Use of adjustable reamers?

[jba3520]

Has anyone ever used the adjustable reamers available from HF? I'm about to start a project making a Root Grapple and need to size up the ID of a 5 inch length of pipe to take a bushing for the pivot point. Would it be possible to use these reamers to accomplish this? I'm going from 1.308" to 1.375" ID.

Thanks

 

[Dusty]

I have a set of adjustable reamers that are for installing new King Pins. They are designed to ream bronze or brass. I don't believe that they will cut iron. I have no way to know the quality of the HF units, but my guess is that they also couldn't cut iron either.
Dusty

 

[MadReferee]

Take it to a local machine shop and have them chuck it in a lathe and bore the ID to the correct diameter. You have a lot of metal to remove and those cheap HF china reamers will not do the job. Typically a reamer is meant to take a few thou off of the diameter and not much more.

 

[schmism]

the proper way would be to bore it with a boreing bar...

 

[scott_vt]

Has anyone ever used the adjustable reamers available from HF? I'm about to start a project making a Root Grapple and need to size up the ID of a 5 inch length of pipe to take a bushing for the pivot point. Would it be possible to use these reamers to accomplish this? I'm going from 1.308" to 1.375" ID.

Thanks

Mornin Jba,
Im with Madref on this one. Your trying to remove over .060 of material. Typically in the shop on that size hole I usually leave .030. The HF stuff from China probablly wont do a very good job for you.

If you did have the right equipment, you could bore it to make it concentric leaving .030 and then ream it to the desired size. But I assume you dont have that type of equipment.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[jba3520]

Thanks for your responses. I was trying to avoid the machine shop route and Scott is correct in that I don't have that kind of equipment. I was considering these adjustable reamers for some others holes that I will need to size and was just wondering if anyone thought this would work. I assume I would need to take small steps and gradually take it up. Does anyone have any experience using these reamers? How much of a bite can I do on each pass? or is this just completely impractical?

 

[Dusty]

In my opinion it isn't practical to try to do with a inexpensive tool what needs to be done with other types of tools. I doubt that you could take more than a couple of thousands at a time and you will probably dull the reamers long before the job was done. Too many variables from the type and quality of the material to be reamed and the quality of the tool doing the job.

 

[3RRL]

Realizing you probably don't have the right equipment to open that ID up, I was trying to think a little out of the box. Is it possible for you to saw the 5" long pipe in half length ways? Pound the pipe halves out a little to make them fit the Ø1-¾ bushings and then weld them together? Maybe not just on the seam but to the bushing as well? Unless you want them replaceable? You can figure out some way to fixture the bushing and pipe to have them concentric.... Good enough for a root grapple pivot I would think? Just a thought anyway.

 

[bamatoolmaker]

You should be able to get it sized for under $20.00.A good reamer will cost over $100.00.Dont try step drilling with a 1/2 " shank or larger hand drill cause it can and will break your arm.

 

[jba3520]

Thanks again for all the responses. I found a guy that will do it for $60. He is going to put the grease fittings in as well so I won't need to hassle with that. It's more than I wanted to spend but decided it was the right way to go. Thanks for the advice.