FORD'S BORING MACHINE,

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 704, 23 July 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

FORD'S BORING MACHINE,

[bendigo advertiser.] One of the great drawbacks to successful mining operations hi deep quartz sinking has been the expense of sinking and driving in the hard rock usually met witlu It .Jias been found that the use of the hand hammer and drill is a very slow, and consequently expensive process of working, so much so, that unless a more advanced system is adopted, many of the quartz mines will have to be abandoned. Tho field here for inventive genius is a fine one, aud many attempts have been made by mechanics to make machines to take the place of hand labor in driving and sinking, but few of them have proved equal to the anticipations of their inventors. It ia to be regretted also that encouragement to such inventors is not so liberal as it should be, but this is an old story. When a machine has been made that to all competent judges realises what it is described as capable of performing, the public are very slow to appreciate its advantages. Such appears to be the case with regard to Ford's Boring Machine. A good many months ago this machine was thoroughly tested at Castlemaine, and in Sandhurst, and was pronounced, by those best able to jud.je, a wonderful machine, and just the thiu« required by the miners. It was practically tested in the Hustler's Company's mine, where it has been at work up till recently, when its place was supplied by an improved machine by the same inventor. An inspection of this new borer at work cannot fail to convince the most stubborn oppositionist to innovation, that its capabilities are marvellous. The first machine made was of iron, but the new one is of brass, and though similar in appearance is neater in shape. Instead of having moveable iron bands to fasten the steadying bar there is a telescopic steadying bar, the outer shell being fixed to the machine, while the inner cylinder moves like a piston, to which there is a break every two inches. This is a great improvement, and saves time and trouble as compared with the iron bands. Several othei alterations have been made, which simplifies the internal working of the machine, and probably it is now as nearly perfect as it can be. In work it is equal, if not superior, to the iron machine. The other day, in nine hours, ten holes, varying from 2ft to 2ift in depth, were bored in the face of the drive by one man. This included, however, the shifting of the machine four times, at which two other men assisted. By hand labor it would have taken on an average three hours to drill each hole, so that in this instance the machine saved twenty-one hours work. This exemplifies the practical working of the machine. The time actually taken in boring a hole is very small indeed ; the writer of this saw one hole bored in very hard slate at the 600 ft level, and the first sixteen

inches was done in 2m 35s ; the drill was then changed for a longer one, and this took 3m 203 ; the hole wai then bored fourteen inches further, and that was done in 3 minutes 30 seconds. This lash distance would have been done sooner, but owing to the nozzle, through which the water is discharged to keep the hole clean for the drill, being choked up, the water had to be used frotw the pipe, , and as it did not penetrate far enough the drill got clogged several times and this caused delay. To obviate the choking of "the nozzle a rose has been attached to it by the inventor, but it had not been attached to the nozzle at this time; <J£ .the hole is kept clean the boring goes on with wonderful rapidity. It is claimed for .this machine that it does not use so much air as the iron one ; that it bores quicker, and it has improved valves and turning machinery j that it can beg ot quicker to work, and as there are not so many fixings, can be more readily taken to pieces, aud it is cheaper than, the iron one. It was made for the Grand Trunk Company, Stuart Mill, where it will be set in work by Mr Samuel White, who was formerly engineer to the Hustler's Company, when the iron borer was first introduced, and we understand, that it is owing, in a great measure, to his intelligent observation and .after, much thought that the improvements were suggested, and the borer brought to its present state of perfection. The machine was sent to the Hustler's Company in order to give the miners of Bendigo an opportunity of seeing it before being sent to its destination to-day. There are a number of Ford's boring machines at Pleasant Creek, where they are appreciated, and as an instance of their capabilities on that gold field; it may be mentioned that a contract, was taken to sink a shaft 150 ft from the 600 ft level at Ll2 10s per foot. This was before the machines were introduced, but the contractors soon gave up the contract, as it did not pay. Ford's boring machine was then tried, and it did the work in nine months at a cost of L 4 per foot. Such a fact speaks volumes in its favor, and we have not the slightest doubt but the improved machine will yet come into general use in all permanent and deep mines, and on public works where inhere is rock cutting to be done.