Flex-Hone® – tool diameter, speed and number of strokes
Available in 8 different abrasive types and 11 grit sizes, Flex-Hone® tools improve the internal surface finish and can remove cut, cracked and folded metal (burrs). Self-centering and self-aligning to the bore, Flex-Hone® brushes create an essentially flat or plateau-like surface that promotes optimal lubrication and reduces wear.
Tool selection and Flex-Hone® diameter
Flex-Hone® users should select and use cylinder honing tools based on parameters such as tool diameter, stroke length and revolutions per minute (RPM). The tool diameter, a particularly important specification, is determined by the nominal size of the bore in which the flexible honing tool is to work. As a rule, Flex-Hone® brushes are manufactured and used with oversize.
When selecting a honing brush, you should therefore order a Flex-Hone® with a diameter that is larger than the bore you want to process. The degree of oversize creates a soft cutting effect that produces a non-directional or cross-hatched pattern. For example, if the nominal bore of an engine cylinder is 1.093″, order a Flex-Hone® brush witha diameter of 1-1/8″.
Flex-Hone® are manufactured in diameters from 4 mm to 36″ and can be used for any cylinder type and size. Whether you need small diameter flexible honing tools, standard brushes or large diameter heavy duty brushes, we offer all types of Flex-Hone® tools to meet your surface finishing and deburring needs. However, in addition to the tool diameter, you must also consider the speed and the number of strokes.
Speeds, stroke rate and lubrication
Our flexible honing brushes are low-speed tools. As a rule, the tool diameter and application determine the optimum speeds. Smaller brushes require higher speeds, larger brushes require lower speeds.
Like the speed, the stroke length is also very important. Together with the stroke length, the cross-hatch angle (if available) must also be taken into account, as large cross-hatch angles in particular require faster stroke rates. Larger diameter cylinder honing tools may have a slow feed rate of 100 to 120 inches per minute (IPM), while smaller diameter cylinder honing tools with a high hatch angle may require a feed rate of up to 250 IPM.
Always use Flex-Hone® tools with a lubricant, preferably Flex-Hone® oil. Water-soluble oils, mineral oils, engine oils and cutting and thread-cutting fluids are also possible. However, never use solvents, as these tend to destroy the adhesive bonds between the honing brush’s abrasive balls and the flexible nylon abrasive filaments.