A recursive parameter estimation method is applied to spindle deflection model during boring process. The spindle infeed rate is then determined to preserve the diametral tolerance of bore. This estimation method is further extended to adaptive control by application of the variance perturbation method. The results of computer simulation attest that the proposed method renders the optimal cutting conditions, maintaining the diametral accuracy of bore, regardless of parameter fluctuations. The proposed method necessitating only post-process measurements features that initialization of parameter guess values in simple, a priori knowledge on parameter variations is not needed and the accurate estimation of optimal spindle infeed rate is obtained, even if the parameter estimation may be poor.