Tree boring head - What does that knob do?

hsparks · Mar 27, 2008

I have a Tree taper boring head. There is a small knurled
knob on the body. The knob is spring loaded and attached
to flat oblong plate inside the gearbox. What is the purpose
of this knob?

Thanks!

daryl bane · Mar 27, 2008

That should lock the knurled ring on the top of the head. If you are going to use the head as a regular boring head, you will adjust the offset with the knurled ring and lock itwith that knob. If in facing mode ,you would hold the knurled ring with the lock off with the spindle running to advance the tool for the facing cut. These are very nice tools BTW. They would sell for a fortune if still made today.

hsparks · Mar 28, 2008

Looking inside the head, I suspect that something is out of order.
No matter how I twist, push or turn the thing, there is no
way I can see how it could block the gears.

I dug up the patent drawing, but they don't show this feature.

If anyone knows how the knob is supposed to work internally,
I'd appreciate a note or photo.

I enclose some photos of the interior.

Thanks to all.

daryl bane · Mar 28, 2008

That little oblong plate should be a close precision fit to the interior skirt of the knurled ring/cover that you have removed. When you turn the knurled knob clockwise is screws down the oblong plate and when turned tight wedges that plate against the inside edge of the knurled ring cover. Stone-age simple. Its just a friction lock and not a super positive locker.I didn't notice any sort of sophisticated matching taper type lock. Your oblong plate looks damaged and probably no longer fits precisely in relation to the inner surface of the knurled/cover . I pulled mine apart and you have no parts missing.

Glenn Wegman · Mar 29, 2008

It's probably beyond repair, so I'd recommend selling it to me to solve the problem!!

vmil3 · Mar 29, 2008

daryl is correct,
I have two of these heads

hsparks · Mar 30, 2008

The end of the screw had four evenly spaced divots made
with something like a center punch. It was done so neatly,
I expect it was made this way. The purpose was to keep
some fool from unscrewing it all the way, releasing
the nut to get caught in the gears.

Somebody tried to unscrew this on my head, but got it
stuck at the end and jammed the screw tightly into the
nut. I noticed that the knurling on mine was a little more
rounded than I'd expect fingers to achieve over the years.

Anyway, after you explaned what was supposed to happen,
I wrapped the knurled knob with thick sheet brass, grabbed it
with vice grips and unscrewed the plate from the inside. Then I
ran a tap though to clean up the threads.

The edge of the nut was banged up a bit. I simply rotated
it 180 so the unused surface mates with the cover. It works
perfectly now. I suppose I should bung up the end of the screw
again so it can't be easily removed.

Do you notice this pattern of punch marks on the end of your
screw?

Thanks for the advice! I hate using a bigger hammer on a
tool like this without permission.

FranH · Mar 30, 2008

""" It's probably beyond repair, so I'd recommend selling it to me to solve the problem!! """

NOT bad for 5:00 AM

daryl bane · Mar 30, 2008

Yep, one of mine have the punch marks just like yours. I'm thinking that this whole thing might be dual purpose, not so much of a lock but more of a simple friction type device that puts alittle drag on the outer knurled ring to make adjustments feel more positive? People probably leave the friction "on" when making a facing cut and it wears out the oblong plate over time.

Parmesan · Nov 15, 2008

hsparks said:
I have a Tree taper boring head. There is a small knurled
knob on the body. The knob is spring loaded and attached
to flat oblong plate inside the gearbox. What is the purpose
of this knob?

Thanks!

Hi hsparks , this is my first entry to this great way of getting information to others. the knob is an rpm counter-twist either direction with the spindle running -and you can feel a slight bump so you can keep track of the turns made and length of slide travel.

parmesan

daryl bane · Nov 15, 2008

You can maybe use it for that, but Tree calls it a "fine feed locking knob", not rpm counter. That would for sure wear out its locking capabilities. :eek:

Parmesan · Nov 17, 2008

TREE head

Daryl-where did you find the TREE information? forgive me, but the knob snugs the outer feed ring, it can't lock anything and you only snug it when your making an adjustment. you would loose a hand if you tried to do it when with the spindle running.

IronFighter · Nov 18, 2008

Sounds Like a job for a little Loctite.

daryl bane · Nov 18, 2008

Remember the head can be used as a conventional boring head as well as facing. The locking knob is just that, you set the knurled ring, lock the knob, and bore the hole. For facing, you loosen the knob as it has no other function, hold the knurled ring with your hand to power the dovetail slide with the cutter

AlfaGTA · Nov 18, 2008

Don't have one of these heads so this is a question for those that have some "seat time" using one. The tool holding setup looks to not give the support of other style heads. The ability to rotate the movement dovetail to produce angles makes the attachment point somewhat far from the work with what looks to have little vibration dampening ...how do these heads compare in use to a more conventional facing head like a Criterion or Wohlhaupter as to finish and holding size?
Cheers Ross

daryl bane · Nov 18, 2008

It seems to work better than it should. I agree, that tool is just hanging out there. The head weighs about 8 lbs.+? which certainly helps, but it makes it a big heavy tool. It works fine on my Tree Milling machine, but don't know on a Bridgeport. The tool holder fits to a cone arrangement on the dovetail slide and is quite ridgid. I have both the regular type and a high precision one , that cuts in tenths. As long as you don't try to hog big cuts, for me, it works great and is scary accurate. I was boring some bearing holes in aluminum, boring to tenths for grins, and it did it. Kind of a "oh my god "moment. They are beautifully made, hand scraped slide, lapped surfaces,etc. and they can bore a taper. As far as facing, its best to manuver the angle to be advantageous as possible . It doesn't have stops like the Wohlhaupter, so Dykem is a necessity, but I found the resulting finish to be excellent.

Cal Haines · Nov 19, 2008

Daryl,

Does yours have the special shank that fits directly into the spindle of your Tree mill?

Cal

daryl bane · Nov 19, 2008

No, I know which one your talking about, but these are both 3/4" shank. Never had a problem, and the Tree collet system holds it fine, but I would like that mount, maybe just one in hand to copy. Anybody have a good pix of one?

gary350 · Nov 20, 2008

An exciting head is more fun than a boring head.

troll · Dec 7, 2008

Daryl,
I've sent you a PM.
Troll

Tree boring head - What does that knob do?

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