Reprinted with permission from MLS Machinery, Inc.
32mm/Through Feed
Horizontal/Misc.
Point-To-Point
Vertical//Misc.
32mm/Through Feed
There are certain machines of this type that are through feed machines for high production of repetitive parts. In this case, the part to be drilled is put in on one side of the conveyor system and comes out on the other drilled with numerous vertical parallel holes and/or horizontal holes as required. Some manufacturers make a horizontal/vertical machine as discussed either parallel to each other or can be set in a straight line, these might have one block of horizontal drills as well. These machines can drill horizontally and vertically at the same time.
Horizontal/Misc.
Used mainly in the kitchen industry or KD (knock down) RTA (ready to assemble) industry. This is the most accurate way to drill holes, especially if the end user is going to put the furniture together at home. 32mm, which equates to about 1-1/4”, is a standard that has been accepted worldwide for holes drilled in, say, kitchen cabinets, wall units, etc. for adjustable shelving. If you look at a kitchen cabinet in most modern new style kitchens today, you’ll find that adjustments for the shelf holes are every 32mm apart from center to center. All the construction holes that are also used for the assembly of the final cabinet, that is, to connect the sides to the top and bottom, are also drilled in this configuration. Sometimes these machines are called either construction boring or line boring machines. Most 32mm machines have a fixed block of drills (another word for boring machine is drilling machine); therefore, when it drills, this fixed block of drills, all fixed spaced at 32mm, will drill at the same time. This block could be any configuration of two to 21 spindles or more, or in various fixed patterns. There are 32mm horizontal boring machines as well as 32mm vertical boring machines. Some of these machines are horizontal/vertical, where the fixed block can be turned either to drill horizontally into the edge of the panel, or vertically at the bottom or at the top of the panel. Some people have a preference to drill from the top, some prefer to drill from the bottom. In bottom drilling the sawdust falls onto the ground, not onto the panel - this seems to make the most sense.
Boring machines miscellaneous can be for a single hole to be drilled or multiple horizontal or vertical holes, when the fixed spacing of 32mm apart is not required. Some of these machines can drill horizontally and vertically at the same time. The main use for this style of machine is to drill either a single hole in a part or to drill multiple holes all over the part in a single operation. Some of these machines will also drill at angles, especially for the chair industry, but this will be discussed under chair making equipment. In most cases, the piece of wood is placed on a table and the operator presses a button or a foot pedal and a "hold down" will hold the part in place while the part is being drilled. Either the table will go up and drilling heads stay stationary, or the table stays stationary and all the heads come down, drilling the holes in the appropriate place. Most of these machines have a number of motors on the top, or in the case of a horizontal machine, on the side, which are connected by belts to the individual drills that are required. Some of these machines will either be air operated or hydraulic for the movement of the table. Hydraulic, in most cases, will be used when multiple large holes are required. These machines are quite difficult to set up.
