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It had to happen sooner or later.

Started by Dave Shepard, June 06, 2013, 09:09:15 PM

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Dave Shepard

My Swan Premium boring machine has been getting run pretty hard on some of the big mortises on my barn restoration project, and most of the screw holes holding the upper portion to the hinge and adjustable part have become wallered (sp) out, so I decided it was time to upgrade to a more sophisticated method of boring mortises. It took a pretty good investment, but I went for it anyway. Yup, I bought a Millers Falls boring machine this morning. :D I bet you thought I was going to say I got a chain mortiser or something. :o Machine is in great shape, except it's got a dodgy homemade base on it. I recall a discussion about making new bases for these machines. I tried a search but didn't come up with anything, does anyone know what dimensions and details a stock M-F machine has? Thanks. I'll see if I can get a pic up for the hand tool geeks, I mean aficionados.  ;)
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Jim_Rogers

I'm glad you got a nice machine.
I think there was a thread about bases here somewhere from a while ago.
We had some bases on hand until just recently but I think we sold them all. Or we put them on our current machines for sale.

I would tell you to just copy the one you have but I have several here and can measure them for you.

It seems to me that some of the older bases aren't as thick as the new ones that Tom makes for the machines he restores.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Carpenter

Good for you Dave.

It's hard to describe the connection that some of us have with our hand tools. 

Brian_Weekley

Great choice.  Good for you Dave!

Much to my wife's dismay, I just bought my third manual boring machine.  This time, a Boss.  Seems I'm starting a collection...
e aho laula

Brian_Weekley

e aho laula

Dave Shepard

This is my fourth machine. I have a Snell that needs some TLC, the Swan Premium, a Boss and the M-F.

The base that's on the machine now is not remotely like a standard base, it's almost a foot wide, and very poorly made, and now it's warped. Thanks for linking those plans Brian.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Piston

Quote from: Dave Shepard on June 06, 2013, 09:09:15 PM
:D I bet you thought I was going to say I got a chain mortiser or something. :o

Naaa, I knew you would never do something like that.  :D
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Dave Shepard

I went over the MF tonight and gave it a trial run. The bearing caps on the "quill" were loose, so I lapped them on the X coarse DMT stone until they snugged up. One of the runners is a rocking chair, but I think it will be fine for what I'm going to be doing with it for the next few weeks, which is hogging out 3 1/4" wide mortises, so it doesn't really matter if it's boring plumb, as I'll either be using a 2" bit, or doubling up with a 1.5" bit. I almost stole the rebuilt base off of my Swan, but it was too narrow. :D I really like how rigid those angled supports make it. The only complaint I have with the MF is having to push that greasy little pinion gear back into place after you've retracted the head. I was talking to Jack Sobon last week, and he has one that has a lever to push the gear back into place. Anyone ever see one of those? I wonder if it was a later generation machine.
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beenthere

Dave
How about some good pics of the Miller Falls showing the dilemma and the rebuild...??  ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Dave Shepard

I'll try to remember to take some photos tomorrow. I don't know when I'll tackle the rebuild, the only way I have to break down lumber right now is with my Festool rail saw. I have some 2" thick cherry that has been drying in the basement since the house was built in '51 or so. I'm thinking that might be what I use. Or slice a piece off of the 3"x16" white oak plank that has also been around since then.
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D L Bahler

mine has a spring to push the gear back into place.

There is a lever-type thing on top that you turn to disengage the pinion, then turn it back and turn the handle until the gear can slide back into place, under the influence of the heavy spring.

The lever is the same assembly that catches the top of the carriage to hold the mechanism up when not boring.

Dave Shepard

Here it is, ugly base and all. You can just barely see the the lower left corner is off the bench by about 3/8". I didn't measure the width, but I know it's 7 3/4" to the outside of the castings screwed to the base, so it's probably at least 10" or a little bit more.

Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Piston

Dave,
Those are some nice looking models in the background! 

-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Jim_Rogers

That is not a factory base for sure. The side rails on your are a lot wider then most.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Dave Shepard

I like building models almost as much as building the real thing. You can carry an entire Dutch barn in one hand at 1/16 scale.  ;D

I was thinking of running the whole machine through the table saw, but the bolts are full width, and that one side is warped.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Piston

Dave,
Do you use scaled timbers as well?  As in width and depth?  I'd like to try building a model, its the only "timber framing" I could do on the ship.  :D
Although I do have an addiction to sketchup but a model would be pretty neat.
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Dave Shepard

Search for "Late 18th Century Dutch Barn Model" on YouTube. There is also a thread here in the TF section on the model.

Everything is scaled. I did average the dimensions. The purlin posts varied a little bit, so I picked 8"x10", or 1/2"x5/8" to scale. Rafters are 7/16" square on the bottom and 5/16" on the top. I did birdsmouth the rafters and I made real through tenons on the anchorbeams.
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Ljohnsaw

Quote from: Brian_Weekley on June 07, 2013, 06:21:28 AM
Great choice.  Good for you Dave!

Much to my wife's dismay, I just bought my third manual boring machine.  This time, a Boss.  Seems I'm starting a collection...

Brian,
Maybe I can help you out. I don't have a boring machine yet. Would you be willing to part with one and make your wife happy? ;)
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

jueston

here is a link to the post I made about my model, its the only timber framing experience I have.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,55787.msg807167.html#msg807167

I did every joint to scale too, but I ended up gluing all of the joints because the pegs were just too small to hold anything effectively...

S.Hyland

You didn't try to drawbore under a microscope??   ;D
I checked out the thread and that is very cool! Nice work.
You just need to get a little model gin pole or toy crane in there! 8)
"It may be that when we no longer know which way to go that we have come to our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings."
― Wendell Berry

Brian_Weekley

Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 13, 2013, 10:57:19 AM

Brian,
Maybe I can help you out. I don't have a boring machine yet. Would you be willing to part with one and make your wife happy? ;)

My answer to my wife's question, "So how many boring machines do you really need?", was, "Well how many pairs of shoes do you really need?  You only have two feet!".  :D

I bought mine cheap on ebay, but there was something wrong with each of them.  However, it's fun to restore them to working condition.  For instance the first one I got had a broken "ear" that guides the carriage on the track (even though I specifically asked the seller if there were any broken parts).  A friend brazed on a piece to repair it and it has held up well so far.  However, brazing cast iron can be tricky and you never really know how long a repair like that might last.  The recent machine I got had broken teeth on the gears (which I knew), but I already had a spare carriage on hand to replace it.  Buying on ebay can be a crap shoot.  Check with Jim Rogers.  He always has some on hand for sale and you can be sure they will be in good working condition.
e aho laula

Jim_Rogers

Quote from: Dave Shepard on June 09, 2013, 09:08:54 PM....... I was talking to Jack Sobon last week, and he has one that has a lever to push the gear back into place. Anyone ever see one of those? I wonder if it was a later generation machine.

Dave:
There are three types of Millers Falls machine or three ways a Millers Falls machine engages the lift gear.

One is this type:



 

This style machine had a handle at the top that works as the latch to hold the carriage up. When you turn this handle to the side or 90° it pushes the gear over and disengages the rack lift gear.
The next type is like this:



 


This one has the little handle next to the carriage latch that holds the lift gear out and when you use it, by releasing the gear the round lift gear will engage the long rack lift gear and pull the bit up and out of your timber.

The third type is like this:



 

This type you just slide the arbor that the handles are attached to, left and it engages the round lift gear into the long rack gear and pulls the bit up and out of your timber.

We have one of these on hand. Two with the twist latch type, and three of the regular small lever ones.

Which type is yours?

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Dave Shepard

Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Dave Shepard

I'm glad I bought the Millers Falls machine. This dry white oak I'm working would have ruined my Swan. As it is the MF is flexing and creaking the whole time. I've busted almost everything else I've used on this job, except my square. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Dave Shepard

I've been getting everything ready to build my new base. I think I'm going to go with the cherry I have in the basement. I also have a beading plane now, I'll have to give that a trial run on something. The M-F survived the white oak, but it's about the only thing that did. I think I broke more tools on that job, including two Witherby chisels! :o, then anyone should in a lifetime of framing.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

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