Question for my machinist friends

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Do you know where I can get a 5/8" (.6250) chucking reamer that will fit in a 1/2" chuck? I am boring some 5/8" holes in hardwood with a brad point bit but they are a tad undersized and I need to ream the holes to .6250. I can't seem to find a chucking reamer that has a reduced shank.

Thanks.

Eric
 
Eric,

I don't know if reduced shanks are readily available. Here at work we just grind the shank down to size if needed. Another short term option would be to sand the drilled holes out to size using a high speed air grinder or foredom. The reamer will of course give you more consistant control over hole diameter.

If you find yourself with no other option, I can grind one down for you, but I don't know if shipping both ways would be any cheaper than having it done locally.
 
Dave

Thanks. If you recall I restored a Max oscillating spindle sander. It has a 1/2" spindle and with the sanding sleeve on it is close to 5/8". I've been using this set-up but it tends to open the ends of the holes a bit more than the middle. I'm making a fixture and am shooting for close tolerances so a reamer is desired. I acutally saw a reduced shank reamer but didn't bookmark it. I'll keep digging for it but thought maybe someone just happened to know of a source. If all else fails you are correct I could have one turned and ground down. Thanks.
 
http://metalworking.mscdirect.com/cgi/NNSRHMW

I've dealt w/ these guys a bunch... Formerly J&L Tool. I didn't look to see if they had reduced shank reamers or not. I know the shop that I used to work for bought a few "adjustable size" reamers from them and if my memory is correct those were 1/2" shank.

But may be worth a look if your google search didn't already bring them up.
 
Dwane & Rex

I found one with a reduced 1/2" shank. toolinghouse.com carries a Silver & Deming 5/8" reamer that has a 1/2" shank that will fit your run-of-the-mill drill press. While I was at it I picked up a MT2 one to run in the lathe should I need it. It was less than half the cost of the reduced shank one. As you probably guessed I'm using these on duck call barrels. In addition to the fixture I mentioned above I want consistency on the barrel bore so turning and fitting the inserts doesn't become a mix and match exercise. The 5/8" bit I have is a few thou under and the reamer cleans them out nicely. I have a precision ground 5/8" rod I use for gauging and before I ream them it jams in the barell. After reaming them it is a piston fit. One less variable to fool with.

Eric
 
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another thing that you may wish to consider is a four flute drill or a core drill...since you are working in wood this might be another alternative...beware... if there is very little material on the inside of your hole whatever kind of drill or reamer you use it may want to grab and give a poor finish in the inside of the hole...try to use a controlled feed as you feed to your desired depth...MSC Direct is a good place to look and so is ENCO...just my $0.02 worth.
 
Eric What Brand of Bits are you buying for your blanks?

I use FULLER High Speed steel Bradpoints and nothing else. THEY LAST and
are nuts on for size. They take a high quality bit and machine in the brad point
so they are very hard and SHARP and hold a edge for a long time.


They sell lots of bits for all kinds of stuff, might have what you need.

http://www.wlfuller.com/
 
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Thamks for the suggestions fellas. It's all good stuff.

L. Bush, thanks for the tip. I'm getting a real smooth finish from the reamer so I think I'm okay. I can envision it grabbing though. In the future I'll drill, rechuck and ream without moving the stock. Less chance of problems if you don't remove and then later remount the stock. I did it this way to begin with since I didn't know I was coming in undersized.

Dave, the bits I'm using are very high quality. I don't know of a better outfit than http://www.morriswoodtool.com/ although fuller has a great reputation and I do have some of their tooling. Have you ever used a precision ground rod to check your bore? I'd be curious if they are balls on or a bit smaller which seems to be common from what I've read. Not sure if it is the bit or the wood shrinking.

Eric
 
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Not sure if it is the bit or the wood shrinking.
Click to expand...


Eric,

If I were a betting man, I'd bet the bit is on size and ground correctly. I don't have a bunch of experience dealing with drilling wood but when drilling other materials, hole size can vary greatly. Using the same bit, aluminum will give you one size, 1018 steel results in a another slightly different size, brass= yet another diameter.

The rpm of the drill will also affect hole diameter, especially when drilling plastics. You may well find that a different species of wood will give you a slightly different hole size. Another thing one needs to realize is that a drilled hole is usually "out of round". This out of roundness will follow a spiral path down thru the center line of the hole. Thus you can check the hole diameter at any one point and it may be to size, yet a rod of size will not pass thru because of the spiraling of the true center line. The very best tool to cut a true diameter (short of using a boring bar) is a spiral fluted reamer. Second best would be a straight fluted reamer. Third best would be a 4 or 6 fluted core drill.

Your method of drilling first, [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]immediately[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] followed up with the reamer, will give you good consistant results.
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Nope have never used a rod with them but my digital caliper I use to measure the insert size
is normaly about right on. But im not rocket scientist nor bottle rocket lol.

When Im making all wooden calls I have changed to putting a shoulder stop on the insert
and an O-ring on the wood to make a good fit. The oring doesnt ride up much at all and
I fit each insert to its mate one at a time so I guess I may of never noticed. Ill check out
that link on drills. Im about due for a new one or 2 its been 2 years.

Getting the insert down to the 5/8 with a slight taper to tighetn it up can be a bit
challenging by hand for sure. And wood does change a slight bit. I have my fav
goose call conventional style that I need to chuck up in my mandrel and put a
oring groove in it. The myrtle wood over time has compressed a bit and I cant get
a good fit in the bbl anymore. I do have a fuller 1/64 under but i may just make a new
body for it. But thats backwards call making to me... bbl before insert is my
method.

Cant wait to get ahold of one of you calls for sure!
 
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