My buddy laughed when I started chamber reaming by hand, but the results speak for themselves.

Hand reaming gives me better feel for the metal than power tools ever did.

3 comments

3 Comments

tyler_hill1mo ago

A slow cordless drill gives plenty of feel too.

the_ryan1mo agoMost Upvoted

But can you really feel subtle changes in resistance through a spinning chuck? The vibration from even a slow drill masks a lot of the feedback you get from pure hand work. That direct feel is why hand reaming wins for final precision.

jamesf261mo ago

Honestly, I used to be right there with you on hand reaming. What changed my mind was running a reamer through a prepped hole with a drill on its slowest speed. I could feel the tool grab and release through the chuck as it cleaned up the last few thousandths. That direct feedback, once you learn to listen past the hum, is surprisingly good.