Flex-Hone® – Tool Diameter, Speed, and Stroke Rate
Available in 8 different abrasive types and 11 grits, Flex-Hone® tools improve internal surface finish and can remove cut, torn, and folded metal (burrs). Self-centering and self-aligning to the bore, Flex-Hone® brushes create an essentially flat or plateaued surface, which 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 operate. Typically, Flex-Hone® brushes are manufactured and used with an oversize.
Therefore, when selecting a honing brush, you should order a Flex-Hone® with a diameter larger than the bore you intend to process. The degree of oversize creates a soft cutting action 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 with a 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 requirements. However, in addition to the tool diameter, you must also consider the speed and stroke rate.
Speeds, Stroke Rate, and Lubrication
Our flexible honing brushes are low-speed tools. Typically, tool diameter and application determine the optimal speeds. Smaller brushes require higher speeds, while larger brushes require lower speeds.
Like the rotational speed, the stroke length is also of great importance. Along with the stroke length, the cross-hatch angle (if present) must also be considered, 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 cross-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, as well as cutting and tapping fluids are also suitable. However, never use solvents, as they tend to destroy the adhesive bonds between the abrasive globules of the honing brush and the flexible nylon abrasive filaments.