I have made several reamers for small dia. UL's, and they just don't hold up well. Talking about reaming bores from 0.220" up to 0.280".

Own several of the smallest Batson reamers and they hold up the best, but the taper is too quick to match up with most UL blanks and you end up with a way oversize butt I.D.

Any tips??????????????

Thanks - Marc

Keep it simple - that's all I can handle!

Mark try small rat tail files.

Tom

I save rod pieces, coat them with a slow drying epoxy, and apply abrasive. You can get whatever taper you want by choose the right piece of blank/ rod.

Use one of many different sized rattail or circular files. Cut off the handle, and chuck them in a variable speed drill set in reverse.

Reaming with the files are effortless and rod building chores will not dull the files.

REW

I made a reamer a few months back as I needed something with a slower taper also, to suit a blank with a butt of 0.280.
The Batson dream reamers are great but they are quite a fast taper and more suited to their bass blanks etc.

I was able to use the bottom half of an old, broken 2pc light spinning rod. The handle was still in place and this is perfect to hold onto while reaming.
The diameter and taper were just perfect.

I used a 60 grit relacement belt for a belt sander. I cut a strip from this about 8mm wide. I wrapped it along the rod to get an idea of the angle and spacing required. I then glued it on to the rod using contact glue (remember to apply to both the rod and the strip and wait a few minutes for it to go tacky).
I found it easier to have someone help me - they held the rod section and slowly turned it while I pressed the strip of sand paper into place.

If the sand paper strip comes loose at the end, you can wrap some thin copper wire over it and/or a layer of expoxy paste (rodbond etc)
It has worked really well so far and I will probably make other similar ones in the future, out of old broken pieces of blank.

Cheers
Dale

Hobart, Tasmania
AUSTRALIA

What about a solid glass ice rod blank. I use one to to ice rods with every cloth ripped.and glued on. Go slow as the tip is somewhat fragile.