--- title: Horizontal Boring and Milling in Reno | Wolf Machine url: https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/horizontal-boring-and-milling/ business: Wolf Machine & Fabrication, Inc. address: 4812 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 phone: (775) 359-5570 hours: Shop Monday-Friday 7:00 am-3:30 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday type: Metal and plastic fabrication and machining (custom and CNC machining, welding, metal and plastic fabrication, gearbox and part repair, align boring, metal spray) --- [Photo: Stock photo: rows of machine tools inside a large industrial workshop] - [Home](https://wolfmachinenv.com/) - [Services](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/) - Horizontal boring and milling # Horizontal boring and milling for big, heavy parts A horizontal boring mill holds the cutter on a horizontal spindle and moves the part on a table, so large housings, frames and gear cases can have their bores and faces machined square to each other in one setup. We do horizontal boring and milling at our Reno shop, and align boring when a row of bores must share one centerline. Stock photo: rows of machine tools inside a large industrial workshop Some parts are too big or too awkward to flip over and re-clamp. A housing with bores on several sides, a frame with faces that must stay square to each other, a gear case that has to go back together exactly: these are jobs for a horizontal boring mill, because the part stays put while the machine reaches every side. ## At a glance - Bores and faces machined in one setup - Faces and bores kept square to each other - Align boring when bores must share one centerline - Housings, gear cases and other large parts I have used Wolf Machine several times over the past few years for fabricating and repair of parts on my ultralight aircraft. [...] These guys are great to deal with. I wouldn't take my projects anywhere else. James B. ยท Google review, September 2023 [Leave us a Google review](https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJVWVOfCI_mYARibcFMPsDEKc) ## Why does one setup matter for a big part? Every time a heavy part is lifted, turned and re-clamped, the relationship between the faces you cut before and the ones you cut after is at risk. Machining several surfaces in one setup keeps them related to the same starting point, so a bore stays square to its face and parallel to the next bore. That is the main reason to choose horizontal boring over doing the same work in several steps on smaller machines. ## Reaching several faces in one setup On a horizontal boring mill the heavy part stays clamped while the spindle reaches its faces, and a long boring bar can cut bores that are spread apart along one axis. That is what lets one setup cover the faces and a row of bores through the length of a housing. - One setup: faces and bores stay tied to the same starting point - Long bores: cut in line along one axis - Milling: flat mounting faces cut in the same setup ## How it compares with turning and align boring Round parts that spin, like rings and hubs, belong on a lathe, covered on the [turning to 96 inch OD](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/large-diameter-turning/) page. Bores that must share one centerline are the job of [align boring](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/align-boring/). Horizontal boring and milling is the machine you want when the part is stationary, large and has features on several faces. ## Quoting a housing or frame Send the overall length, width and height, the number of bores, and a photo of each face that needs work. A print or the old part helps most. Attach everything to the [quote request](https://wolfmachinenv.com/request-a-quote/) or call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Because heavy parts are hard to move, call ahead before you bring one to 4812 Longley Ln. ### Sources - [Wolf Machine & Fabrication services list](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/) (2026-10-18) - [Boring (manufacturing), including line boring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boring_(manufacturing)) (2026-10-18) ### What a horizontal boring mill is used for - Housings with bores on more than one side - Large frames and weldments with machined faces - Gear cases and gearbox housings - Bearing bores that must match the next bore down the line - Mounting faces that must be flat and square ### Typical parts - Gearbox and pump housings - Machine frames and weldments - Bearing housings and machine frames - Pump and compressor housings ### Materials [Steels and steel alloys](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/steel-and-steel-alloys/) [All materials we machine](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/) ### How to send us the job Have a print? Attach it to the quote request. No print? Photos of every face, the sizes you know and the machine the part came from are a good start, and you can bring the part in. [Request a quote](#quote) [What to put on a drawing](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/what-to-put-on-a-drawing/) ### Talk to the shop [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) | Monday to Friday | 7:00 am - 3:30 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Request a quote](#quote) ### Related - [Align boring](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/align-boring/) - [Lathe turning to 96 inch OD](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/large-diameter-turning/) - [Gearbox repair and rebuilding](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/gearbox-repair/) ### Questions about this service - [What makes a machined part expensive?](https://wolfmachinenv.com/faq/what-makes-a-machined-part-expensive/) ## Work from the shop [Photo: An industrial gearbox housing (speed reducer)] Job 11 An industrial gearbox housing (speed reducer). [Photo: A grinder assembly: machined cutter housing between thick plate end flanges, coupled to an electric motor on a fabricated base] Job 02 A grinder assembly: machined cutter housing between thick plate end flanges, coupled to an electric motor on a fabricated base. [Photo: A gold wheel (spiral gold-recovery concentrator) on a fabricated square-tube steel stand, built for the mining industry] Job 01 A gold wheel (spiral gold-recovery concentrator) on a fabricated square-tube steel stand, built for the mining industry. [See all our work](https://wolfmachinenv.com/gallery/) ## Related services - [Custom machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/custom-machining/) - [CNC milling](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/cnc-milling/) - [Vertical milling](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/vertical-milling/) - [Lathe turning to 96 inch OD](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/large-diameter-turning/) - [Align boring](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/align-boring/) - [Blanchard grinding](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/blanchard-grinding/) ## Horizontal boring and milling questions Still have a question? Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. ### What kind of part is horizontal boring suited to? Large, heavy parts with bores and faces on several sides, such as housings, frames and gear cases. ### Can worn bores in a housing be repaired? Often, yes. The bore is built up by welding or metal spray, then bored back to size and to the right position. ### Is horizontal boring the same as align boring? They are related. Horizontal boring covers bores and milled faces in general, and align boring is the particular job of getting several bores onto one centerline. [Photo: Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying] ## Request a quote Tell us what you need, attach a drawing or photos of the part, and we will get back to you during shop hours. Free consultations; prompt estimates. [Call (775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) - From your specifications, drawings or samples. We can also assist you in designing your product or part. - Free consultations and prompt estimates - Stands behind the work: Our rates are very competitive and our quality is second-to-none. Wolf Machine stands behind the work we perform. - Company accounts: all major credit cards, or we can open an account for your company Shop hours Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Send your request any time and we will get back to you during shop hours. Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying