Adjustable Reamers

[jack620]

I've come across a few brand-new Taylor & Jones adjustable reamers at very good prices. One is an H4, the others are slightly larger. The part of me that can't resist a bargain says "buy them". However, I'm wondering how much use they would get. How many of you blokes own them? More to the point, how often do you use them and what do you use them for?
Chris

[pipeclay]

I've come across a few brand-new Taylor & Jones adjustable reamers at very good prices. One is an H4, the others are slightly larger. The part of me that can't resist a bargain says "buy them". However, I'm wondering how much use they would get. How many of you blokes own them? More to the point, how often do you use them and what do you use them for?
Chris
If you need them they would get used.
Are you asking about adjustables or reamers in general.
I use reamers when the job requires it.
They get used for reaming holes/bores.

[jack620]

Hi pipeclay,
I'm asking specifically about adjustable reamers. I can see them being useful for fitting a pulley to a shaft where it's impractical to bring the shaft to the lathe to check for fit. Other than that I'm not sure what I might use them for.

[pipeclay]

If your not sure what you would use them for you probably dont need them.

[Steamwhisperer]

More to the point, how often do you use them and what do you use them for?
Chris

Hi Jack,
In answer to your question, I use mine a fair bit to bring out a bush for a bit of extra lubrication clearance. Also they usually come with an extension spigot and a sliding taper piece that assists in lining up two inline bushes for reaming. The trick is to sneak up on the final bore size in small adjusted increments.

Phil

[jack620]

Thanks fellas. It sounds like these aren't a tool the average backyard metalworker needs. I'll spend the money on something more useful to me. Like beer.

[matthew_g]

Thanks fellas. It sounds like these aren't a tool the average backyard metalworker needs. I'll spend the money on something more useful to me. Like beer.

Sheesh.........
If it were a choice between reamers or beer I would go with the reamers...:oo:

[Michael G]

. It sounds like these aren't a tool the average backyard metalworker needs. I'll ...

You know, there is probably a forum somewhere in the world where a statement like that would get you banned for heresy:U. I think the phrasing that you want is something like "a tool that I can't see myself using in the near future" or perhaps "a tool I haven't had to use yet".

Some time ago I phoned up Sutton to talk with one of their technical people and started off the conversation with "I'm considering buying a set of adjustable reamers and..." and was interrupted with a quick "don't". The tech rep's reasoning was that they can be fiddly to adjust to where you want them and so frustrating for a user unfamiliar with them. However, reamers (whether adjustable, fixed or D bit) are one of those tools that only has one purpose but when needed that's the tool you need to use.
I agree with Phil that the guides make it much easier to avoid chatter and bell-mouthing. Two thing I like about them is that you don't need to have an undersize, nominal and over size reamer for any particular hole size - one adjustable will do it all. The other is that they can be touched up on an oilstone where as a traditional reamer needs to be on a T&C grinder (and once you touch the flutes the sizing is gone).
A negative is that matching hole sizes over time can be tricky (that is, adjusting the reamer to give the same hole size that you produced a while back can be hard). Not impossible though.

Michael

[Steamwhisperer]

You know, there is probably a forum somewhere in the world where a statement like that would get you banned for heresy:U. I think the phrasing that you want is something like "a tool that I can't see myself using in the near future" or perhaps "a tool I haven't had to use yet".

Some time ago I phoned up Sutton to talk with one of their technical people and started off the conversation with "I'm considering buying a set of adjustable reamers and..." and was interrupted with a quick "don't". The tech rep's reasoning was that they can be fiddly to adjust to where you want them and so frustrating for a user unfamiliar with them. However, reamers (whether adjustable, fixed or D bit) are one of those tools that only has one purpose but when needed that's the tool you need to use.
I agree with Phil that the guides make it much easier to avoid chatter and bell-mouthing. Two thing I like about them is that you don't need to have an undersize, nominal and over size reamer for any particular hole size - one adjustable will do it all. The other is that they can be touched up on an oilstone where as a traditional reamer needs to be on a T&C grinder (and once you touch the flutes the sizing is gone).
A negative is that matching hole sizes over time can be tricky (that is, adjusting the reamer to give the same hole size that you produced a while back can be hard). Not impossible though.

Michael
Well said Michael,
I actually find them easy to use and incredibly handy to have. As I said you have to sneak up on the first cut but once there, it is smooth sailing to your desired bore size.

Phil

[jack620]

OK, I was bit hasty. I'll grab the H4 (11.9-13.5mm) and have a play with it. It's less than a slab of beer anyway! :)

[Steamwhisperer]

Well done Chris. Grab a slab as well and celebrate.

Phil

[BobL]

I ordered a set of adjustables from 6 to 26 mm from CTC tooling about 4 weeks ago and have been waiting for them to come in. I left work early yesterday and by the time I got home an email was awaiting for me from work to say a parcel had arrived for me - well I hope it is the reamers. :)

[jack620]

Happy reaming!

[jhovel]

... sweet reams....

[wbleeker]

I was taught that when you are adjusting the reamer, just do a quarter of a turn on one nut then a quarter on the other, this saves getting swarf under the
blades which can make the reamer cut out of round.And only turn reamers clockwise, turning backwards can trap swarf and chip cutting edges.
Will

[Steamwhisperer]

Good advice will.

Phil