# Reamers



## Jonathans (Jun 7, 2017)

I have never bothered with using a reamer after drilling.  I'm starting to get tired of wonky holes and decided I needed a fractional chucking reamer set. I am finding that these can be rather expensive.  I'm only a hobbiest so these would not see a lot of use, so durability isn't a big issue, I think.
What is suggested other than springing for a set of Clevelands? Used? Import? Other?
I'm all ears.


----------



## EmilioG (Jun 7, 2017)

I would look at Ebay and maybe buy just the reamers you need one at a time or a few.  There are so many choices and buying a whole fractional set
may not be wise since you may not use them all. I use letter, fractional, O/u, metric and number sizes and buy what I need for any specific job.
I don't bother with very small reamers; they burn up quickly.
Amazon, Msc and Zoro Tools also has good prices for quality USA Alvord Polk Hss reamers., take advantage of sales.
I have a small lot of Alvord Polk and Yankee reamers. They are worth the extra money. Cheap imports don't stay sharp long
and are not as accurate.  I've gotten great deals on Ebay for new APT, Chicago Latrobe and Yankee reamers. IMHO, these are the 3 top reamer makers.


----------



## T Bredehoft (Jun 7, 2017)

EmilioG said:


> buy just the reamers you need one at a time or a few



This is generally a good rule. Sets are a good way to exhaust the money supply, you may never use some of them.  Find what you want on eBay, buy and wait a couple of days. you're good to go.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

Another issue is that the fractional sized sets don't always do what you want them to.  Let's say the shaft is nominally 1/2".  The basic fractional set would include .5000" for that size.  Great, but what if you want a snug fit, a sliding fit, a light press fit, or a heavy press fit?  Each of those will require a different reamer size, or a different shaft size.  Sometimes it is not trivial to change the shaft size.  Undersized and oversize reamer sets are available, but triple the cost and still do not let you always get the fit you want.  I have at least 150 reamers, from tiny up to 1.5", all imperial, nearly all bought used, and I stand a small chance of having on hand the desired one I want for the next job where I need a reamer.  So, I improvise as best as I can with what I have, or buy a reamer, or go a different direction entirely.  Imperial reamers come in .0001" increments, and in different styles.  Nobody has them all.  So, I agree with Tom.  Check eBay, or buy the one you need new, or go in a different direction.


----------



## mikey (Jun 7, 2017)

To the excellent advice above, I would add that you should get comfortable boring a good hole. Quite often, you will need a fit that you don't have a reamer for, as Bob says. Or it might be a special piece that is thick enough that the hole needs to be both straight and of the right size. In that case, you need to bore the pre-reamer hole straight anyway before you ream it so ... get good at boring.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

mikey said:


> To the excellent advice above, I would add that you should get comfortable boring a good hole. Quite often, you will need a fit that you don't have a reamer for, as Bob says. Or it might be a special piece that is thick enough that the hole needs to be both straight and of the right size. In that case, you need to bore the pre-reamer hole straight anyway before you ream it so ... get good at boring.


Very good advice, Mike.  Don't plan to bore an on size hole on your first attempt, or to be able to hit it regularly even after practicing a while.  Boring bars are inherently not rigid, and so they have a lot of spring in them.  If you just keep dialing in more cut until you hit your number, you are almost guaranteed to fail by making the hole over size.  I get my best results by starting to sneak up on it early, and then taking spring passes until they do not cut anymore with each small increment of feed.  It is also important to measure the hole well as you go and after each pass as you get really close.  Gage pins rock for this kind of work.


----------



## Jonathans (Jun 7, 2017)

Thanks everyone who replied.  I am just learning about under/over sized reamers, wire gage, fractional, and A-Z.  Thats good advise for me to pick up what I need when I need it.  
Perhaps I'll pick up a couple of index boxes to keep track of them once I get them.  I passed up on two old sets of reamers at a recent local auction. They were quite dull. 
 Should I have picked them up and sent them out for sharpening somewhere?


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

Jonathans said:


> I passed up on two old sets of reamers at a recent local auction. They were quite dull.
> Should I have picked them up and sent them out for sharpening somewhere?


Probably not, but I would need to have seen them.


----------



## woodchucker (Jun 7, 2017)

Jonathans said:


> I have never bothered with using a reamer after drilling.  I'm starting to get tired of wonky holes and decided I needed a fractional chucking reamer set. I am finding that these can be rather expensive.  I'm only a hobbiest so these would not see a lot of use, so durability isn't a big issue, I think.
> What is suggested other than springing for a set of Clevelands? Used? Import? Other?
> I'm all ears.


used. I bought  a set of fractional by 1/64 at a estate sale.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

Shameless tool gloat...

Just one drawer is shown in these pics-- top layer, small and tiny reamers.  In the upper right of the right box are dozens of reamers below .0625", a few are almost invisible to the naked eye. 



Middle layer -- miscellaneous reamers up to 1.2500"



Bottom layer -- MT drills and other larger drills up to 1-3/8", Morse taper reamers, Use-em-up sleeves, a few broaches.


All are in order by size, small to large.  That drawer shows testimony to Evapo-rust, elbow grease, and 'sticktuitiveness'.  All those tools came from tool lots and were about $100 or less total, most had light surface rust and many needed some light stoning, sharpening, and other TLC.  I am still winnowing down all the ones that did not make the cut (not shown)...


----------



## Rockytime (Jun 7, 2017)

I often make go-no-go's when boring to size.


----------



## Rustrp (Jun 7, 2017)

Okay, my .02 in this regarding having the right size reamer. What's the consensus on expandable reamers to hit the right size bore? I haven't used one but I have seen them used and it's been a while.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

Rustrp said:


> Okay, my .02 in this regarding having the right size reamer. What's the consensus on expandable reamers to hit the right size bore? I haven't used one but I have seen them used and it's been a while.


Adjustable reamers of the multi blade type can get the job done, but they are delicate and get damaged easily, depending on type.  Patience and care is required.  They need to be sharpened correctly.  You have to take tiny cuts with them, need to keep them in line with the bore, and need to stop instantly if they start to gall.  The types like those used for reaming automotive king pin bushings are easier to use, the tapered pilot sleeve helps to keep the reamer aligned to the bores.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

Rustrp said:


> Okay, my .02 in this regarding having the right size reamer. What's the consensus on expandable reamers to hit the right size bore? I haven't used one but I have seen them used and it's been a while.


The other issue is that you will almost certainly need a through hole to use an adjustable reamer.


----------



## Rustrp (Jun 7, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> The other issue is that you will almost certainly need a through hole to use an adjustable reamer.



I was thinking about the expandable to reach the next size up. One or two thousandth's over. etc.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 7, 2017)

Rustrp said:


> I was thinking about the expandable to reach the next size up. One or two thousandth's over. etc.


A couple thou is about all an adjustable reamer can usually do, at least in steel, without being a PITA.  Don't get me wrong here, adjustable reamers can save the day, and get a job done that would otherwise have to wait until new tooling can arrive.  They are just not too good for repetitive work, slow and fussy, or for trying to take .010" out of steel.  A chucking reamer of the needed size will do a nice job in no time with little fuss.


----------



## T Bredehoft (Jun 7, 2017)

I have a product with two 5/16 bushings, 3/4" apart, I assemble the body with a 5/16 rod in place, remove it and run a 5/16 reamer through the hole Almost always there is a tiny bit of misalignment which the reamer takes out. I keep on hand a 5/16 adjustable reamer, probably .001 over, just in case the 5/16 reamer doesn't take enough out. Sometimes I have to open it up just a little.  Noting precise in the job, not at all. This hole's shaft carries a gear with  80 teeth, the other a gear with 8. That gear, .300 in diameter is pinned to a 1/8 shaft. They have to turn without friction.


----------



## EmilioG (Jun 8, 2017)

Expandable reamers require great skill and excellent gages to measure.  I have a vintage Cleveland USA set and it is not easy to get the hole on target.
(Probably why they don't make them anymore). They're OK for general use but not precision hole targets. They're also very tedious to use. Drill, ream, measure, expand, ream, etc..with careful measuring in between with a good mic and hole gages. Not my favorite way to go.  Nothing like a good APT reamer and Criterion boring head.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 8, 2017)

EmilioG said:


> Expandable reamers require great skill and excellent gages to measure.  I have a vintage Cleveland USA set and it is not easy to get the hole on target.
> (Probably why they don't make them anymore). They're OK for general use but not precision hole targets. They're also very tedious to use. Drill, ream, measure, expand, ream, etc..with careful measuring in between with a good mic and hole gages. Not my favorite way to go.  Nothing like a good APT reamer and Criterion boring head.


Good point, Emilio.  If you pick up a .5000" reamer, and use it correctly, you will get a hole very close to that number, and a nice smooth bore.  Using an adjustable reamer it a lot more hassle, and slower.  Even with a chucking or hand reamer, it is a really good idea to check the size before boring the hole.  Sometimes mistakes are made in labeling or testing, reamers get sharpened and can be smaller than labeled, and wear takes its toll as well.  Still, it is much slower and fussier to get an accurate, well finished hole with an expansion reamer.


----------



## ddickey (Jun 8, 2017)

A floating Reamer?
I made one the other day from a kit I bought from Hemingway. The literature on why you need one was convincing but what I read on the net said otherwise.


----------



## woodchucker (Jun 8, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> Using a tapered reamer it a lot more hassle, and slower.


Did you mean tapered reamer?
In my limited knowledge, you really can't avoid a tapered reamer unless you use a tapered drill bit.  After rebuilding the SB 9, I started to appreciate tapered pins over straight pins. They lock in there really nicely. So I bought a set on ebay used. Of random sizes hoping to wind up with what I wanted. I did, and then some.
I agree that they are a hassle to use. The hole size is tough. I try to drill 3 holes, a small pilot for the smallest size, and then I try to go a little larger for the mid section, and larger still for the largest section, then I try to blend them together using the tapered reamer. Mostly I succeed. Sometimes I have run into issues that I have yet to figure out what happened, what I did wrong.  Those times I hope that the next size taper pin will cover up the Fup. But usually we are dealing with limited sizes to use based no the part size.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 8, 2017)

woochucker said:


> Did you mean tapered reamer?


Should have read "adjustable reamer".  Edited...  Thanks, Jeff.



woochucker said:


> In my limited knowledge, you really can't avoid a tapered reamer unless you use a tapered drill bit.


Machine reamers cut almost entirely on the beveled end flutes, and have a very slight lead in.  Rose reamers cut on the ends only, and are actually back tapered for clearance.  Hand reamers have a long lead in.  Adjustable reamers also have a lead in.  Those are all for straight shafts and pins, and the holes should not end up tapered.

Taper pins are a whole different subject.  They are very useful, and I go that direction whenever possible for attaching handles, etc.  Amazingly, taper pin reamers are a dime a dozen around here, and I have picked up quite a few nice ones (50+ ?) almost for free.  I think it is because almost no one knows what they are for any more...  I also have a lot of pin material.  There are no specific sizes to taper pins.  The taper is constant from tiny to big, over length stock is purchased, and the desired size is cut out of the stock at the correct diameters to fit the hole, with some extra to dress off after installation.


----------



## woodchucker (Jun 8, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> Should have read "adjustable reamer".  Edited...  Thanks, Jeff.
> 
> 
> Machine reamers cut almost entirely on the beveled end flutes, and have a very slight lead in.  Rose reamers cut on the ends only, and are actually back tapered for clearance.  Hand reamers have a long lead in.  Adjustable reamers also have a lead in.  Those are all for straight shafts and pins, and the holes should not end up tapered.
> ...


I didn't know that. I purchased different sizes 1,2, maybe a 4 from mcmaster.


----------



## Silverbullet (Jun 8, 2017)

Lots of different things are a challenge when reaming. I have an old set of adjustable reamers  you need to adjust them with Mic check on each set of blades most have six blades. I've done some fair work with them . Tapered reamers are another cup of tea. Those you need to watch your depths. Taper pins work much better then many other ways of locking handles and gears on shafts. We've lost the art of taper pin use. But done right it will never wear out or fall out .
Adjustable straight reamers are about the best to own ,with an Allen head in the bottom the cutters will cut larger or smaller. But you have to set them and Ck on scrap stock. Cutting with coolant or with out will change the size too.


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 8, 2017)

woochucker said:


> I didn't know that. I purchased different sizes 1,2, maybe a 4 from mcmaster.


People sell taper pin material in stock lengths, and give numbers to them, but even the stock is merely an arbitrary slice of the continuum.  There does not seem to be any standard for stock lengths, and the size you need can be in between sizes sold by one company.  There is usually enough overlap to get one to work, but with longer pins, you may need to go to a different seller to get stock that will have your pin within it.  The reamers come in standard sizes, starting at 7/0, which is .0497 to .0666" O.D., to #10, which is . 5799 to .7166" O.D.  That is a huge range.  I might have all the sizes, maybe not a # 10, and have them in mixed straight flute, spiral flute, and helical flute styles.  Straight flutes do not work well with keyways and other interrupted cuts.
http://www.victornet.com/subdepartments/Taper-Pin-Reamers/2548.html


----------



## Bob Korves (Jun 8, 2017)

Silverbullet said:


> Lots of different things are a challenge when reeking. I have an old set of adjustable reamers  you need to adjust them with Mic check on each set of blades most have six blades. I've done some fair work with them . Tapered reamers are another cup of tea. Those you need to watch your depths. Taper pins work much better then many other ways of locking handles and gears on shafts. We've lost the art of taper pin use. But done right it will never wear out or fall out .
> Adjustable straight reamers are about the best to own ,with an Allen head in the bottom the cutters will cut larger or smaller. But you have to set them and Ck on scrap stock. Cutting with coolant or with out will change the size too.


The Allen head is not really meant for using them as an adjustable reamer, it is meant to be able to re-grind the reamer to the standard size again.


----------



## uncle harry (Jun 9, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> The other issue is that you will almost certainly need a through hole to use an adjustable reamer.



There are reamers that expand at the outer end using a threaded taper plug which can be used in blind holes. In the majority of cases a through hole is desired as Bob has stated.


----------



## Silverbullet (Jun 9, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> People sell taper pin material in stock lengths, and give numbers to them, but even the stock is merely an arbitrary slice of the continuum.  There does not seem to be any standard for stock lengths, and the size you need can be in between sizes sold by one company.  There is usually enough overlap to get one to work, but with longer pins, you may need to go to a different seller to get stock that will have your pin within it.  The reamers come in standard sizes, starting at 7/0, which is .0497 to .0666" O.D., to #10, which is . 5799 to .7166" O.D.  That is a huge range.  I might have all the sizes, maybe not a # 10, and have them in mixed straight flute, spiral flute, and helical flute styles.  Straight flutes do not work well with keyways and other interrupted cuts.
> http://www.victornet.com/subdepartments/Taper-Pin-Reamers/2548.html


Taper pins are still available sold in one size range. They use to sell assortment in boxes but haven't seen them around anymore. The end adjustable reamers may be ment for sharpening but they are adjustable to cut also. At least the ones we used were used that way with no ill affects. The big problem with reamer use is most don't know never turn one backwards in the process.


----------

