Oil for ball hones and technique for honing?

[Alan H.]

I bought 1/2" and 3/4" diameter ball hones from McMaster to hone the ID on a couple of reducing bushings I made for my new Aloris BXA-4 boring bar holder. I know you can buy honing oil but I didn't want a gallon of it.



So what lube do you use for these ball hones? Do you chuck these in the tailstock of the lathe and hone that way or do you drive them with a drill?

 

[woodchucker]

I bought 1/2" and 3/4" diameter ball hones from McMaster to hone the ID on a couple of reducing bushings I made for my new Aloris BXA-4 boring bar holder. I know you can buy honing oil but I didn't want a gallon of it.

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So what lube do you use for these ball hones? Do you chuck these in the tailstock of the lathe and hone that way or do you drive them with a drill?

I have seen them used with a drill. you need to move the hone back and forth, so you have different areas of the hone working areas. I would think cutting oil would work, but I'm not sure.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

The tool is commonly used for honing brake cylinders .
I was shown to use them liberally lubricated with 30wt non detergent oil and 10wt light mineral oil
I have only used them with a hand held drill . You'll use a slow speed and rather large plunging and retracting movements to create a large crosshatch pattern on the cylinders surface

You don't want to spin it too fast it will sling lubrication out and the crosshatch will not form correctly. In that case proper sealing will be difficult to attain

Mineral spirits may also be used as a cutting agent

I wish the best of luck

 

[Bob Korves]

Cutting oil will work. Hones are used for putting a light cross hatch to the bore surface for better seating of rubber (or leather) seals or for piston rings. They will not repair damaged bores.

 

[rgray]

I'll second the mineral spirits thought. Keeps the stones clear of particles and from glazing.

 

[woodtickgreg]

In small engine repair shops I used to put the engine cylinders right in the parts washer and flood it as I honed. Our washer just used mineral spirits. Like Mike said a slow rpm and steady back and forth motion will deliver a nice cross hatch. If you use oil I would use a very light oil or thin it with mineral spirits so it works more as a wash rather than sticking.

 

[FOMOGO]

The cross hatch is really only critical for piston ring sealing in engines. Mainly you are trying to keep the stones from loading up and embedding abrasive in your work. The use of solvent will shorten the life of the hone. Here is a pretty good general explanation. http://www.flexhoneblog.com/2009/03/honing-oil-one-slippery-conversation.html I have a bottle of hone oil I got from Sunnen that has lasted for many years

 

[Alan H.]

Thanks FOMOGO for the Flex-Hone link. That is helpful

Here is their summary recommendation for honing oil (naturally recommending theirs):

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Here is what they say is in their oil:

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Looks like a mix of mineral spirits, mineral oil, and WD40 would somewhat simulate it if you don't have theirs on hand.

 

[Tony Wells]

Dingleberry hones aren't the ideal tool for what you are doing. They are more for glaze breaking and general cleanup. For size control and improved profile (taper, egg, etc) they won't really do a good job for that. I'd explore other options before spending time and money on one of those. Really no reason you shouldn't be able to bore such a bushing strictly with the machine.

 

[Bob Korves]

Dingleberry hones aren't the ideal tool for what you are doing. They are more for glaze breaking and general cleanup. For size control and improved profile (taper, egg, etc) they won't really do a good job for that. I'd explore other options before spending time and money on one of those. Really no reason you shouldn't be able to bore such a bushing strictly with the machine.

Agreed, Tony. In my post above I was alluding to the same thing. Hones are not designed for changing dimensions, only for changing the surface texture. They will remove material, but at a slow rate, and will also gradually change the bore size, the concentricity, and will add tapers and spiral grooves all at the same time if you keep on honing to open up the hole diameter. If you want a round, cylindrical hole to a specific size, finish with a reamer.