drillmastertommy Posted January 23, 2013 Report Posted January 23, 2013 Hey guys, as soon as my ARP head studs arrive I'm finally going to be able to do my long overdue ring and valve job. Whilst acquiring all of the relevant kit for the job I bought a used Beard tools No173 ridge reamer. Frustratingly it turns out that it is missing 2 of the 3 inserts that actually do the cutting. Do any of you guys know where I may be able to get some spares or even if it's possible to get spares, I have no idea how old this tool is. It doesn't look that old. Anybody got any bits lurking in an old tool box I could acquire? Alternatively can anybody recommend an alternative to a ridge reamer? The lip at the top of my bores is very fine. The timing of this job is entirely weather dependant, I decided to give starting it a miss the other day. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 23, 2013 Report Posted January 23, 2013 Is this the one you bought? http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Garage-tools-BEARD-No-173-Universal-cylinder-ridge-reamer-2-9-16-4-3-8-/370658538509 I did a quick search and found nothing on Beard replacement parts. Quote
drillmastertommy Posted January 23, 2013 Author Report Posted January 23, 2013 Thats the very one I bought, although it appears to have gone up in price since I purchased it! I should have sent it back but I've been so busy that a little too much time has passed, destined to become garage art/clutter I think.... Quote
dudford Posted January 23, 2013 Report Posted January 23, 2013 The timing of this job is entirely weather dependant, I decided to give starting it a miss the other day. Ah, that aint so bad! Get out there you big jessie! Wouldn't advise talking the bike out in this weather though! Quote
wayfarer Posted January 23, 2013 Report Posted January 23, 2013 Before tossing it aside, talk with a sales rep for Kennemetal or similar or anyone selling carbide cutters for machine shop use. Yes, its a long shot but until you ask the question.... Quote
austinsailor Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 (edited) I'll have to go dig mine out of the bottom f the box, but I don't recall it having but one cutter. Edited January 24, 2013 by austinsailor Quote
Jim Saraceno Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 You can borrow a ridge reamer from many auto parts stores. Quote
JIPJOBXX Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 Yea I would do what Jim stated just rent one from a good auto parts store. Quote
TodFitch Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 I'll have to go dig mine out of the bottom f the box, but I don't recall it having but one cutter. Out of curiosity I just dug through the drawer in my tool chest that should have had the ridge reamer... Not there. And not in any other obvious spot either. I wonder where it walked off to. At least the L-head valve spring tool, ring spreader, ring compressor, valve lapping tool, etc. are still where I think they should be. Quote
RobertKB Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 Ah, that aint so bad! Get out there you big jessie! Wouldn't advise talking the bike out in this weather though! drillmastertommy is from Chichester, England and as we know, they English don't do so well in snowy weather. I guess they could work in it although I know I would be in my heated garage rather than outside. Chichester is a great city by-the-way. Been there and love the cathedral. 1 Quote
dudford Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 drillmastertommy is from Chichester, England and as we know, they English don't do so well in snowy weather. I guess they could work in it although I know I would be in my heated garage rather than outside. Chichester is a great city by-the-way. Been there and love the cathedral. I'm well aware of Mr Tom, he's only 40 odd miles down the road from me and yeah our infrastructure does suffer under poor weather but i wouldn't have anything said against the fire in our bellies and passion for vintage tin and working on them I also agree with you on Chichester, gorgeous cathedral city, used to go out with a girl who went to University there... hazy days! Quote
drillmastertommy Posted January 24, 2013 Author Report Posted January 24, 2013 Hey Wayfarer, certainly not going to toss it aside, even if it never reams a cylinder again. Austinsailor, I've confused myself reading and re-reading your first post. Are you telling me it should only have one cutter? Surely it still needs something in the other openings to keep it central?. Jim and JIPJOBXX, this is the UK, we don't have a setup so convenient that we could rent obscure tools from an auto parts store. In the nicest way possible all bar one local motor factors to me is manned by knuckle dragging goons who just want to sell me a cheap chinese exhaust box! Todfitch, good luck finding your reamer! RobertKB, I've lost count of how many times I've dreamed of a heated workshop! Sadly with the space we have available it's just never gonna happen. Won't stop me dreaming though. And yes, Chichester is a beautiful city, I live about 4 miles out of town but can see the cathedral spire from the front of my house. And Duds, careful with the jessie comments or your atomic t-shirts might arrive in skin tight sizes! I've worked on my truck through some pretty horrible weather but the older I get the less tolerant I get of all things wet and cold. I'm just hoping the sun comes out by the time my head studs arrive...... 1 Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 I have a tiny garage that I can't occupy at the same time as my car. I have to roll it out whenever I want to work on it. I'm jealous of anyone who has some real garage space, let alone heat. I worked on my 56 Chevy all last winter and on really cold days, if I wore long underwear and several layers, I could do it. But if the wind was blowing, forget it. Handling cold wrenches will dampen my enthusiasm pretty quickly, too. It's not supposed to get above 30 here over the weekend, but I might give it a shot. I'd like to get the windows installed in my 49 Plymouth. Quote
wayfarer Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 drillmastertommy, I hadn't looked at your profile to check your location, only in subsuquent posts did I see the Merry-ol-England reference. I can appreciate the difficulty that you folks have sourcing bits and pieces. Hats off to you for screwing around with old American junk... Quote
austinsailor Posted January 24, 2013 Report Posted January 24, 2013 When I said one cutter, I meant only one of the three gizmos on it had a cutter. But there are 3 pieces that ride against the cylinder wall, only one has a cutter. In the picture you see there is a cutter on the right one, just a blank on the left. They are held in place with a spring, I guess your spring is gone? I bought this one about 45 years ago, I suspect they are still the same. Gene Quote
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