large reamers - what do I have

[midnight]

I obtained a lot of 45 large reamers at an auction. They range from 5/8 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. They all have 6 replaceable cutters held in place by a set screw for each cutter and two spanner nuts. I cleaned them all up and dipped them. Most have Morse taper 2 shanks. My question is, what are these types of reamers called. I can't seem to find anything like them in any machine shop supply catalog. I guess I'm all set if I ever have to ream some really large holes. I only paid $14.50 for the whole lot and bought it out of curiosity. Since a lot of machinists hang out on the swaging threads I thought I would ask here. I'll try to post a few pics:

Bob

[sprinkintime]

Bob, they look more like C'bores to me, but the price is great, you can not lose.
Sprink

[JMtoolman]

They are not reamers, they are milling cutters. They are used for face and surface cutting. would not mind a couple of them myself for my mill. The toolman.

[BLASTER62]

I'd be in for a couple.

[midnight]

The one pictured is 6 in long and there are only 4 of that length. The rest are between 10 and 12 inches long. I assumed they were reamers because most have the diameter of the cutters to 4 decimal places engraved on the shank. I soaked them all for a few days in some parts cleaner. A brass brush & Q-tips cleaned the cutters and a going over with 400 grit strips polished the shanks brite. With a dip-seal dip they should stay like new. I'm pretty new to my Grizzly 1006 mill but I'm learning fast. I have used a fly cutter to shape some parts but now I'll try one of these cutters. I hadn't thought about selling any but I'll have to think about it. Right now the biggest challenge for me is center finding since I want to make some squirt dies and core seat dies and the punches to go with them. I've got a Blake Co-Axial but havn't learned to use it yet.

Bob

[bangerjim]

They are adjustable shell end mills. The #2 taper is odd. Most mills use R8 taper. All my mills, even the little bench top HF mill uses R8 which is a standard tooling for milling machines.

I have carbide end mills similar to those but in R8.

Great for facing.....NOT reaming!

bangerjim

[midnight]

My mill uses R8 collets on the spindle but I have three R8 collets with MT1,MT2,and MT3taper bores so I can use them. One of the cutters has a MT4 taper and another has a 5in long 1 1/2in dia sleeve on the spindle with a keyhole through it near the top. Don't know what kind of spindle would drive that.

Bob

[marvelshooter]

As others have said they are shell mills. The Morse taper shanks limit where they can be used.

[Reload3006]

shell end-mills intended to be used on Jig Bore machines for light facing. you can also do minor counter boring with them.

[trevj]

Adjustable machine reamers. Worth a bunch if you need the, and...about $14.50, if you don't, eh?

Lesse. Looks like carbide on the cutting edges, a 45 degree bevel on the corner, and like as not, a cylindrical grind on the OD of the cutting teeth.

We had similar in the shop I used to work in.

Want to know if it's a reamer or not? Look at the edge of the cutter on the OD. If it was meant to cut moving sideways through the material, it may well be a mill, but my money is on reamer, expandable so the cutter shop can regrind them multiple times.

It was made pretty clear to us that the adjustment feature was not meant to be used to adjust the size of the hole. That was the cutter grinding shop's job!
Second the 'used on a Jig Bore' theory though.
The side load you would get trying to mill with those diameters, on an MT 2 shank, would get miserable quick!

Cheers
Trev

[midnight]

I think I agree with Trev. The cutters can slide up or down. The set screws keep the cutters from moving down and the two spanner nuts keep them from moving up. The slots the cutters ride in have a slight taper top to bottom to allow for adjustment after regrinding. All the force in reaming will be up and the spanner nuts keep the cutters from moving up positively. Also the Morse taper shanks are evidence they are meant to be used up and down rather than a side load. Engraved diameters to four decimal places also indicate they are meant for reaming very accurate large holes. My brother could have used one of these to ream the front end of his Ferguson T30 tractor for new bushings. He had to rent one. Thanks for all the input. I guess they are worth $14.50 but they make fine paper weights.

Bob

[midnight]

I think I agree with Trev. The cutters can slide up or down. The set screws keep the cutters from moving down and the two spanner nuts keep them from moving up. The slots the cutters ride in have a slight taper top to bottom to allow for adjustment after regrinding. All the force in reaming will be up and the spanner nuts keep the cutters from moving up positively. Also the Morse taper shanks are evidence they are meant to be used up and down rather than a side load. Engraved diameters to four decimal places also indicate they are meant for reaming very accurate large holes. My brother could have used one of these to ream the front end of his Ferguson T30 tractor for new bushings. He had to rent one. Thanks for all the input. I guess they are worth $14.50 but they make fine paper weights.

Bob

a duplicate post and I don't know how I did it.