Hand reaming a stack of fender washers.

[zippy1981]

Basically been thinking, if I could get a big box of 1-1/2" washers I could drill and ream stacks of them to the size of round stock I wanted to thread with a die, and just bolt them to a die stock to thread a rod as straight as possible without a lathe, or some kind of die guide that I'd probable need a lathe to make.

Assuming I could clamp a stack of fenders tight enough, can I do this with a straight fluted reamer or do I need a spiral one? What's the easiest to ream common washer material to do this with?

 

[francist]

For hand reaming I find I prefer spiral flute over straight flute if I have the choice. Could be just my imagination but spiral flutes seem to be easier to start and less prone to chatter, at least the way I use them. Not that this applies, but spiral reamers are nice to have around for occasions where there is a keyway or other interruption in the bore, they tend to bridge the gap better than straight flute reamers and are less likely to hang up.

That’s the easy part of the answer though, the rest of your project is going to be challenging to say the least. I totally get what you’re trying to accomplish though, there are die stocks that try to incorporate a kind of aperture-like collar to supposedly help with alignment but I have yet to find one that actually works.

Good luck, and let us know how it works out

 

[compact8]

If you have access to drill press, may be using an end mill will be easier. Still can't imagine how the stack of washers can be fixed to the die stock though.

 

[zippy1981]

If you have access to drill press, may be using an end mill will be easier. Still can't imagine how the stack of washers can be fixed to the die stock though.

Drill two holes through the side of the washers, and add a big dock washer to the bottom screw them all together with two flat head machine bolts. The 1/4" dock washers I got now are thick though for a countersink that will let a #6 lay flat.

Then drill a hole on each handle of the die stock and two more in the dock washer. The part of the die stock near the center is flat, not round, but even if it wasn't I could have enough slop in the hole to make up for my inability to drill a hole perfectly on center square to a round surface. Once bolted all together, easy to take apart, easy to replace with a different stack of washers with a different ID.

Or do I sound crazy?

 

[zippy1981]

there are die stocks that try to incorporate a kind of aperture-like collar to supposedly help with alignment but I have yet to find one that actually works.

Yeah, I bought a new irwin die stock with the three holders, and then when I picked it up at ACE and took it home and examined it. . . . Man, with a lot more skill and a mill I could possibly replace those three little jaws with something that might hold stock straight-ish, but if those things work, they must work like Dumbo's magic feather.

 

[Alcap]

Now it’s starting to make sense to me . If I’m understanding, your going to sandwich a stack of washers together between larger ones with bolts/screws ? Will the flat washers your stacking be flat enough to have enough contact area to keep from spinning or are you planning on adding , double back tape or glue or something else ?

 

[Parlo]

Perhaps use a step drill and machine them individually on a drill press with a vice, they will be much less likely to grab.

 

[neilkingent]

Perhaps use a step drill and machine them individually on a drill press with a vice, they will be much less likely to grab.

one of the best uses of a step drill in my opinion

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Toolmaker51]

With limited thickness a RH spiral RH cut is high probability pulling into the stack, jamming handsomely, because they might be clamped, but not all that parallel - free of gaps.
LH helix, RH cut will do much better.
per sample https://www.suncoasttools.com/crm/I...MI1p740d-79gIV2BPUAR3IMAaKEAQYAiABEgLCR_D_BwE

Depends on volume, then thickness. Make a pair of soft jaws encircling about 80% circumference, 100% depth. They'll clamp just fine.
Alternate can be a bushing, pocketed likewise, with 2 relief cuts and one split in lathe chuck or collet. Plenty quick.

 

[Mini Cooper S]

This is one of many styles of adjustable guide die stocks. Mine is an old Craftsman that came in a set of metric dies.