for. Any thoughts?

      By the way, there are places within some driving to have engine machine work done. But, I love doing things myself.

     I might as we ask about honing since we are here. Can the results of a patient person with some knowledge from readng and practicing on a junk block make a worthy honed cylinder?

[ScotiaFE]

She's a chomper, but "most" guys use a dedicated block boring machine.
You could no doubt gear up your chomper to do a block, but by that time
you would pass the time and cost of having one or two done for you.
You need a real hone machine to do a proper job.
You can do some head stuff with the uni with a good selection of tools though.
The biggest issue with the uni is you have to feed the table up instead of having the spindle feed down.
Still a great chomper for some serious shaping.
Looks to be in good condition.

[machoneman]

It's a good question although unless one has an interest in building a lot of engines, maybe best to use a dedicated Sunnen machine at a shop to bore, then torque-plate hone that one-off block. Prices vary widely but I'll venture way under $350 in urban areas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2KYt6iobZI&feature=related

[FirstEliminator]

    Wow, that is interesing on how quickly the machine goes to the next hole. Is that boring machine CNC?

    For the 445 we are building for my friend Dan, I will be sending the block out for machine work.  I will try to use the mill for boring something. Probably the Continental F163 in m forklift. Or atleast a Briggs and Stratton.

[machoneman]

The Rottler boring machine is a CNC machine. The video has been time-edited as I don't think it's quite as fast as the vid shows. Still, once it's zeroed in, it's pretty fast. Btw, YouTube has many engine machining videos (see the menu to the right in the previous vid) worth reviewing.

http://www.rottlermfg.com/

On edit: see the list of various Rottler machining centers to the left of the screen in the Rottler vid. Always more fascinating in my book to see the cylinder head CNC machining center!