Dull Reamer

[Cody Sisk]

Anyone know if tapered endpin reamers can be sharpened? I hate to just buy a new one when mine gets dull. I wouldn't say it's toast yet, I just have to work a little harder..

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by DallasStrings

I hate to just buy a new one when mine gets dull.

Especially considering the price of those things...

[relacey]

I would think you could run a small whetstone along the edge and touch it up.

[JtheJazzMan]

Contact the manufacturer, these kinds of tools usually have to be precisely machine sharpened to keep them symmetrical and keep the taper accurate.

[vejesse]

If you're serious about renewing the edges you could send it to a specialty sharpening outfit, the kind of place that sharpens endmills. Maybe a local machine shop has a tool and cutter grinder. Isn't the taper supposed to be 1/17? If the edge isn't too far gone it's not really necessary to re grind it - you can touch it up with whetstones and slips. If you're worried about ruining the taper then cover the lands with layout dye. Then you can try to hone all areas evenly.

[james condino]

Cody:

You can resharpen your reamers an almost endless amount of times. A simple slip or stone will do a nice job of freshening up the edge- keep it on the inside face , not the outside profile. If you wind up using it to fix a broken refrigerater or some other unanticipated trainwreck, check the local yellow pages for machine shops that specialize in blade sharpening. They are the type of shop that you take your worn out table saw baldes and router bits, endmills, et cetera to have a new edge put on. They have the jigs and infrastructure to isolate and immobilize it and the focus on sharpening.

Over the long haul, if you had a nice machinist lathe in the shop, you could touch it up in a couple of minutes and better yet, just make a new one when needed, make new tuning machine gears, as well as a thousand other uses! Did you guys spend a million bucks on a new building last year and yet you are still using that ratty old $40 Taiwanese reamer??????

j.

[Cody Sisk]

Originally Posted by james condino

Over the long haul, if you had a nice machinist lathe in the shop, you could touch it up in a couple of minutes and better yet, just make a new one when needed, make new tuning machine gears, as well as a thousand other uses!

I know absolutely zero about machining. Though this prospect fascinates me!

Originally Posted by james condino

Did you guys spend a million bucks on a new building last year and yet you are still using that ratty old $40 Taiwanese reamer??????

We be broke ... for now

[robobass]

Originally Posted by relacey

I would think you could run a small whetstone along the edge and touch it up.

I'd try this. Sharpening shops have special jigs for table saw blades, endmills, etc., but I doubt many would have much experience with big tapered reamers. You don't really need machine tool precision for an endpin reamer anyway, you just need it to be sharp!

[james condino]

Originally Posted by robobass

.....You don't really need machine tool precision for an endpin reamer anyway......

Rob-
Isn't this blasphemy coming from a fellow who owns a shop full or bridgeports and such- maybee even a cnc machine for those fancy parts of yours????????? We've gotta get Cody up to tool nerd speed!

j.

[vejesse]

Originally Posted by robobass

I'd try this. Sharpening shops have special jigs for table saw blades, endmills, etc., but I doubt many would have much experience with big tapered reamers. You don't really need machine tool precision for an endpin reamer anyway, you just need it to be sharp!

Sharpening a tapered reamer should be child's play for an experienced tool and cutter grinder operator. Just dial in your taper first, then set your clearance/finger height as usual for a reamer.

[robobass]

James,
I did have a machine shop which included a CNC Bridgeport, but I gave all of that up when I moved overseas. Now I job out the machine work, and do the hand finishing on my balcony. I am now in the position of most players, who want to accomplish a task with the simplest tools. I do dearly miss my lathe and mill, but have found that much can be done without them.

Vince,
Mea Culpa. I know absolutely nothing about sharpening beyond dropping off my cutters and picking them up a few days later. I will try to refrain from talking out of my F-holes in the future.

[james condino]

Originally Posted by robobass

I will try to refrain from talking out of my F-holes in the future.

'best thing I've heard anyone say here all year.....

j.