20 replies to this topic

[mini.rich]

Hey there, just wondering if there is anyone who could lend me the tool? Obviously some beer tokens would be exchanged here or a garage vaguely close to Grantham Lincs that could do it?? I've got everything as I was going to borrow a friends, but he doesn't have it anymore...

I would get exchange arms but I can't really afford that and my arms are painted all pretty like, I don't want to have to use more paint

Thanks

[Cooperman]

The correct size is 13/16" and it needs to be a long reamer with a guide boss on the other end from the flutes to keep it parallel as it goes in. By the way, there are some 'cheapie' repair kits around where the pin is slightly oversize and you have to linish the pin to get it to slide smoothly in. I had one recently when I reamed the rad arms for 'MiniLandy'. Damn nuisance these sub-standard parts.

Edited by Cooperman, 19 February 2012 - 01:34 PM.

[mini.rich]

The correct size is 13/16" and it needs to be a long reamer with a guide boss on the other end from the flutes to keep it parallel as it goes in. By the way, there are some 'cheapie' repair kits around where the pin is slightly oversize and you have to linish the pin to get it to slide smoothly in. I had one recently when I reamed the rad arms for 'MiniLandy'. Damn nuisance these sub-standard parts.

I've done arms before on a miller with a short reamer, it was a pain getting it clocked up and parallel but it worked, I don't have access to a miller anymore though so need to do them another way the pin kits are from Minispares but I haven't checked the size yet.

Do you have the kit to do them?

Thanks

[Cooperman]

If you have the Mini Spares kit you should be fine. The ones i had the problem with came from an autojumble (say no more!).

[Ethel]

I've got a d-i-y reamer...
I made it a support bush to replace the needle roller, but it's untested as yet.

[grahama]

Can you post some pics of the diy tool please ??

Graham

[dklawson]

The link below is to my homemade radius arm reamer.
http://home.mindspri...ArmReamer01.jpg

It is nothing more than a reamer with a boss pressed onto the shank and turned to fit the needle bearings. Then the shank is turned down to fit the chuck of an electric drill. It was inexpensive to make and accurate.

[Tamworthbay]

I know we are a bit of a distance, but you are more than welcome to come over and use our miller anytime you want (and see what little we have managed to do on your old shell at the same time! - roll on spring).

[colinu]

I made one up last month for less than $25 (15 quid) and it worked a treat. I'll try to post pictures and description of parts/fabrication tomorrow.

[colinu]

OK, here's my DIY reamer.
Got a 13/16" shell reamer (1/2" arbor, straight flute) on eBay.com for $12... http://www.ebay.com/...9#ht_1339wt_922
Went to my local hardware store (Home Depot... B&Q in the UK) and bought a 3' length of 1/2" diameter steel tube for $7 (tube not bar!). You'll find that tube is straight/true... bar is likely to have a bend in it.
Cut the tube to 12" long.
Having a 1/2" arbor size (inside diameter) I expected the reamer to slip straight onto the tube... not so. Turns out the arbor size tapers slightly at the cutting end, so I had to reduce the diameter of the tube. I could/should have taken it to the machine shop at my work but was lazy... instead I put the tube in the jaws of a hand drill, rested the tube in the partly open jaws of a vice (so it would spin without moving sideways), then while the tube was spinning use an angle grinder then files to reduce the size.
Then slip the reamer on the tube with the cutting end first (this tool will be pulled through the radius arm bush - not pushed through it like a drill).
The reamer has a slot in the rear end of it... I drilled a hole in the tube and knocked pin in to keep the reamer secure.
Then you need to centralize the reamer on the tube (i.e. make sure there is no run-out). Again this was a case of tube in drill resting on the vice jaws... and using a dial gauge to check how true the reamer was mounted. With a few gentle knocks I managed to get it to within 2thou of being true.
The apply some epoxy to hold it together.
Then I wrapped the other end with duct tape... just enough so it would fit snugly into the roller bearing end of the radius arm... i.e. keeps the reamer parallel with the axis of the radius arm shaft.
To use the tool you push the shaft into the radius arm "backwards", then ream the bush by pulling the tool into the arm with the drill.
Some pics...

Edited by colinu, 20 February 2012 - 06:50 PM.

[mini.rich]

Thanks guys some interesting idea's there

I've got a d-i-y reamer...
I made it a support bush to replace the needle roller, but it's untested as yet.

Hey Ethel, any chance you want it testing? I don't mind being a guinea pig

I know we are a bit of a distance, but you are more than welcome to come over and use our miller anytime you want (and see what little we have managed to do on your old shell at the same time! - roll on spring).

Ha, thanks Clive, if you were a bit closer I would take you up on that offer!?

[mini.rich]

Hey, I'm still in need of a reamer, if anyone is willing to lend me one?
Thanks

[dklawson]

Were I closer you could certainly use mine. I've let two other Mini owners use my reamer. It's the kind of tool you use so infrequently (if you don't do this for a living) that it's nice to see someone get some use out of it.

[Ethel]

We could probably sort something out.

Mine isn't dissimilar to the others above, but you'd use it ream from the inside arm towards the outside. I bought it from Tracy Tools it's just long enough to fit through the arm but it won't fit through the roller bearing, so you'd have to ream the bush first using the collar I made up in place of the rollers. The bit I haven't yet done is fit the collar into an arm, so I can't guarantee it'd go in.

I like Colin's idea of using an arbor fitting cutter.

[icklemini]

blasted, painted, rebuilt,'straight' and ready to go arms are available from minisapres for £45 :s