Piloted reamer value?

[Tony Griffiths]

There is a drawing in one of the very earlyA7CA magazines of just such a reamer.
I have a vague recollection that Tony Griffiths was involved in it,and the production that followed
I would think that there is now enough interest again after the 52 year delay,for some entrepreneurs to consider another run.

Yes, see above. I had them made by a London company in the mid to late 1960s. From ordering to delivery it took only 5 days if I remember correctly. I cannot recall the name of the firm but, as it was populated by older guys in oil-soaked overalls working in a ramshackle building (but turning out very high-class work) it must by now be very long gone.

[Tony Betts]

Here is a picture of the 3 cutting edge reamers.

The top one I think is one of the 70 I made a few years ago. They were made as a NON PROFIT item. And sold for i think £70 each.so everyone who took them up, enjoy the bargain.

The other 4 in the box, came from having a keen eye when the mountain of spares from kirby wiske were being sold off at richard Edmonds auctions. They came in a job lot of 4 boxes of good and scrap. I spotted them viewing before the auction started. And they cost pennies. But there you go, most people didnt want to get dirty scratching through all the mixed boxes.

The last ones I sore being sold at seven workshop. I THINK were £150.00 each. I've not checked to see if they are in stock again yet. They probably aren't because of the huge price rises on manufacturing at the moment. And I'll GUESS the price would need to double if they were made today.

This doesnt meen the one you want to sell is worth these large sums, as nobody has seen it? What proof is there that it an original from austin, and what proof it there that it's only been used once?

I know ian used to do alot of axles, which in turn helps the 7 world. And if the reamer is still sharp (as a blunt one in worthless) it would benefit him.so it's up to you on how generous you want to be to helping future axles get restored. 

   

[Graham Honnor]

Many thanks to everyone for their very useful input.
I can safely say that the reamer that I'm sending Ian and Ruairidh is as your photo 
and I shall allow the pair of them to make their own judgement of it's origin and suitability.
I vaguely remember paying the chap £50 back then and thinking that was expensive but 
from what I've just read then maybe it wasn't.
So, if Mr Dunford is happy with the tool then I'd be happy to get my money back.
But if they're not then I'm sure they'll let me know the true worth to them.
Many thanks again
Graham.

[Tony Betts]

hi graham.

if the reamer is in good condition. i think £50 is sensible.

well done for buying it in the first place, as its been saved to be handed on for future use.

tony

[Chris Garner]

This is my reamer, as yet unused!    

[Ruairidh Dunford]

The oversize reamers are a first for me Tony, possibly unique, what a find.

If not unique, I wonder how many met their end when used to ream the axle eye to match!!

[Bob Culver]

Presumably the double end goes first??
I trust those with Girling realise a standard or even adjustable reamer is satisfactory.
 As above the impecunious can tinker with D bits or toolmakers reamer made from an old kingpin or silver steel hardened etc

[Ian Dunford]

One can never have too many useful tools.
As Ruairidh mentioned, do not use your king pin bush reamer on anything but king pin bushes

[Tony Press]

The oversize reamers are a first for me Tony, possibly unique, what a find.

If not unique, I wonder how many met their end when used to ream the axle eye to match!!

Tony reported on the more recent reamer production on the Forum at the time which is how I came to order one. If  I remember he had some problems with production.

The early A7CA magazine article was mentioned at the same time.

[Tony Betts]

Hi R.

The only annoyance was the +5 was missing from the box

The way they are made to be used is, the bushes when made should be 10 thou under 1/2 inch.

The short cut end of the reamer is also 10 thou under size. So it will go through the top bush and into the bottom bush and work as a parallel guide as the middle cutter cuts the top bush to 1/2 inch.

Then turn it upside down, the middle cutter will work as a guide in the top bush. As the end cutter will cut the bottom bush.

The importance of all this, is you are guiding the reamer to the centre of the hole in the bush. Everything is parallel.

If you use a standard or taper reamer, you cant judge the two holes are cutting perfectly in line.

With guesswork, you have to do something dodge at the end of the job to stop the kingpins from being tight.

That's why companies make the right tool for the job

Tony.