what is the best way to ream out reel seats and grips and also what is the best way to make your own reamers

There's an article in the Library section above. Title "New Twist on an Old Tool". It shows how to construct a good reamer.

If you follow the article Ted refers to you can't go wrong. These take a little time but they last real well. Just refrain from turning them fast enough to build up excessive heat as it releases the glue bond.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I took some old blanks a little smaller than the blanks that I was building and bought some medium grit. I cut the old blank into 2 ft sections and thickly coated the blank within 6 inches of the end in 2 ton Devcon then took some grit in my hand and slowly poured it on the epoxied areas making sure it had a thick coating of grit. After it was all coated I gentle pushed the grit further into the epoxy. I found that pushing it in a little gave me less grit that came off into the cork on the first reaming. Then just set it aside to dry and made a handle for it. After it is dry, I ran it through my fist to get as many pieces of loose grit off and ream an old piece of cork to make sure all of the loose grit is gone.

I haven't had any problems with grit coming off in my cork and they work well for me. Took less than 1/2 hr. to make a couple of them.

Using the cloth backed abrasive strip technique allows you to create a spiral that clears material from the grip as you ream. Full grit reamers clog easier, and leave a lot of grit in the grp piece in comparison. Also, the bonding of the abrasive to the cloth is far better: you'll find that overheating it while power reaming separates the strip from the scrap blank (or even damages the blank) before significant amounts of grit come loose. Grit coated is entirely dependent on how well the epoxy can hold the abrasive, and whether it can withstand the heat.

I bought the Gator Hide Reamer from Swampland Rods at the Show. This is the best one I have ever used for final fit reaming. I use a tapered metal hand reamer turned down to fit my 3/8 drill for initial reaming. These metal reamers have a degree of taper very close to the taper of most blanks. I have about 5 different sizes of reamers that will cover any dia. blank I build on.They don't work on EVA but they work great on cork.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Reamers are a tool that can fit any budget. As mentioned above, the rod blank reamer, the chucked rat tail file reamer - drill in reverse and don't force, I cut a golf club shaft and applied sand paper like the rod blank reamer. Even with all of the free/low cost options I still bought a set of Batson's Dream Reamers $55 and love them.

Mike

I have a set of Baston Dream Reamers and like them very much.

Buy the 3m RV steps adhesive which is self sticking. Cut into strips and spiral wrap around an old rod section to look just like the one explained in the library. No epoxy needed. Just wrap it on and you're done. Do about 3 different sizes.

Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2008 09:06PM by Jim Williams.

How durable is the adhesive on that steps strip Jim? I know it would be strong enough to be walking on all the time, but how does it take the heat buildup from reaming?

Well, if you are talking about power reaming with a lathe, or drill or something....I don't know. I do not know the answer to your heat question. As far as using it by hand it worked quite well. I had no problem. I say had....because I don't have them....have purchased the tape and have plenty of junk rod pieces to use to make the reamers. I purchased the step tape because a friend made his that way.....and let me use them to ream out a cork grip. Worked fine. So......I am now going to make my own.


Jim

The best way to build your own reamers for reaming by hand, or with a drill, is to by the Batson Dream Reamers and then, when the sandpaper tape wears out, replace it. It's not the cheapest, just the best.

As for durability, the stuff lasts through some really rough use, including reaming stabilized or laminated wood inserts for skeleton seats. Yes, heat is bad. So, just work at a slower rate and watch for heat buildup. When it gets uncomfortable to hold, it's too hot. Let it cool and go back at it.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

I would vote for the Dream Reamers!!! One caution though. When Power reaming, go slow, back out often and run the drill in reverse. They work great!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

As Mike states above, the Dream Reamer's are awesome. If you buy the kit they come with replacement sandpaper rolls. I also reccomend that you run the drill in reverse as that allows you to ream against the spiral instead of with it, which keeps them from feeding in too fast. Go slow and back out often.

Bill in WV

I would also say go with the dream reamers. Just becasue I have read a lot about them. Just don't have the bucks right now...so $7 tape and some old rod sections will do the trick just fine. However, again....'tis for hand reaming. I don't do any power reaming. Either way the dream reamers are the best. What I posted was...well.....second best maybe. But definitely economical.