I recently picked up a Millers Falls boring machine through craigslist. It needs some work, including a new base -- there was not much of a base to speak of with this machine.
Has anyone ever built one before, or might you have the plans for making it?
Lemme know if so!
Jim Rogers has new M-F bases in stock.
We just copied the one that came on one machine.
You should be able to just do that. Save the bolts that hold it together and measure each piece and cut one out.
We have used red oak, white oak, walnut and cherry for base stock. Quarter sawn is best but use what you have.
Jim Rogers
I am away traveling right now and don't have access to my other (complete) machine, but I do have access to a great shop where I could build the base fairly readily, if I had the measurements.
Thanks for the tips.
I took some measurements about a year ago and sketched this. I have not built one though. Hope it helps. Contact me if you want me to send you the picture directly(better detail). FYI, I also bought 2 bases from Jim and they are good!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16191/MF_Base_Dims01032013_0000.jpg)
Edit: Picture of for sale base was here but removed after base was sold.
Jim Rogers
Well, I had a go with Brad's plans (thanks Brad!) and I'm quite happy with the results. Pretty simple, with the right tools.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26046/mf-base.jpg)
Nice job!!
Is that one of those illusive "three legged" MF boring machines?
I've heard about them, but I never saw one photographed before.
Rooster
I think it was a limited run model... sales must have been slow for a minute there.
I'm fixing to adapt it to a more conventional 4 legged model.
What wood did you use? Hopefully a hardwood? Looks good, just get a finish on it.
White oak for the majority (quarter sawn), except for the middle piece, which is cherry. Oil and beeswax coming soon!
I also need to get that leg and foot fabricated, which I'm hoping is not too difficult. Has anyone ever had replacement parts made up?
Does anyone know the size of the screws that screw the rod mounts into the wood base? I received a machine with the rods, the base, but no screws. They look like 1-1/4" flat head machine screws, but if anyone knows the size/threads that would be helpful. Otherwise I'll just out and pick up a bunch of different sizes tomorrow.
Also, it looks like the peg that extends to disengage the gear is missing, but this is just a certain length of steel dowel I believe.
The screws are 1" long.
Not sure which pin you mean, can you take a picture and email that to me or post it here?
I have one machine here I can measure it for you.
Jim Rogers
Thanks Jim - they are indeed #12 1" wood screws. I was referring to the little plunger that disengages the gear. It is #1 in the picture below. I believe it's just 1/2" rod, but I don't know the length or if it has any special features.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/35983/borer1disengaged11.jpg)
My partner Tom Perkins who restores the machines we sell had made those for replacing the ones that don't work right.
He is coming over here tomorrow morning and I'll ask him to give me some details.
I'll let you know as soon as I know.
Jim Rogers
Well, thanks to Jim's and Tom Perkins' help I replaced got almost everything working, including making a disengagement 'plunger' out of 1/2" rod. The machine is now functioning well. I'm now wondering about the amount of slop in the drilling mechanism. I took a video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pfvwzmdmxqvkqks/milers.mp4?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/pfvwzmdmxqvkqks/milers.mp4?dl=0)
of me moving the mechanism with my finger, and you can see there is a fair amount of play. This is evident as the auger goes down and the rotation isn't entirely circular. Does anyone else have this much play?
I had some slop there on my MF. I took the caps off and lapped them on a diamond stone until they fit snugly.
Improper gear alignment is what leads to the gears getting chewed up and drastically shortening their life. If they stay aligned properly, they will wear very little and last a very long time. You do not want that play in there. Dave removed it by lapping/sanding down the flat faces of the bearing cap. That does reduce play in that direction, but does not leave a bearing surface that is round to match the shaft and it will likely wear in that direction with use in the future and will get sloppy again. Ideally, it would be good to rebore the bearing surfaces and sleeve them.
Unfortunately, there is likely some wear in the shaft too. In fact, you may find most of the wear in the shaft. They are a bit soft in my opinion. IN face many of the set screws for the bit have stripped over time. If your chuck has more than one set screw hole, somebody drilled and tapped a new one because the threads of the old one failed. So an even better solution is to machine a new chuck shaft from a bit tougher steel and machine and bush the bores of the frame.