Reamers

[Tomc938]

So I'm well on my way on the PM Research #1 steam engine. It has been a great experience - well, at least a great learning experience. I would have loved to take a machinist course but there are none close to where I live. So I bought this kit, and the PM #5 engine so I could learn how to be a machinist. I have messed up every part to date - but have not made a fatal error (so far). And learning LOTS.

I am at a point where I need to ream some holes to fit on shafts.

Can someone suggest a good place to get some decent reamers? I need a 1/4" reamer for now. Good quality, but not $150 per unit.

 

[YYCHM]

Hand reamers or chucking reamers?

 

[DavidR8]

I think

So I'm well on my way on the PM Research #1 steam engine. It has been a great experience - well, at least a great learning experience. I would have loved to take a machinist course but there are none close to where I live. So I bought this kit, and the PM #5 engine so I could learn how to be a machinist. I have messed up every part to date - but have not made a fatal error (so far). And learning LOTS.

I am at a point where I need to ream some holes to fit on shafts.

Can someone suggest a good place to get some decent reamers? I need a 1/4" reamer for now. Good quality, but not $150 per unit.

I think we need pics of said progress!

 

[Tomc938]

Hand reamers or chucking reamers?

Which would you suggest?

 

[Tom Kitta]

So I'm well on my way on the PM Research #1 steam engine. It has been a great experience - well, at least a great learning experience. I would have loved to take a machinist course but there are none close to where I live. So I bought this kit, and the PM #5 engine so I could learn how to be a machinist. I have messed up every part to date - but have not made a fatal error (so far). And learning LOTS.

I am at a point where I need to ream some holes to fit on shafts.

Can someone suggest a good place to get some decent reamers? I need a 1/4" reamer for now. Good quality, but not $150 per unit.

If you are in Calgary I think I may have more than one.

 

[Mcgyver]

kbc would be my go to. Most of their stuff is at least ok. Best starting point imo would be a spiral machine reamer, something like this. I don't know where you, but there are often industrial supply places around so you can buy locally. This one is $19

KBC,1/4" HS SP FL CHUCKING REAMER,5-020-045,KBC Tools & Machinery

KBC,1/4 HS SP FL CHUCKING REAMER,5-020-045,KBC Tools & Machinery

www.kbctools.ca

On the learning, here's my thoughts.

Do not rely on you tube, where the presenter may or may not know what they are talking about and may or may not give complete coverage of a topic. A text book otoh has effort put into getting it right. So, get a good text book, or better get a couple of different ones. A keen beginner who reads a lot and couples that with practical experience will become good at machining quite quickly, surpassing those with years of experience who haven't made the effort at learning.

Sr HS or College stuff. Publishing preys on the starving students with a new edition every few years and old ones go for $10-20 so its an affordable way to get your education

 

[phaxtris]

Make sure you get a spiral reamer for those holes with the parting line (crank caps, rod big end). from what I understand the straight fluted reamers can potentially catch the parting line and possibly break the reamer or damage the part

Have you already cut the crankshaft ? If not you could cut it to a metric size and use metric reamer, they can be had at much lower price (esp the spiral ones), that is what I did with my pm #1...also not wanting to spend 150$ on a single reamer

Edit, I never found the 18$ kbc reamer that's for sure !

 

[little ol' e]

X2 ^^^ I also prefer spiral reamers. However, all reamers have a good leading edge on them and shouldn't break or catch when using the proper pre drill size-
"Qualified with an endmill" if your shooting for a nice reamed hole.

Keep in mind... the reamer will follow your drilled hole, so if your drill isn't sharpened properly you may not get the outcome your looking for.

I always qualify reamed holes with an endmill in the work I do, that may be different for your case.
If you can, go down 1/4" with a 1/4" endmill (carbide if you have 1) so your reamer doesn't follow the drilled hole in the event the drill has gone a little off course.

 

[Susquatch]

On the learning, here's my thoughts.

Do not rely on you tube, where the presenter may or may not know what they are talking about and may or may not give complete coverage of a topic. A text book otoh has effort put into getting it right. So, get a good text book, or better get a couple of different ones. A keen beginner who reads a lot and couples that with practical experience will become good at machining quite quickly, surpassing those with years of experience who haven't made the effort at learning.

X1000. My sentiments exactly!

 

[thestelster]

There are a variety of reamer types. Dowel pin reamers 0.0005" undersize, standard reamers 0.0002" over size,
under and over reamers 0.001" plus or minus.

Spiral reamers for any hole that has a key slot or split, or regular use.

For very accurate positioning I'll drill to the appropriate size, app. 3% smaller than reamer dimension, then bore it to the exact dimension required about 1/4" deep, then follow with the reamer. Of course, make sure the mill is trammed proper or the lathe is set up correctly.

 

[Larry_C9]

I mainly use chucking reamers because they are usually reasonably priced and you can use them in the lathe or mill. I just got a message from KBC this morning. They have a promotion going for today and tomorrow for $10 off on shipping.
I would also suggest that you check out Joe Pie's site if you haven't already done so. His videos of building some PM Research models are very good.

 

[YYCHM]

Sourcing Hand Reamers

It's time to get some reamers. Having a heck of a time sourcing plain jane imperial HSS hand reamers. Everything on amazon, Aliexpress, banggood etc appears to be metric chucking reamers. Not interested in adjustable reamers. Initially a set 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 would suite me fine. That...

canadianhobbymetalworkers.com

 

[PeterT]

Its also important to understand your dimensional starting point or you could end up with lots of reamers that might see very limited use. If you start with the hole size, say 0.3750" reamer, is it easier to make your shaft OD to suite the fit? (loose, sliding, tight, interference...). Or is it the other way around where the shaft OD is more defined, maybe its 0.375" hardened steel & you have no plans or provisions to lap/grind. Then you accept that shaft/pin dimension & get 0.376 (0.001" oversize) reamer for example. Try & project other projects & how you would use the same tool.

 

[Tomc938]

I think

I think we need pics of said progress!

Here you go (I love the look of brass/gun metal):

 

[Tomc938]

If you are in Calgary I think I may have more than one.

Unfortunately I'm on Vancouver Island. ;o)

 

[Tomc938]

kbc would be my go to. Most of their stuff is at least ok. Best starting point imo would be a spiral machine reamer, something like this. I don't know where you, but there are often industrial supply places around so you can buy locally. This one is $19

KBC,1/4" HS SP FL CHUCKING REAMER,5-020-045,KBC Tools & Machinery

KBC,1/4 HS SP FL CHUCKING REAMER,5-020-045,KBC Tools & Machinery

www.kbctools.ca

On the learning, here's my thoughts.

Do not rely on you tube, where the presenter may or may not know what they are talking about and may or may not give complete coverage of a topic. A text book otoh has effort put into getting it right. So, get a good text book, or better get a couple of different ones. A keen beginner who reads a lot and couples that with practical experience will become good at machining quite quickly, surpassing those with years of experience who haven't made the effort at learning.

Sr HS or College stuff. Publishing preys on the starving students with a new edition every few years and old ones go for $10-20 so its an affordable way to get your education

You are right. There is a LOT of information on Youtube. Some of it is even good. Not a lot.

My go to for YouTubers are Quinn (Blondiehacks) Joe Pie, Mr. Pete, This Old Tony and Keith Appleton. I do have several textbooks which I use on a regular basis. I like Youtube because you can see what is being described.

Bu the best learning happens when I actually do what I have seen/read about. Trial and error. Emphasis on the error.

 

[Xyphota]

Mcmaster Carr has every reamer in half thou increments. If you happen to be making an order from them, that might be the easiest way to go.

 

[Tomc938]

Its also important to understand your dimensional starting point or you could end up with lots of reamers that might see very limited use. If you start with the hole size, say 0.3750" reamer, is it easier to make your shaft OD to suite the fit? (loose, sliding, tight, interference...). Or is it the other way around where the shaft OD is more defined, maybe its 0.375" hardened steel & you have no plans or provisions to lap/grind. Then you accept that shaft/pin dimension & get 0.376 (0.001" oversize) reamer for example. Try & project other projects & how you would use the same tool.

On this project the shaft is CRS, so will just leave that one alone.

I have generally had more success turning the shaft to fit the hole. Maybe easier for em to think on the outside of the material than the inside?

 

[DPittman]

Its also important to understand your dimensional starting point or you could end up with lots of reamers that might see very limited use.

Definitely true but it's also "fun" having that tool when you need it. It's hard to know what your needs will be sometimes. Reamers are sort of like wrenches, I probably have a couple of wrench sizes/styles that I've never used, but I have them if and when I need them.

I bought a 29 piece (standard sizes) chucking reamers about 15 years ago and I am sure I have only used about 1/3rd of them since. I really like having them and wish I would have bought over/under size sets then too because they were cheap then. Now they are too expensive for me to justify owning for possible use that may or may not happen. Definitely hard to know.

If you don't have a thing for reamers and don't get any "thrills" by owning them like I do, then buy them as you need them.

 

[trials20]

I have a couple you can borrow.
Not to far away for you to pick up.