Narex VHU 3 1/8" Boring Head Mods

[thestelster]

Well, on a previous post, I mentioned that I purchased at auction this Narex VHU Boring/facing head. Much to my disappointment the arbour is integral to the body and not interchangeable with other arbours. The newer units have that capability, but I guess the older units do not. This unit is an MT5. My milling machine uses NMTB #40.

So here we go.... again...

The plan is to modify the existing unit to accept a shell mill adapter.

 

[thestelster]

I'm at least fortunate that my lathe spindle bore is MT5. I put the boring head in the spindle and proceeded to bore for the shell mill adapter bolt. Of course this stuff is hard so carbide tooling only.

 

[thestelster]

I don't know about you guys, but I get scared shirtless when using an angle grinder with cut-off wheels to cut thick hardened stuff.

 

[thestelster]

Ok, now the scary part!

14" face plate. I'll indicate and tweak everything tomorrow. I indicated the face plate and its about 1/2 thou' across the face and less TIR.

 

[whydontu]

You're way braver than I am. Looks good!

 

[PeterT]

Ok, now the scary part!

My toes are curling inward & its not even spinning yet. Proceed carefully. Other than some friction there is nothing keeping the support blocks from wanting to fly outward. Can you not mount it using 4J chuck & some packing?

 

[jorogi]

You're way braver than I am. Looks good!

My thoughts exactly. Of course the rewards of success are big.

 

[thestelster]

You know, just looking at my set up. It's probably doable, but there's a lot of things that can go wrong. And you know that guy Murphy and his silly laws!!.

Maybe I will use my 14" 4jaw instead.

 

[thestelster]

Well, after thinking about it, and having a look at my setup on the faceplate. I chickened out. Thank you to you guys for saving my life!!

Tore it down and installed my 14" Pratt 4-jaw. Almost broke my back!! I feel much safer.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Looks good so far Stel, I have no doubt it'll be mint when your done. Faceplate work always makes me pucker a bit, I've just never done enough of it to gain any real sense of confidence in it, so it's always a bit nerveracking. I'd feel more confident with your 4 jaw setup for sure, But the faceplate setup did look fine to me.

14".....That's a healthy chuck!

 

[thestelster]

You know, after mounting that chuck, I'm feeling it in my back and neck and shoulders. I'm not a spring chicken any more. My muscles are strong enough, but the ligaments and tendons aren't keeping up.

I'm seriously considering the SkyHook. This YouTube video is by that Abom guy. And you can mount it on your tool post.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I feel that stuff everyday. I've been battling back issues for the past few years and find stretching and keeping moving helps, it's the lifting and twisting that get me. Yoga helps, but it's tough to get into a routine and stick with it. Physio and massage helps too. Yesterdays adventures just moving toolboxes around has me stiff and sore and borderline spasming again so I'm taking it easy today. It's not always possible to lift things with perfect posture, so lifting devices like the skyhook are well worth it IMO. My only gripe with the skyhook like that is that you still have to lift the skyhook in place. I'd rather have either a wall mounted swing arm or an overhead cable hoist lagged to the ceiling joists with a hook arm you can clamp onto. Mounted in the right spot would be usefull for both lathe and mill tooling if the machines are close enough.

 

[thestelster]

The Shyhook only weighs 23 lbs.

I agree, you have to keep active, but you also need to weight train.

I swim laps at the pool 3x week 2600-3000m per session, and 3x a week core and muscle work out. But it still doesn't prepare you for lifting that 14" 4j off the ground, like you're doing a standing row, arching your back so you can get the chuck high enough to clear the bed, and slight twist to boot.