Unusual reamer

[ManofkentParticipant @manofkent]

Hello.

I am clearing out my workshop now, and have uncovered an unusual reamer. Photo attached. Can anyone help identify it please?

It is T&J make (Taylor & Jones), adjustable, but is seems to have two sizes, one at each end, and a common adjustment – so getting one side right probably meant the other side is wrong!

It is numbered ELR 4 – was it usual to have two different sizes like this, and did they have any special uses?

Thanks in advance.

John

[ManofkentParticipant @manofkent]

Double ended adjustable reamer?

[Matt HarringtonParticipant @mattharrington87221]

From distant memory, dual reamers were sometimes used on car suspension setups. For example, an Austin Healey had a front wishbone that used a double reamer BUT I have never seen an adjustable one – maybe a cheaper alternative to muliple reamers used on MOWAG etc

Matt

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

Do they both cut, or is one end a pilot for the other?

Just a thought.

It does seem complex to have a double diameter king-pin or similar, but it perhaps gets round someone's patent?

Cheers, Tim

[DodParticipant @dod]

Maybe its so that a go / no go plug gauge fits with both ends ? ?

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

I think I have still got the one piece stepped 5/8" to 11/16" king pin reamer for Austin A35/A40/Healy Sprite ETC. But I have never seen an adjustable version. I would not think it is for an automotive job.

[ManofkentParticipant @manofkent]

Thanks for all your replies. The mystery deepens!

Tim – yes it cuts both ends.

Dod – I wondered if it were a go no go gauge, but the reamer diameters are very different – the smaller is 0.625"' the larger is 0.8".

Matt – is MOWAG a military thing?

I have noticed that either end can be made to adjust independently.

My best guess is that it is a tool for something specific. I think it came from a Rolls Royce workshop in Bristol and I think they make or research jets there.

[John FieldingParticipant @johnfielding34086]

I think the MOWAG should be MOWOG, Morris +Wolsely Group, aka pre BMC days before Leyland got involved.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I've seen old motocycle gearboxes that use stepped reamers to line ream bronze bushings of different diameters mounted at opposite sides of the gearbox. They are usually fixed size reamers though, for ease of operation by hamfisted motor mechanics.

All you need to do now is find what RR equipment has two holes of the matching diameters set at the matching distance apart that would need line-reaming on assembly or overhaul. Could be anything really.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Congrats!

If they ever need a new engine for a TSR2 you can offer to bore the thrunkling valves.

Neil

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

My guess is a line reamer with the center section guided, I'd put a pint on king pin bushes.

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

What happens when the center section needs reamed??????

[frank brownParticipant @frankbrown22225]

Suppose you have a large flat casting with two pedestal on it one near each end. The hole going through both pedestals. Each one would be drilled and bushed from the out side and some thing would be needed to then line and size each hole up. In line boring would be tricky due to the length of the boring bar and the resultant whip in it and setup time. So you have a set of these reamers, set to various sizes, such as :- dead on, dead on -.005 , dead one -.010. So you inline ream with the smallest, then next size up. . . Eventually the holes will be aligned and to size. Could it be for a RR motorcycle camshaft?

[ There must be an easier way to do it, but not as cheaply ]

Frank

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, Just out of interest, I have a Quinton Hazell King Pin of the type that Chris has mentioned. It is one of a pair that my elder late brother had to get for his A35 back in 1969/70. As I remember my late brother tried to borrow a reamer to ream the bushes, but could not find one to borrow anywhere, as it happens he didn't need to replace the bushes, because they where not badly worn and the new pin fitted into them very satisfactory. He only had to replace the King Pin and the Fulcrum Pin because the Fulcrum Pin and the hole which it fitted in the King Pin failed the MOT.

I've no actual use for this King Pin, Fulcrum Pin and all the buses and the thrust washer and a cotter pin, I've just hung on to them for over forty years as it reminds me of how he had to often patch up his old little grey A35 all those years ago, we even went to one of our cousins wedding some good distance from home in it and had to knock on someone's door for some water as one of the radiator hoses developed a leak, we managed to get to the wedding and back home again OK though.

Regards Nick.

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

I recently went to Bendigo a gold boom town 150k from Melbourne, the sight of a second hand store was too enticing to pass by.

Nothing much until I spotted the 25mm reamer below, I have not seen one of this type before. there are flutes missing leaving a ground segment. The square shank suggests that it is intended for hand use as does the long taper section. maybe it was designed to enlarge the hole as it reams considerably.

There are no makers or any other marks, The shank is soft steel fusion welded to the fluted section that I assume is high speed steel. Not unusual for a professionally made reamer, that method is used all the time for larger drills and reamers all the time.

Does anyone have an idea what its intended use was?

Regards
John

 

Edited By John McNamara on 14/02/2018 11:49:14

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Never come across one like that before. Do you suppose it's some kind of anti-chatter system, or the reamer fell out of the machine halfway through being manufactured and went home in someone's pocket?

I think I'd have to drill a 24mm hole and give it a try to see if it actually would cut metal like that. If not, then perhaps the second scenario is the one?

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

John,

I wonder if it was a reamer that could be 'adjusted' by putting bits of paper against the un-machined side. Would open the hole out a little if needed.

Regards,

Richard.

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

It's a kingpin reamer. I have a full set of them. MOWOG is the trademark name for Morris Wolseley Group

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

A60 King pins were a regular Mot failure on my dads car, the testers seemed to tolerate very little movement and as the garages were the only people with the line reamers they had you by the short and curlies. I bet a plain pin rather than a stepped pin would have lost a lot of business for garages.

Mike

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

To avoid all this pratting about with kingpin reamers too often, somewhere I read words to the effect, "grease your front suspension at every opportunity, weekly may not be frequently enough". Certainly my MGB used to get greased very often after I had rebuilt the suspension.

cheers

Bill

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

I don't think it was a good idea to post the unusual reamer here, next time I will post separately. I would be surprised if the new type reamer I posted was designed as a king pin reamer, it is not stepped or adjustable.

Richard I am not sure if paper would stay in position.

I do have a set of adjustable Micro Set reamers, they have to be used with some care taking light cuts, and can chatter quite easily. The flat segment on the new type reamer may have been designed to reduce chatter?

Regards
John

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

An old toolmaker trick with a fixed reamer to make it cut over size is to put a piece of shim on one side.

[clogsParticipant @clogs]

just out of interest,

on the Ford Trany we used a fixed broach for the K/pins…..just used the Hyd press..always did a nice job…….

when I left the UK for the second time tried to sell all my King pin reamers BL / Leyland and Ford etc, not takers just threw them away….wish I had em now…..shame………!!!!!!!!!!

clogs

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

John McN, I have a bunch of reamers like yours. They were probably ex-Ratier factory at Figeac SW France. I was told that they were "Anti Chatter" especially good on thin material. .
BobH

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Thanks Bob

That is interesting, I will try it out over the weekend. It looks like the Ratier factory served the aircraft industry.
You have to wonder how it ended up in country Australia?

Regards
J

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