Thread: Horizontal Borer rebuilding.

Recently, there have been a few horizontal borers for sale at fairly low prices. I have not bought one, too much of a distraction just at the moment. However given that they seem fairly useful I was wondering what would be involved in rebuilding one? I'm making the assumption that you get what you pay for and a cheap borer is likely well worn. While I'm thinking the X and Y axis (both table travels?) might need work, would wear on the Z axis (vertical head travel) be as critical?. I'm not sure of how the axis are designated on a horizontal borer, so forgive me if my nomenclature is incorrect.

The practical reason I'm asking is that if I had to send it off for a bed grind etc., it would be a lot cheaper on freight without the column and head or is removing the column and head a major headache?

To put some figures on this, an old Kearns recently on Grays went for $360 plus rip, $1500 in transport to get it here. If I had to send such a machine away for work, double that transport cost and add the price of the rebuild makes it far from a bargain.


Cheers

The Beryl Bloke

They may be hardest machine tool to rebuild properly. I have looked at Schlesinger's alignment sheets for them and they are very involved and the tolerances are tight in some ways. I do have a plan to do something to my G&L 25 borer and it is only a baby really, but the weight of the bits is a bit off putting. Of course at least Kearns and Sacem made small ones.

I can't think of an operation where the vertical head ways would have been used more than the table ways (hows that for getting around the xyz bit? )
So if the head ways are worn to the point where its an issue I reckon the other ways would be absolutely stuffed.
peter