Boring Machines: Some Not So Boring Tips
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Drilling panels, solid wood and composites are fundamentally the most basic requirements for manufacturing wood products, while boring and dowel insertion equipment is necessary for all casework applications utilizing dowel construction.

There are a variety of factors that need to be considered when purchasing a boring or drilling machine, including quality, reliability and product support ranking among the top in importance.

• Other factors weighing in are: productivity, reliability, how user-friendly it is to operate, setup time and floor space.

• The machine’s composition and configuration can also play a part in the decision-making process. Consider the weight of the base, the quality of the steel, the type of table, the brand of electronics, the presence of a PC front end, the quality of the documentation for parts and the electrical schematic.

• Also consider the machine’s ability to communicate with design software, its flexibility and the ability to provide vertical and horizontal drilling.

• Users should also look for multiple reference systems for part placement flexibility. The choice of an overhead CNC working center vs. astationary single-side CNC drill and dowel machine, vs. a feed-through CNC drilling machine, depend on a host of factors, including lot size, part characteristics, degree of automation and production rate.

• Today’s machines are used for everything from simple drilling to complex three-, four- and five-axis routing. Advances are continually being made to the drill spindles and user guides to assist in setting up the vacuum pods and rails. Another area that continues to improve is the speed of operation of both flat table as well as pod and rail machines.

• Good quality tools and tool holders will minimize vibration and extend the life of your router motor bearings.

• Keeping the part immobile also is important in the overall quality of the cut. In drilling, particularly with melamine, rigidity is important to reduce chipping and blow out.

Source: WoodworkingNetwork.com/RedBook for information on boring machines suppliers, visit RedBookOnline.com


Photo: SCM Group 

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