I would like to use a Ball Hone on some cylinders. The cylinder bore is 3.600. I can find 3.5, or 4.0 diameter Ball hones. What I need to know is will the 3.5 be big enough, or will the 4.0 go small enough. Here's a picture of the style Hone I'm talking about. I can't find anything local to look at, so I'll have to order one on line, and these things aren't cheap, so I'd like to buy the correct one the first time. Thanks.
They usually give a range on the hones...i/e 3.5 to 4, etc...I'd get the 4,you'e just knocking off glaze, right? Keep it wet and move up and down semi-rapidly, don't go crazy on the speed, not needed. ***ume you're doing a backyard recon here and putting in new rings? If so, cut the ridge out of the top of the cylinders.
The website for the ballhone list the preferred grit # you'd want to use depending on the particular application and type of rings e.g. final finish required, as well as the proper sizing, and recommended cutting oils like WD40 or Kerosene or their own juice. They even have YT videos explaining all this and more.
I have quite a lot of Flex-ones here, so I had a quick measure when I was out in the workshop earlier. My 3.5" hone is approx 3.71" diameter, so wouldn't apply so much pressure in your bores. My 3.75" hone is approx 3.91" diameter. My 4" is really well used, so I didn't measure it, but I do think it'd be a tight fit in 3.6" bores. There's a 3.75" hone here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-3-4-Comme...352570&hash=item5699bd1581:g:OQ4AAOSw-0xYlzS8
Hi ..When you find the right size pref 3.75" and right grit for the purpose... use plenty kerosene and keep moving .....
I'm putting new rings in. The cylinders look good, no ridge. I just want to clean them up. I have a three stone hone I bought to do the job, but It seems all the engine guys I talk to around here use the Ball Hone. So a 4" is what I should use? Again bore size is 3.600. It's the engine in the car in my avatar. I just got the head back yesterday, and I'm finishing up a cam install in my big block Chevy wagon, so the Roadster engine will be going back together soon, maybe next week if I'm left alone., and the lawn mower doesn't break again.
They use ball hones because they are too ******** lazy to adjust the regular hone that gives a hell of lot better finish. I've got a 4 inch ball hone hanging on a nail in the garage that I haven't used for years because I use my hone with the stones on it. You have to lube it, I use transmission fluid like a friend who built a lot of engines in his day taught me and you have to make sure you don't go too far down and hit the webs of the mains or run the stones out the bottom and get tangled up. With a ball hone you can hone the cylinder with one hand and check your messages on your phone with the other as you don't have to pay much attention to what you are doing and you won't break anything if you screw up.
Thanks Mr.48chev. I'm just going to use my 3 stone hone. I hate to spend the money on a Ball Hone if I really don't need to.
Here is probably more than you ever wanted to know about cylinder honing... http://www.enginehones.com/technical.html The three stone hones work well to finish used cylinders that are really straight and round, or freshly bored. Be sure the stones make contact with 100% of the cylinder surface. If you find some low areas that the stones can't reach then the ball-style hone might make more sense, unless the cylinders are out of spec for taper or out-of-round.
I finish any freshen up with a carbon ball and would use the 4". I like Kroil for lube but it will stink up a garage. wash the engine with degreaser and soap (I like Dawn) then immediately wipe the cylinder walls with ATF or Marvel Mystery Oil and a white cut up tee shirts until there is no gray on the shirts. Good luck
Just a note on the ball hone that I have done. I use a reversible drill motor. I hone one cylinder forward and the next cylinder in reverse. I found that the stones last much longer because I am using both faces of the stone and it retains it's shape better.
Convert your bore size to millimeters and there is a hone to fit your bore! I use the very fine ones on carb base plates and accelerator pump bores. I cannot tell you how many flex-hones I have worn out over the years.Yes, I do the reverse drill trick (learned it in the 80's)
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