Hand Reamers

Hand Reamers

Hand reamers finish a pre-drilled or bored hole to a precise size, achieving tolerances and surface finishes that drilling alone cannot produce. A reamer removes only a small amount of material from the hole wall — typically 0.1–0.5mm on diameter — but in doing so produces a hole that is accurately sized, correctly round, and smooth-walled enough to accept a bearing, pin, or precision fit component. AIMS Industrial supplies HSS hand reamers in parallel and taper configurations for precision metalworking, fitting, and engineering applications.

Parallel Hand Reamers

Parallel reamers produce a straight, constant-diameter hole from the entry face to the full depth of the reamer. They are used to bring a drilled hole to exact finished size for press fits, clearance fits, and bearing installations. Hand reamers are driven by a tap wrench applied to the square drive at the shank end and rotated in the cutting direction only — never reverse a reamer in the hole, as the cutting edges will be damaged by the reversed cutting action. A small amount of cutting fluid (soluble oil or neat cutting oil for steel; kerosene for aluminium) lubricates the cut and produces a better surface finish.

Taper Reamers

Taper reamers produce a conical hole to a standard taper — most commonly Morse taper (MT) for machine tool spindles, or pin taper for taper pin installations. The Morse taper reamer set (MT1 through MT5) covers the taper sizes used in drill press, lathe, and milling machine spindles. Taper pin reamers (to AS/ISO taper pin standards) are used for installing taper pins that lock shafts, handles, and components in position — the taper pin is driven into the reamed hole and the interference fit locks it securely.

Adjustable Hand Reamers

Adjustable hand reamers have blades that expand within a range of diameters, allowing a single reamer to cover a range of sizes. They are useful for one-off or repair work where the exact hole size is not covered by a fixed reamer in the available stock. For hand reamer selection by size, tolerance, and material, contact our team.

Reaming Technique for Best Results

Correct reaming technique has as much influence on the final result as tool quality. Always ream in the same direction as the flute helix — never rotate a hand reamer backwards, as reverse rotation causes the cutting edges to dig in and can chip the flutes. Apply cutting fluid generously throughout the operation to reduce friction, improve surface finish, and extend tool life. Advance the reamer with light, consistent pressure rather than forcing — a reamer removes only a small amount of material and requires minimal force to operate. After reaming, clean the bore thoroughly before measuring to remove cutting fluid residue that can affect your gauge reading.