Delta line boring bits

[Chris Fairbanks]

I picked up a delta line boring machine a few years back from an estate sale of a small commercial shop. Machine works great but I think the bits are a little dull. They make fairly clean holes but it seems like they are struggling a little to drill and takes some decent pressure to drill the holes. I was thinking of just replacing them but they are like $30 each from delta so it would be nearly $400 for the 13. I then thought about having them sharpened but not sure who does them as they are carbide tipped from what i understand. I just found that Freud makes new bits for $11 each. I think that is my best bet but wanted to see if anyone has used their bits or if I should just have the existing ones sharpened. Thanks

[Martin Wasner]

Just have them sharpened. I had two sets for my old line bore. I've only bought the CMT bits, I don't remember what I paid for them.

[Chris Fairbanks]

Any recommendations on sharpeners that can deal with these type bits? I assume only certain sharpeners can do lh and rh type bits. Thanks

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Anyone that sharpens saw blades or router bits should be able to sharpen them. They're not really an uncommon item.

[Peter Kelly]

I was thinking of just replacing them but they are like $30 each from delta so it would be nearly $400 for the 13

These should be no more than $6-$8 each for 5mm x 57mm brad point bits. $30 per drill is insane.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/dri...ter=5mm&page=1
European Tooling has great prices as well: http://europeantooling.com/products/boring-bits

[Martin Wasner]

I want to say I paid $7 for new bits last time I bought them, about a year ago.

Anybody who does does carbide sharpening will be able to sharpen the bits you have. They're nothing special.

[dave werkheiser]

Even with sharp bits the Delta line borer can take a lot of effort to plunge. I upgraded to a Castle LB 30 and they recommend that you set every other bit 1mm deeper so that only 1/2 the bits are cutting at the start of plunge.
When I had the Delta, I use to work on my knees using knee pads and use both of my arms (and body weigth) to pull the plunge arm down, this also got my eyes close to the center line and my pencil mark.
David

[Martin Wasner]

Offsetting the depths of the bits is an interesting idea. I've got a 46 spindle linebore and it has a lot of trouble in mdf. This might be a solution. I've always thought the rotation speed was more to blame being too slow though.

The downside would be that I set my holes as shallow as possible so they don't go all the way through. So when you have something like a bookcase partition, the might doesn't come through. I might have to start punching them so they do again though. Tapered bits should help as well, but same problem. The offset might work out though being I have stops on the left and right.

My delta linebore was a 13 spindle, but was pneumatic, it didn't seem to have any trouble even with very dull bits.