Looking for a cylinder hone.

I need to hone a 3" bore cylinder. After that it just might get some occasional use.

Any recommendations? Two or three leg, stones or silicon carbide balls and so on. There appears to be hundreds of similar hones at varying prices. I would rather buy something that people here recommend, rather than taking pot luck.

Thanks,

Andrew.

Whilst it doesn't get used heavily, this Sykes Pickavant one has always worked well enough for me.
https://www.sykes-pickavant.com/products/engine-service-tools/cylinder-head-and-engine-block/71

The engine reconditioner I prefer used something similar but more rigid, and an abrasive ball one for glaze busting.

I use what looks like a shredded flap wheel as a glaze buster for lighter jobs, but I've not seen them for sale for ages.

Bill

sykes pickavant is good gear ! had a hone of theirs for over 40 years ! Noel

Thanks Bill and Noel,

I looked for the hone on Ebay and the first on the list came up at £1153.99 (but free postage!). After picking myself up off the floor, the other listings ranged from approx £50 to £120. So not too bad!

Andrew.

Zoro do a few different types, and tomorrow they have a 15% discount sale on for Black Friday, apparently on all purchases.
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/automotive/cylinder-head-honing-and-camshaft-tools/24010403

Might be time to stock up on some silver steel, as there's bargains to be had, but make sure you check out the 78" lengths too, as some are cheaper then those half as long.

e.g.
5/8"x39 
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/materials-and-maintenance/silver-steel/5-8inch-diameter-x-39inch-silver-steel/p/ZT1060662X

1/2" x 78
https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/materials-and-maintenance/silver-steel/1-2inch-diameter-x-78inch-silver-steel/p/ZT1060613X
Bill

Edited By peak4 on 24/11/2022 23:48:08

Depends on what the cylinder is to be used for. If it is an internal combustion engine out of a motorbike, car, etc, the ball hones work quite well. They rely on the spring pressure of the "bristles" the balls are mounted on to push them against the cylinder wall. So you can run it at low rpm in a battery drill and quickly move the hone up and down the bore, giving a nice diagonal cross-hatch pattern for optimum oil retention and ring seal etc.

Some of the three-stone type hones can do this too, IF the spring mechanism is strong enough. But some of the cheaper ones, you rely on centrifugal force to spin the stones outwards harder than the weak spring can push, so you have to use higher rpm and you end up with the hone marks running straight around the circumfrence, which works ok but is less than optimal.

If your cylinder is of some other material or for some other purpose, things may be different.

In any case, don't plan on removing more that about one thou with a hone. Bore the hole first and finish with the hone.

I've used the style shown in the SP link bought from Polly Eng for several years to remove any tool marks on both steam and IC cylinders. You do have to watch for bell mouthing though they can with care be used to take out a slight taper by spending more time in the smaller end.

If you have a lot of taper or the bore has gone oval then there are some Delapina style ones on e-bay, look for "cylinder engine hone" which have the stones and guides that are slowly wound out, 3" would be about £75. Not used one myself but Graham Corry of Alyn Foundry fame has recently got one to replace a worn Delapina and said it worked well.

If the job is a "one off" or very occasional use why not get the local engine reconditioner to do the job. Mine charges ~£30 to hone a bore.

I rebore my own (motorcycle) cylinders and get them to hone the last 2 - 3 thou out.

John

But that will be done properly, with a delapeno type precision hone, which will accurately size the bore as it is worked.

I’ve only used my sykes pickavants for glaze busting, or wear-ridge removal, on cylinders from about 40mm to 120mm. They do not improve the bore dimensions.

I made this honing tool that was published in Mew 207 .Made up
from scrap oddments , has strips of abrasive paper or cloth and
lead strips glued to pressed out pre-formed shoes .Simple to make
works well.
Used to hone the cylinder of this hot air engine.

John

I've got one of these Sealey 4 in 1 VS029

In fact I'm using it today to hone the turning marks out of my Hoglet cylinders. It's been used successfully on several engines. Largest set of stones goes to 89mm diameter.

Rod