Difference between reamers

Jaqkar

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Hi Guys

What would be the different use cases for these two reamers?

SOM7410800.jpgSOM7110800.jpg
 
Hole depth? The flutes mostly burnish the sides of the hole and keep the thing going straight.

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Spiral reamers are intended more for blind holes or interrupted cuts ( general theory anyways ) . The extended flute length on the bottom reamer will evacuate the chips better than the shorter flutes .
 
If you are purchasing the reamers for the first time, if the price is close, get the longer reamer if you can. Straight flute reamers are pretty cheap and will do most of the applications except for interrupted cuts (keyways usually). Spiral is than needed. Most of my holes are 1/4"-3/4" deep. But now I am making bearings for steam engines and the flutes are long enough for that without further purchase. If you are going to do high volume in a particular size, get the shortest/cheapest one you can. Reamers can be resharpened but it is not worth the trouble and it alters the size.
Charles
 
... Straight flute reamers are pretty cheap and will do most of the applications except for interrupted cuts (keyways usually). Spiral is than needed.
I know that the above advice is commonly repeated...

If your straight flute reamer has, say, 8 flutes then for any normal size keyway, there will still be 7 flutes engaged at any point as the reamer makes a revolution. Are bad things _really_ going to happen? Someone must have actually tried this--did the hole end up oblong or the reamer explode?

Craig
 
Regarding chip evacuation, from what little I know about reamers (key word: little), I believe the reamers pictured by the OP are left hand spiral and best used for through holes as they will push the chips toward the bottom of the hole rather than lifting them out of the hole.

Tom
 
If you are purchasing the reamers for the first time, if the price is close, get the longer reamer if you can. Straight flute reamers are pretty cheap and will do most of the applications except for interrupted cuts (keyways usually). Spiral is than needed. Most of my holes are 1/4"-3/4" deep. But now I am making bearings for steam engines and the flutes are long enough for that without further purchase. If you are going to do high volume in a particular size, get the shortest/cheapest one you can. Reamers can be resharpened but it is not worth the trouble and it alters the size.
Charles
Those are machine reamers, and do not cut on the flutes, they cut (only) on the chamfer at the end, they are ground cylindrical on the OD and only relieved on the flutes to within perhaps 1/32 of the edge of the flutes, thus, a machine reamer can be sharpened many times and shortened accordingly, depending if it needs to bottom in a hole.
 
Would these work OK if I wanted to cut a precise hole in something like aluminum or should I rather look at something else?


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depends how precise, precise is --- count on a true running machine reamer in good order (sharp without damage or burrs) to cut a diameter right on size, to a thou or two oversize.
 
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