Reaming

Another stupid question!

Been reaming holes in a few 4130 plates. The reamer worked fine for about
20 holes and then the holes started getting a bit smaller to the point the
bolts got a bit snug.
In my ignorance I thought this one hand reamer would pretty much last me
the whole project, but it's obvious I'm going to need a half a dozen of
them at least just to do the wing hardware.
I did a bit of searching on the net and found some info on reamers. All
hand reamers seem to be HSS which would put me back in the same boat I'm
already in so I was tempted by the carbide reamers I saw for sale.
So, my question is; can you use a carbide tipped reamer designed for use in
a lath in a simple drill press effectively? Or, for that matter, can you
use a reamer designed for use in a lathe as a hand reamer?
Or am I just barking up the wrong tree altogether?

By the way, just for info, the holes I've beenreaming are 5/16 and 1/4. The
material is .090 4130 and the holes were all laser cut about 1/64
undersize. I would ream the first hole in each plate and then clamp
together the plates in pairs to ensure accurate alignment of the holes in
each pair of plates.
Just in case it's not the reamer's fault at all!

In article ,
Fortunat1 wrote:

Another stupid question!

Been reaming holes in a few 4130 plates. The reamer worked fine for about
20 holes and then the holes started getting a bit smaller to the point the
bolts got a bit snug.
In my ignorance I thought this one hand reamer would pretty much last me
the whole project, but it's obvious I'm going to need a half a dozen of
them at least just to do the wing hardware.
I did a bit of searching on the net and found some info on reamers. All
hand reamers seem to be HSS which would put me back in the same boat I'm
already in so I was tempted by the carbide reamers I saw for sale.
So, my question is; can you use a carbide tipped reamer designed for use in
a lath in a simple drill press effectively? Or, for that matter, can you
use a reamer designed for use in a lathe as a hand reamer?
Or am I just barking up the wrong tree altogether?

By the way, just for info, the holes I've beenreaming are 5/16 and 1/4. The
material is .090 4130 and the holes were all laser cut about 1/64
undersize. I would ream the first hole in each plate and then clamp
together the plates in pairs to ensure accurate alignment of the holes in
each pair of plates.
Just in case it's not the reamer's fault at all!

Did you use cutting oil? Even plain old lubricating oil helps a lot and
keeps the tool cool.

The problem is hardening of the hole edge due to the heat of the laser or
plasmas cutting torch. The material you are reaming is slightly hardened.

Stan Kapushinski

"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news
In article ,
Fortunat1 wrote:

Another stupid question!

Been reaming holes in a few 4130 plates. The reamer worked fine for about
20 holes and then the holes started getting a bit smaller to the point
the
bolts got a bit snug.
In my ignorance I thought this one hand reamer would pretty much last me
the whole project, but it's obvious I'm going to need a half a dozen of
them at least just to do the wing hardware.
I did a bit of searching on the net and found some info on reamers. All
hand reamers seem to be HSS which would put me back in the same boat I'm
already in so I was tempted by the carbide reamers I saw for sale.
So, my question is; can you use a carbide tipped reamer designed for use
in
a lath in a simple drill press effectively? Or, for that matter, can you
use a reamer designed for use in a lathe as a hand reamer?
Or am I just barking up the wrong tree altogether?

By the way, just for info, the holes I've beenreaming are 5/16 and 1/4.
The
material is .090 4130 and the holes were all laser cut about 1/64
undersize. I would ream the first hole in each plate and then clamp
together the plates in pairs to ensure accurate alignment of the holes in
each pair of plates.
Just in case it's not the reamer's fault at all!

Did you use cutting oil? Even plain old lubricating oil helps a lot and
keeps the tool cool.

"StanKap" wrote in
:

The problem is hardening of the hole edge due to the heat of the laser
or plasmas cutting torch. The material you are reaming is slightly
hardened.


Yeah, I kind of figured that that might be a problem, though it was easy
enough to clean up the edges with a flapper wheel. Also I think the laser
might have been a little conservative cutting the holes 1/64 under making
it slightly hard work for the reamer. Towards the end, before it died, I
was gently knocking the edge off the burnt bit with a rat tail file. I
suspect the reamer might nt have been the best quality either.



Bertie

Orval Fairbairn wrote in
news
In article ,
Fortunat1 wrote:

Another stupid question!

Been reaming holes in a few 4130 plates. The reamer worked fine for
about 20 holes and then the holes started getting a bit smaller to
the point the bolts got a bit snug.
In my ignorance I thought this one hand reamer would pretty much last
me the whole project, but it's obvious I'm going to need a half a
dozen of them at least just to do the wing hardware.
I did a bit of searching on the net and found some info on reamers.
All hand reamers seem to be HSS which would put me back in the same
boat I'm already in so I was tempted by the carbide reamers I saw for
sale. So, my question is; can you use a carbide tipped reamer
designed for use in a lath in a simple drill press effectively? Or,
for that matter, can you use a reamer designed for use in a lathe as
a hand reamer? Or am I just barking up the wrong tree altogether?

By the way, just for info, the holes I've beenreaming are 5/16 and
1/4. The material is .090 4130 and the holes were all laser cut about
1/64 undersize. I would ream the first hole in each plate and then
clamp together the plates in pairs to ensure accurate alignment of
the holes in each pair of plates.
Just in case it's not the reamer's fault at all!

Did you use cutting oil? Even plain old lubricating oil helps a lot
and keeps the tool cool.

Just 3in1. It didn't seem to generate a lot of heat. I was only using a
hand drive on it. I'll try a good grade of cutting oil instead next time.

Thanks!

"Fortunat1" wrote in message
.. .
All hand reamers seem to be HSS which would put me back in the same
boat I'm already in so I was tempted by the carbide reamers I saw for
sale.

Suggest you ask someone in the Greater Seattle area to stop by Boeing
Surplus and buy a couple pounds of reamers for you. Last I remember they
were ~$3/lb.

Rich S.

Orval, I ain't a tinbender and don't pretend that I am. However, if the
(for instance) 1/4" hole is a sixty-fourth undersize, it should come out
0.234". A letter-D drill will take it out to 0.246" (admittedly with some
triangularity) which should significantly cut into the laser hardened part
of the steel, then the reamer only has to take off the last four thou.

If you want to cut yourself some more leeway, a letter-C drill will take it
out to 0.242 and then you get to ream eight thou.

And for the rest of you, PLEASE SNIP EVERYTHING in the message you are
answering except a few pertinent lines.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford





"Orval Fairbairn" wrote in message
news

By the way, just for info, the holes I've beenreaming are 5/16 and 1/4.


Did you use cutting oil? Even plain old lubricating oil helps a lot and
keeps the tool cool.

"RST Engineering" wrote in
:

Orval, I ain't a tinbender and don't pretend that I am. However, if
the (for instance) 1/4" hole is a sixty-fourth undersize, it should
come out 0.234". A letter-D drill will take it out to 0.246"
(admittedly with some triangularity) which should significantly cut
into the laser hardened part of the steel, then the reamer only has to
take off the last four thou.

If you want to cut yourself some more leeway, a letter-C drill will
take it out to 0.242 and then you get to ream eight thou.

OK. I did try to file out most of it. My drill supply wouldn't be all that
large and there aren't a lot of places wit a good suply handt to where I
live, but I will try that.

I did try and sharpen the one I have, but it didn't really work. Used a
little slip stone I have for gouges and it was OK for getting the burrs
off, but not so great for sharpening.
I think the quality of the reamer is probably the biggest prob I had.
Anyway, we worked through a few more holes today using the worn one to at
least get some of the harder stuff off and now it'll be relatively easy to
do those holes over when I get a new reamer.

Fortunat1 wrote:
"RST Engineering" wrote in
:

Orval, I ain't a tinbender and don't pretend that I am. However, if
the (for instance) 1/4" hole is a sixty-fourth undersize, it should
come out 0.234". A letter-D drill will take it out to 0.246"
(admittedly with some triangularity) which should significantly cut
into the laser hardened part of the steel, then the reamer only has to
take off the last four thou.

If you want to cut yourself some more leeway, a letter-C drill will
take it out to 0.242 and then you get to ream eight thou.

OK. I did try to file out most of it. My drill supply wouldn't be all that
large and there aren't a lot of places wit a good suply handt to where I
live, but I will try that.

I did try and sharpen the one I have, but it didn't really work. Used a
little slip stone I have for gouges and it was OK for getting the burrs
off, but not so great for sharpening.
I think the quality of the reamer is probably the biggest prob I had.
Anyway, we worked through a few more holes today using the worn one to at
least get some of the harder stuff off and now it'll be relatively easy to
do those holes over when I get a new reamer.

Try Mcmaster.com, the prices aren't the greatest however the quality
and customer service are. I also tend to get next day service if I order
before they start business for the day and don't pay any more than basic
UPS.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Dan wrote in :



Try Mcmaster.com, the prices aren't the greatest however the
quality
and customer service are. I also tend to get next day service if I
order before they start business for the day and don't pay any more
than basic UPS.

OK, thanks. I'll try 'em tomorrow.