I use a Snap On bore hone (not the 'ball' type) when I have to do a quick clean up though generally I take my cylinders to an engine shop that has a 'trade' quality bore honing machine....I ream small end eyes at home but again the engine shop has hones to deliver a better job...Ian
To be honest John, there is no substitute for the correct equipment.
Ball hone finishes are really just cosmetic.
It’s a shame we are not closer as a lot of the jobs you mentioned could be whilst you waited.
Ball hones work fine if the item you are honing is perfectly round and has no taper. Such as cleaning up a cylinder to fit new rings or needing to remove a tiny bit from a valve guide.
But if you are trying to hone something that has a taper such as a worn cylinder, they can make things worse. Small end bushings are often times not round as the hole in the rod is not round either. Also never use a ball hone on the big end bearing!
I have a Sunnen honing machine and it will certainly do a better job as it can make something that is not round and make it perfect. But by the time you have the Sunnen set up with the correct size mandrel and proper stones and then needing to true up the stones, you are already done with the ball hone.
A honing machine is the best choice but not always necessary. So measure the ID of the part in multiple places and see how bad it is. If round and straight a ball hone is OK. If not round or straight, you need to take it to some one like Mark who I assume has a honing machine.
Hi mark
In the ideal world I would have all specialists like you at my fingertips - but this isn’t the case here in Ireland - facilities here are not so interested in undertaking such work & if they do / you need an egg timer to measure time
Coupled with sending items over to U.K. to get work done - is also risky in shipping terms / costly in some cases & charges then again from customs on re-entry for work done makes the process very arduous
So in order to make myself a little more independent- small workshop tools such as these makes things a lot easier & helps me along in engine builds I have lined up
So - am still looking for a supplier in the U.K. preferably - if not I’ll bite the bullet & go to the USA for a supplier
Br
Jo’b
