Can someone explain the use of a jig borer?

[AlfJones]

Hello.

I've been reading a number of threads on this forum where mention has been made of a jig borer - BCA seems a "common" make.

I know very little about them apart from what I read on wikipedia, and I was wondering if someone could explain how they can be used in a model engineering shop and the pro's/con's against either a mill or a drill press with an x/y table?

Sorry if this post is a bit vauge, I'm asking about something I don't know much at all about.

 

[maverick]

In pre CNC and digital readout days, a jig borer was the most accurate way to layout and drill and bore the holes for locating pins and drill bushings
in tools, fixtures, stamping dies etc. The tooling on a jig borer is designed for holemaking and not for milling which limits their utility for general model making.
That being said, a model engineer would certainly be able to put one to use. Having spent much time using Moores, Sheffields and Mori Sieki jig bores,
I can tell you that milling machines just don't seem as precise as they used to.