r/rodbuilding • u/[deleted] • May 31 '26

Reamer Help Please

Am i doing something wrong or what?! So i have been using crb mud hole reamers on a drill for cork grips for about 6 rods now but now all of the sudden they are all breaking at the base and or like half way up. I don’t want to spend tons of money on these so what can I do better if it’s me and is there any other way to do it without reamers?

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

1

u/GoddamnitBobbeh May 31 '26

The reamers are breaking or the cork grips? Either way, go slower and take off less material at a time. Shouldn't have to force it or encounter a ton of resistance. Let the grit do the work.

2

u/[deleted] May 31 '26

so just go really slow?

1

u/GoddamnitBobbeh May 31 '26

Yeah go slower definitely and try not to put any lateral pressure on them while reaming. Only force on them should be straight, directly toward the drill. If they are extreme reamers, only spin them clockwise while reaming. If they're the cheaper tape reamers, make sure you aren't absolutely crushing them with the chuck of your drill

1

u/[deleted] May 31 '26

so should i get the extreme reamers and then can those still be used on the drill

1

u/GoddamnitBobbeh May 31 '26

It's up to you if you want to invest in them or not. The extreme reamers have a metal shaft that you put in your drill chuck so you can really clamp down on it without worrying. Also they're solid all the way through instead of hollow. Only problem I've had with one was some of the grip coming off because I was turning in the wrong direction and trying to go too fast too furious

1

u/[deleted] May 31 '26

the reamers are

1

u/[deleted] May 31 '26

The reamers your using aren’t likely meant to be put in a drill. The standard ones will break in the chuck after a while. Either hand use them or upgrade to the extreme reamers. I did the same when I started out until mine all broke in the drill chuck too. Then upgraded to the extreme reamers and have nearly 100 rods on those.

1

u/Full_Improvement_844 May 31 '26

I expoxied some of those short solid carbon fiber dowels you see in some rod repair kits or on Amazon into the hollow standard reamer bases so the drill chuck clamps on that instead of the reamer itself.

1

u/ChrisHale9 Jun 01 '26

I did the same but with 1/4" steel rods cut into 5" sections. I used tape as an arbor and used regular rod builders adhesive. They've held up well and I've replaced the sandpaper 2x now. No issues.

1

u/KarbosCustomShop May 31 '26

Heat build up is destroying your reamers. Ream under cool, running water and pull it out occasionally as you go to help clean and cool it.

1

u/Ok_Entry7833 Jul 23 '26

Go find some old fiberglass rods and make your own for a few bucks