Buy Adjustable Hand Reamers Online in Australia
An adjustable hand reamer uses a set of replaceable blades that wind in and out on a tapered body, so one tool covers a range of finished bore diameters instead of just one. AIMS Industrial stocks adjustable hand reamers from Sutton Tools, Maxigear and Bordo, across metric and imperial sizing from 6.35mm (1/4") up to 85mm (3-11/32"), plus the replacement blades, adjusting nuts and pilot reamers that keep a reamer body in service well beyond its first set of blades.
This collection covers the adjustable type specifically. For fixed-diameter parallel hand reamers — a single size per body, no adjustment — see our broader Hand Reamers range, which also includes Sutton's DIN206 and ISO236 HSS reamer lines and Bordo's HSS Right Hand reamers in metric and imperial. If you're not sure which type suits the job, call our team on (02) 9773 0122 or send us the bore size and material through Request a Quote.
Quick Reference — Adjustable Hand Reamer Ranges at AIMS
| Range | Format | Size Coverage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sutton Tools R109 | Individual reamer, one body per size band | Metric, 6.35mm – 85.00mm across 22 stocked size bands | Precision metric reaming where you want a genuine tungsten chrome alloy body and full spare-parts backup |
| Sutton R109 Boxed Sets | 8 to 18-piece sets, with or without pilots | Sutton's own size-letter range (e.g. 8-piece M-A4 to M-E, up to 18-piece M-A8 to M-K) | Equipping a toolroom or apprentice kit with a full metric range in one purchase |
| Maxigear Adjustable Hand Reamer | Individual reamer, one body per size band | Imperial, 1/4″ – 3-11/32″ (approx. 6.35mm – 85mm) across 22 stocked size bands | Imperial workshops needing single-size cover at a lower entry price |
| Maxigear Boxed Sets (4-piece / 16-piece) | Fixed multi-size kit in one case | 4-piece: 11/32″-3/8″ to 1/4″-9/32″. 16-piece: 3/8″-13/32″ to 1-13/16″-2-7/32″ | Complete imperial range in one box, no gaps to fill later |
| Bordo Adjustable Hand Reamer | Individual reamer, one body per size band | Imperial, 1/4″ – 2-7/32″ | Imperial workshops running Bordo's existing cutting tool range |
| Spare parts — R110 blades, R112 nuts, R111 pilots | Replacement components for Sutton R109 / Bordo bodies | Sized to match the reamer body they suit | Extending the working life of a reamer body instead of replacing the whole tool |
How an Adjustable Hand Reamer Works
Inside the body sit a set of tapered blades running through matching tapered slots. Turning the adjusting nut at the end of the body draws the blades up or down the taper, expanding or retracting the cutting diameter within the reamer's stated range. Once you've set the blades to the target diameter — checked against a micrometer, a ring gauge, or the actual bore — the reamer is driven through the hole by hand using a tap wrench fitted to the square drive, the same way a fixed hand reamer is used. Because the cutting diameter is adjustable rather than fixed, one reamer body does the job of several fixed-size reamers, at the cost of slightly less repeatability than a dedicated fixed reamer run at exactly one diameter.
Each size band on the reamers we stock has an adjustment range of roughly 1.5mm (metric) or 1/16″ (imperial) — plenty for finishing a hole to an exact size within that band, but not enough to jump between bands. Confirm your target diameter falls inside the stated range of the size you're ordering before you buy; if it falls right on the boundary between two bands, order the size where your target sits comfortably mid-range rather than at the very edge of the blade's travel.
Sutton Tools R109 — Tungsten Chrome Alloy
Sutton's R109 series is manufactured from tungsten chrome alloy tool steel, a high-alloy grade chosen for the hardness, wear resistance and edge-holding needed in hand reaming — where the cut is slow and controlled rather than fast and continuous, and the blade needs to hold a sharp edge through repeated hand strokes rather than one high-speed pass. The R109 range is stocked in 22 individual size bands from 6.35mm through to 85.00mm, so you can buy the exact metric range you need rather than a fixed set. Sutton backs the range with matching spare parts: R110 replacement blade sets, R112 adjusting nuts, and R111 pilot reamers, all sized to suit the R109 body — so a reamer with a chipped blade or a worn adjusting nut gets a new set of parts rather than a full tool replacement.
Sutton R109 Boxed Sets
For toolrooms and apprenticeship kits, Sutton also boxes the R109 range as complete sets rather than individual bodies. The Reamer Only sets come in 8, 9 and 11-piece configurations (spanning M-A4 to M-E, M-A to M-I, and M-A4 to M-H respectively in Sutton's own size-letter designations), while the full sets with pilots run to 16 pieces (M-A to H) and 18 pieces reamer-only (M-A8 to M-K) for the widest coverage. A pilot reamer guides the adjustable reamer body straight through an existing bore, which matters most on longer or through-holes where keeping the reamer square to the hole is harder to judge by feel alone.
Maxigear — Imperial Adjustable Range
Maxigear's adjustable hand reamers cover the same style of tool in imperial fractional sizing, from 1/4″ up to 3-11/32″ across 22 individual size bands — a useful alternative where your drawings and gauges are in inches rather than millimetres, or where you're topping up an existing imperial toolroom kit. Maxigear also boxes a 4-piece set (11/32″-3/8″ to 1/4″-9/32″) for the smaller end of the range and a 16-piece set (3/8″-13/32″ to 1-13/16″-2-7/32″) that covers the bulk of common imperial bore sizes in one case.
Bordo — Adjustable Reamer and Pilot
Bordo's adjustable hand reamer covers imperial sizes from 1/4″ up to 2-7/32″, and is paired with a dedicated Bordo pilot reamer stocked across a matching range of imperial sizes. If you already run Bordo cutting tools in the workshop, sourcing the reamer and pilot from the same brand keeps fit and finish consistent across your kit.
Choosing the Right Reamer
Adjustable vs Fixed-Diameter Hand Reamers
An adjustable reamer trades a small amount of repeatability for flexibility: one body covers a 1.5mm (or 1/16″) span of finished diameters instead of one exact size, which suits maintenance, fitting, and one-off jobs where you don't know every bore size you'll need in advance. A fixed-diameter parallel reamer — see our Hand Reamers range — gives a more precise, repeatable diameter every time and is the better choice for production runs at one specific size, or anywhere a tight, certified tolerance matters more than covering a range. Many workshops keep both: fixed reamers for the sizes they cut often, adjustable reamers for everything in between.
Metric or Imperial
Sutton's R109 range is metric; Maxigear and Bordo stock imperial fractional sizing. Match the range to the drawings and gauges you're working from — mixing metric and imperial pilot reamers, blades or adjusting nuts across brands isn't something we'd recommend, since fit and thread specifications aren't interchangeable between the ranges.
Buying Spares Instead of a New Reamer
A reamer body with a chipped or dull blade doesn't need replacing outright. Sutton's R110 replacement blade sets and R112 adjusting nuts are sized to suit the R109 body, so a worn reamer gets a fresh cutting edge and adjustment mechanism at a fraction of the cost of a new tool. Check the size marked on your existing reamer body against the spare parts range before ordering to make sure the blade set matches.
Applications
Adjustable hand reamers are used in fitting, jig and tool making, mechanical maintenance and anywhere a precision bore needs to be finished or restored by hand rather than on a machine. Typical jobs include sizing shaft and bushing bores to a close running or press fit, opening pin holes to an exact diameter, and finishing bores where a machine reamer can't reach or where only one or two holes need attention and a full set of fixed reamers isn't justified. As with any reaming operation, always drill or bore the hole undersize first — a reamer is a finishing tool, not a stock-removal one — and use cutting oil with slow, steady rotation rather than forcing the cut.
Companion Ranges
Round out your reaming and hole-finishing kit with:
- Hand Reamers — fixed-diameter parallel HSS hand reamers, metric and imperial, for one-size precision work
- Chucking Reamers — machine-driven reamers for drill press, lathe and mill work
- Taper Pin Reamers — for taper pin holes rather than parallel bores
- Tap Wrenches — the handle every hand reamer needs to be driven by hand
- Tap & Die Sets — for cutting the thread once your bore is reamed to size
For the full picture on reamer types, sizing and technique, see our reamer guide.
Order From AIMS
All 11 lines in this range — reamer bodies, boxed sets, blades, nuts and pilots — are genuine Sutton Tools, Maxigear and Bordo stock. If you need help matching a size band to your bore, confirming whether a spare part fits your existing reamer, or you're after set pricing on multiple sizes, call our team on (02) 9773 0122, reach out through Contact Us, or send your requirements through Request a Quote and we'll come back with the right part number and price.
People Also Ask
What is an adjustable hand reamer used for?
An adjustable hand reamer finishes a pre-drilled or pre-bored hole to a precise diameter, the same job a fixed hand reamer does — except its blades can be wound in or out to cover a range of finished sizes instead of just one. That makes it well suited to maintenance, fitting and one-off jig or toolmaking work where the exact bore size isn't always known in advance, and buying a fixed reamer for every possible size isn't practical.
How do I set an adjustable hand reamer to the right size?
Turn the adjusting nut at the end of the body to wind the blades up or down the internal taper, expanding or retracting the cutting diameter. Check the setting against a micrometer, ring gauge or the actual workpiece bore before cutting, and confirm your target diameter sits comfortably within the reamer's stated size range rather than right at the edge of its adjustment travel.
What's the difference between an adjustable and a fixed-diameter hand reamer?
A fixed-diameter (parallel) hand reamer cuts one exact size every time, giving the most precise and repeatable result — the better choice for production runs at a single size. An adjustable hand reamer covers a small range of diameters (roughly 1.5mm or 1/16″ per size band) from one body, trading a little repeatability for the flexibility to finish a range of bore sizes without stocking a fixed reamer for every one. See our Hand Reamers range for the fixed-diameter equivalents.
Can the blades on an adjustable hand reamer be replaced?
Yes. Sutton's R109 series is backed by R110 replacement blade sets and R112 adjusting nuts sized to suit the reamer body, so a worn or chipped reamer can be fitted with a fresh set of blades rather than replaced outright. Check the size marked on the existing reamer body against the spare parts range to confirm the correct match before ordering.
What is a pilot reamer and do I need one?
A pilot reamer is a guide that leads the adjustable reamer straight through an existing bore, keeping the cut square and true — most useful on longer holes or through-holes where it's harder to judge squareness by feel alone. Sutton stocks the R111 pilot to suit the R109 body, and Bordo stocks a matching pilot for its own adjustable reamer. They're most valuable in sets rather than for a single one-off reaming job.
What steel are these adjustable hand reamers made from?
Sutton's R109 series is manufactured from tungsten chrome alloy tool steel, a high-alloy grade that balances hardness, toughness and edge-holding for the slow, controlled cutting action of hand reaming. It can be resharpened when the blades dull. Both metric and imperial adjustable ranges are stocked across the Sutton, Maxigear and Bordo brands.
Should I choose metric or imperial sizing?
Match the reamer to the units your drawings, gauges and mating components are specified in. Sutton's R109 range is stocked in metric sizes from 6.35mm to 85mm; Maxigear and Bordo stock imperial fractional sizes from 1/4″ up to 3-11/32″ and 2-7/32″ respectively. Don't mix metric and imperial spare parts (blades, nuts or pilots) across a reamer body — they aren't interchangeable between ranges.