Apologies for the disappointment.

We also acknowledge your email sent to ARC earlier today, and I will try to clarify what happened:

We had a batch of this product in mid 2021. Due to how expensive this product is, sales were very slow. From that batch, we had one set in which certain parts were missing. So we ordered the missing parts for that set, and reviewed the price for a new batch.

In the mean time, we sold the remaining stock by November 2023 (excluding the set with missing parts).

Decision was made to discontinue this product as the new costs are much higher than the price we were selling this product at.

Our site provides an option ‘Notify when back in stock’ button for an item when it goes out of stock – as was the case in November 2023. We received the missing parts for the one set we had left. Once checked and put back in stock, automated emails were sent out to everyone who requested notification once back in stock.

As the remaining item is sold on a first come first served bases, this set was sold just before your order.

Ketan at ARC

They’re not a cheap item, even used –

I’d bet I’m not the only person here who doesn’t have enough experience with them to tell a good one from a pup; any good advice regarding buying a used boring and facing head gratefully received..

To the best of my knowledge, CTC don’t have the universal boring and facing head sets in question.

ARC was the biggest quantity buyer for that particular set. The factory used to produce an extra quantity on the back of the main order placed by ARC, for re-selling to smaller quantity buyers (which also created a commercial problem for us). However, our new cost price was higher than our last retail selling price. So we decided to discontinue it. Even though the quality was good with almost zero complaints, sales were slow due to how expensive it was.

Ketan at ARC

Warco have an R8 head, 38mm dia for £55, I don’t know whether it has any tools with it.

On 17 May 2024 at 17:37 Diogenes Said:

…any good advice regarding buying a used boring and facing head gratefully received..

I have two boring and facing heads, both bought secondhand. The larger one is a Wohlhaupter on an INT40 taper; bought from the now defunct Chris Heapy website. When using it I had lots of trouble getting fine feed to work. With help from here it turned out a simple part, and a spring, were missing. Once made and fitted the head works as intended:

The other head is by Kuroda and is on a R8 taper. The head was bought from Ebay. I originally looked at a Kuroda that I wasn’t certain about; I posted about it on here. The seller was vague and one of the holders was broken, indicating a crash. Fortunately the head was sold before I needed to make a decision. Eventually I saw another Kuroda on Ebay that was only 15 miles away, so I went to look at it. The seller was a professional machinist and knew all about the head; he’d bought it from his employer. I bought it and it all works very well:

One can never be sure about buying secondhand but there are some rules that I follow. First, ask plenty of questions including is the item in full working order. If a seller is evasive, or says he knows nothing about the item then I don’t buy. Either he doesn’t know, which is of no use, or he does know, and knows it is broken. Second, always trust gut instinct if something doesn’t seem right walk away.

Andrew

I noticed an R8 fitting Wolhrapter UPA3 on ebay with some accessories, no idea what the condition is, but might be worth a look.

156214910387

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Graham Meek’s latest design for a boring AND facing head that commenced in the February (336) MEW issue.  Unless there is a specific reason not to make one, I would contemplate its construction.  I followed his original design, first published in EiM, to build an enlarged version with a few of my own “modifications”, subsequently found wanting.  Nevertheless I would be happy to construct the latest version, unmolested.

John

Sorry to read you are awaiting release of funds back to you.

We have also received your email on this subject.

We have replied to inform you that your order – transaction was cancelled – aborted promptly, without any funds being taken by us. Details have been provided to you, to enable you to show your bank. Perhaps this may allow them to release the funds back to you faster.

From our understanding average interbank processing times are 5 working days. I don’t know why this is, considering that we aborted the transaction promptly.

Ketan at ARC

OP could ask around or post a wanted ad. for one of the old Ivan Law / Westbury style shop made boring and facing heads, originally sold as a kit of castings.

I have one that is rarely used, which despite its agricultural appearance does a reasonable job at boring when required. Never bothered with the funky star wheel and trip arrangement to enable facing, so cant say how well it works for that operation.

It may be of interest to some that Matty from Matty’s Workshop on Youtube is building a boring and facing head in installments on his channel. As far as I know plans will be available for this when the design is finalised.  I think he has made 3 videos so far.

On 22 May 2024 at 07:15 Diogenes Said:

Any good?

https://www.mscdirect.co.uk/16mm-precision-boring-head-vhu-70500h

I think this is a plain boring head. OP wants bore & face unit.