Gallery, Projects and General > How do I??

Reamers question

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Krown Kustoms:
I normally use an endmill as a reamer.
Be careful of your endmills though, they can be a couple thous off +/-.
They are one of those things where you get what you pay for -2 dollar endmill = 2 dollar grind-
I have used drill rod (silver steel) but they keep gtting turned into axles and shafts for some reason. :bang:
Every time I need one I have used it for something else and need to make another. :wack:
-B-

bogstandard:
There is a rule of thumb for straight and spiral reamers.

Spiral reamers are normally used on thinner materials so that there is more of a supporting cutting edge in the hole to help keep it straight.

You can get some chucking or machine reamers with a screw in the fluted end. People think that this is to adjust the size, which is downright silly, because you would end up with tapered flutes from the wrong direction. If you do come across one, DO NOT touch the adjusting screw, otherwise, if you do, you may as well throw it away. The screw is there so that when the reamer goes dull, the flutes can be expanded slightly and the reamer ground back to it's original size. A thing not possible on a normal reamer, when they are reground, it is usually to the next size down.

I was only talking to Darren the other evening on Skype about how I had found a few new chucking reamers, 1/4", 5mm & 8mm for very low prices. By searching around on the web, you can pick up a few odd ones and gradually build a set up for rather little money.

At the bottom of the list on here, you can buy tapered shank (machine reamers) reamer sets for very reasonable money.

http://www.tracytools.com/reamersassorted.htm

You really need to phone them up and see what they can offer you, just to make sure you get the correct type for what you want. I managed to get a set of 1/8" to 1/2" in 64ths for just over 70 squid, nearly 30 reamers, and all high quality HSS.


Bogs

trevoratxtal:
Hello AdeV
As I see you are in the  UK then
May I add three other possible ways of building up a set of reamers.
1. A set of adjustable reamers (the Chinese imports with care can get you out of a hole, no pun intended)
Ebay sometimes have them.
2. Government surplus stores, there are still many about, and prices are often very low.
3. The best of all Car Boot sales. over the  last few years I have found over 100 imperial and metric reamers for silly prices.

Best of luck
Trev.

AdeV:
 :thumbup: Many thanks again chaps, some great info there :thumbup:

Trev - yeah, carboots & the like will be my source, I think. Although it's not really the season at the moment; but no matter...

Krown Kustoms - I like that idea; I did wonder if an endmill would be suitable. I'd have to hold them in a drill chuck, though, I don't have a collet system for my lathe yet (mmm,  :proj: strikes again I think).

rleete - any answer that involves not spending money is an answer I want to hear  :D Appreciate that when making model engines & stuff, it may not matter about the hole size; but for repair work or new parts, it just might. But for now, I'm happy to go with your suggestion  :thumbup:

bogstandard:
AdeV,

Before you go considering tools from places like car boots, if it ain't in it's protective box or packaging, leave well enough alone. Unless of course you possess a tool and cutter grinder.

I have thrown away better than most you see at places like that.

If they haven't had the correct protection during their life, you can almost guarantee they will be dull, and absolutely no use for anything other than grinding up to make a centre punch out of.

I have seen boxes upon boxes of drills, reamers, taps and dies, all piled together, so don't even bother rooting thru them, they are worth nothing more than their scrap value.
 
On the other hand, I have bought boxes of brand new and protected tooling from car boots, and found them to be ideal, just don't ask where they came from. But they are very rare finds nowadays, in fact I don't think I have bought anything concerning cutting tools for at least a couple of years, maybe longer.

If you are tight on finances, then you will be much better off saving your pennies, and buying new individual ones only when they are required. If looked after, they should last a lifetime with the sort of work you will be doing.

It is truly a false economy buying old junk tooling, and having to throw it away or stick it under the bench, after you have ruined a perfectly good job with it.


Bogs

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