Tech Tip #105 - Reamer Wear and Breakage

The following conditions may adversely affect reamer life or, in some cases, damage the reamer through wear or breakage:

• Misalignment of the reamer that creates a bell-mouth condition and premature wear.
• Lack of chip space in the flutes.
• Inconsistent material condition.
• Dirt or burs in the holding collets or spindle.
• Over- or under-feeding or speeding.
• Lack of proper lubrication.
• Bottoming out in blind holes.
• Leaving too little or too much stock to remove.
• Poor hole quality.
• Improper regrinding.
• Careless handling of the reamer.
• Reamer chatter.
• Lack of rigidity of the set-up.
• Wrong reamer design for the applications.

If you experience reamer wear or damage, make sure you have addressed each of these potential causes to eliminate the problem.