[halfstep]

I am looking at buying a boring head. I am currently using the tts tool holders already so I like the tts boring arbor. How is the quality of the boring head? Is it better than most of the lower priced boring heads you see for $50 to $100? How is the rigidity of the tts arbor and boring head? Does the dial read in diameter or circumference? I know tormach's prices are getting ready to jump up so if I buy one, I will do it soon before the price hike.

[VAAR]

I ended up putting a Criterion boring head on a Tormach arbor and have been happy with it.

[CadRhino]

I am looking at buying a boring head. I am currently using the tts tool holders already so I like the tts boring arbor. How is the quality of the boring head? Is it better than most of the lower priced boring heads you see for $50 to $100? How is the rigidity of the tts arbor and boring head? Does the dial read in diameter or circumference? I know tormach's prices are getting ready to jump up so if I buy one, I will do it soon before the price hike.

I’ve used mine a few times and it works. It is the inexpensive kind that you see for sale at MSC but Tormach has added a tts to it.
The tts is not a very rigid setup so you will want to drill or mill the hole close to your size before boring.

[kstrauss]

For my usage of a boring head (mostly bearing seats) exactly reproducible length isn't super critical but cut diameter is. I scored a very good used Erickson Tenthset on eBay and turned a straight 3/4-inch arbour for it. About the same price as the Tormach unit and much nicer to adjust. Just another possible option to consider.

[halfstep]

Thanks for all the replies. Last night, I did score a nice 3" APT boring head with an R8 arbor on ebay. I would have preferred a 2" boring head so I could also use the 1/2" boring bars in my quick tool post on my lathe but the 3" is fine. My pm940 is big enough to handle it. The 3" APT was bought by a guy but he never used it and I got it for $90 + 20 for shipping. I thought that was a great deal. I am thinking of using a 3/4" to 1/2" bushing so I can use some 1/2" boring bars. I will be mainly using the boring head on aluminum so the 1/2" should do well. I will also get a 3/4" boring bar for when I need more rigidity.

Does anyone know where to buy reducer bushings? I can make my own if I can't find any but I figured the one's you buy are hardened.

[toyshop]

I have several boring heads in various sizes and the best I use are Bridgeport and Chandler. You loose a lot of travel with the Chandler( its long) but it is also a facing head. On both of them the dial is stationary and as a result easy to read.

On the Criterion and APT and Everede the dial travels with the slide and this puts the index mark on the bottom and harder to see past the wrench, especially near the far end of travel.

Not sure if Bridgeport still makes one. It uses 5/8 tools.

Dave

[Steve Seebold]

I use a Criterion boring head and I only have one part that I use it on. That part has a +.000/-.0005 tolerance on one diameter. It’s an outside diameter so I turn the boring bar in and run the spindle backwards.