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Process · General Mechanical

Standard Drill → Ream — The Default Path for Print-Critical Holes

If the print cares about diameter, roundness, or finish, treat drilling as preparation and reaming as the sizing cut. Choose a carbide drill that leaves a controllable pre-hole, then a reamer (carbide or PCD by material) to hit tolerance.

This page is the shared playbook for general parts; shaft/flange and box/bracket pages apply it to part families.

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Carbide drill and carbide reamer for a standard drill-then-ream path
Fig. 01Carbide drill and carbide reamer — the two stations of a standard drill-then-ream path.
01

Drill-only vs drill + ream

Drill-only
when clearance holes or generous diameter bands are enough and position is fixture-controlled.
Drill then ream
when the print sells size, roundness, or finish — reaming is the sizing cut, not a salvage step.
Position error
is mostly a setup/fixture problem; reaming alone will not “fix” a wandering pre-hole.

Part-family details (shafts, flanges, boxes) live on their own pages — this page stays on process logic.

02

What a reamer inherits from the drill

  • Taper / bell-mouthforces uneven stock removal and chatter risk.
  • Walk / shiftleaves the reamer fighting an offset centerline.
  • Work-hardened skin(especially on some steels) accelerates edge wear on the first sizing pass.
  • Chip packingin deep or blind holes damages both the drill exit and the ream entry.

Stabilize drill support, peck/coolant strategy, and runout before you blame the reamer.

Carbide drill that sets the pre-hole a reamer will inherit
Fig. 02The drill sets the pre-hole — taper, walk, and skin condition all transfer downstream.
03

Think method—not a universal table

Reaming stock depends on material, diameter, and how the pre-hole was made. HENTRY does not publish one feeds/speeds or allowance chart for every metal. Use the engineering method on our Knowledge page, then confirm against your print.

Reamer allowance & pre-hole size
04

Where HENTRY products fit this path

  1. 01

    Drill

    Open hole / controlled pre-hole

    Solid Carbide Drill Bits
  2. 02

    Ream (general)

    Size & finish after drill

    Reamer tool
  3. 03

    Ream (upgrade)

    Non-ferrous + life/finish pressure

    PCD Reamer
  4. 04

    Combine stations

    Only with a stable process window

    Combination drill-ream — evaluate case by case
Carbide reamer for general mechanical sizing after drill
Fig. 03Carbide reamer for general mechanical sizing after the drill.
05

What usually shows up on the CMM or gauge

Oversize
Excess allowance, worn lands, or thermal growth.
Taper
Poor pre-hole, guidance, or uneven wear.
Chatter marks
Stick-out, holder, or stock too aggressive.
Built-up edge on aluminum
Edge condition, coolant, and speed/feed balance.
06

Next: pick the family page

Part family

Shafts, sleeves & flanges

Fit and assembly holes on rotating/locating parts.

Open Part family

Boxes & brackets

Multi-hole patterns without batch drift.

Open

Specify the finished hole, then pick the conversion path.

07

Process FAQ

How much stock for reaming?

Use the Knowledge method—not one number for all metals. Start at allowance & pre-hole size.

Is an HSS drill good enough?

Often carbide wins on life and hole consistency in production batches.

PCD reamer after carbide drill on steel?

Material gate: PCD is not the default on steel; stay carbide/reamer-tool unless the application truly fits PCD.

Skip reaming to save cost?

Only if the print allows. Scrap and rework usually cost more than the second tool.

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