Best tool for the job

Includes workshop practice, painting and weathering, model photography etc.
User avatar
John Donnelly
Web Team
Posts: 1092
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:03 pm

Best tool for the job

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Apr 07, 2019 4:55 pm

Apologies for what is no doubt a simple question but I have to increase the hole in the bearing below from 2mm to 3mm. Is the best tool a 3mm drill or a reamer to take the hole out to 3mm?

Image

Philip Hall
Posts: 1947
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:03 pm

I would use a drill slightly smaller than 3mm (in a vertical drill if you have one) and then finish off with a reamer.

Philip

User avatar
John Donnelly
Web Team
Posts: 1092
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:03 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:08 pm

Thanks Philip, don't have one but I can get access to a vertical drill.

John

Philip Hall
Posts: 1947
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:25 pm

John,

Doesn’t have to be a vertical drill, it’s just a bit easier to hold the bearing flat on a drilling pad (posh name for a bit of wood). The drill should follow the hole. Don’t run the reamer all the way through at first, because the fit on your chosen axle might not warrant it. Then again, you might have to run it through all the way several times to get a running clearance rather than a sliding fit.

Philip

User avatar
John Donnelly
Web Team
Posts: 1092
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:03 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:35 pm

Thanks again Philip. Now that I’m progressing from RTR conversions to etched kits, I suspect that there is a lot to learn.

John

Philip Hall
Posts: 1947
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Apr 07, 2019 11:16 pm

From what I’ve seen so far, John, you have no need to worry...

Philip

User avatar
Tim V
Posts: 2867
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:40 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby Tim V » Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:29 pm

I can't see a 'safe' way of holding that small an item to drill it.

I would use broaches from each side to enlarge the hole, trying for fit along the way.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

Alan Turner
Posts: 643
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:24 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby Alan Turner » Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:31 pm

I would use a 5 sided cutting broach to take it from 2mm to reaming dia and then a 3mm reamer.

regards

Alan

Philip Hall
Posts: 1947
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby Philip Hall » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:59 pm

A toolmakers clamp would hold the bearing flat on the deck?

Philip

User avatar
David B
Posts: 1509
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby David B » Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:26 am

Philip Hall wrote:A toolmakers clamp would hold the bearing flat on the deck?


Tack soldering the small piece to a piece of scrap etch will give you something to hold on to or clamp.

User avatar
John Donnelly
Web Team
Posts: 1092
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:03 pm

Re: Best tool for the job

Postby John Donnelly » Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:40 pm

Thank you all for the suggestions.

John


Return to “Tools and Techniques”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 0 guests