Plans for Millers Falls boring machine base?

ziggy · January 03, 2013, 07:17:26 PM

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!

Dave Shepard · January 03, 2013, 07:19:01 PM

Jim Rogers has new M-F bases in stock.

Jim_Rogers · January 03, 2013, 07:21:53 PM

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

ziggy · January 03, 2013, 07:46:19 PM

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.

Brad_bb · January 03, 2013, 07:55:06 PM

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!

Jim_Rogers · January 04, 2013, 08:06:56 AM

Edit: Picture of for sale base was here but removed after base was sold.

Jim Rogers

ziggy · February 16, 2013, 09:48:28 PM

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.

Rooster · February 16, 2013, 10:09:14 PM

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

ziggy · February 16, 2013, 10:26:50 PM

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.

Brad_bb · February 18, 2013, 08:16:59 PM

What wood did you use? Hopefully a hardwood? Looks good, just get a finish on it.

ziggy · February 18, 2013, 11:54:14 PM

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?

Michael NY TF · August 31, 2014, 07:31:55 PM

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.

Jim_Rogers · August 31, 2014, 08:50:35 PM

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

Michael NY TF · September 02, 2014, 09:39:04 AM

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.

Jim_Rogers · September 02, 2014, 04:22:10 PM

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

Michael NY TF · June 14, 2015, 08:57:02 AM

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

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?

Dave Shepard · June 14, 2015, 09:07:36 AM

I had some slop there on my MF. I took the caps off and lapped them on a diamond stone until they fit snugly.

Brad_bb · June 14, 2015, 07:28:40 PM

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.