Lisle 36500 Ridge Reamer

Great product, worked as needed. Perfectly removed cylinder ridge and now the block is ready for honing. This tool is not for beginners, please do research before diving in.

I used this to ream the ridges in a Ford 460 big block engine. It worked perfectly when used per the included instructions, namely snug the reamer in the cylinder turn clockwise while applying pressure to the wrench (this keeps the tool squared up in the cylinder). In my case I used a 1/2 inch ratchet with a 13/16 inch short socket and tried not to take too big of a “bite” with each consecutive bite. Each cylinder probably took 10-12 bites to remove the ridge and I used WD-40 as a helper lube. One other thing I found was to clean all the chips out of the reamer at the end of each cylinder completion. Some of the lower reviews MAY have been caused by using a tall spark plug socket? Use it per the instructions and you will get results…..

I read a lot of the reviews before I ordered this one, and thought maybe the design was flawed - that's simply not the case. I believe the negative comments are due to lack of instruction and understanding of how the device works. I've used the older style ridge cutter extensively, so I knew what to expect, and I think that's the only reason it worked for me. While working the ridge on my 140,000 miles Ford 5.4L it took between 80 and 105 full revolution ( depending on how much I tightened the expander, to remove the ridge. The two arms that do not contain the cutter are key: push them both down, and hold them, flat on the block deck before you tighten the cutter. When you tighten the cutter, only turn it 1/4 turn after you feel it make contact with the top of the ridge. While holding from the center (to keep the non-cutter arms flat on the deck) with one hand, crank the turning wrench (open/box-end or socket) five full revolutions and check the cutting progress. If it looks like you're just polishing the ridge, tighten the adjuster another 1/8 turn and give it another five turns and check again. You should now see about 1/8 inch of cut surface. Remember to keep lots of hand pressure on the top of your tool with one hand while you crank with the other. Count the full revolutions of the cutter as you go, and check the remaining ridge, about every twenty full revolutions, with your fingernail. Keep holding down and cranking until the ridge no longer catches your fingernail, then stop, loosen the adjustor 1/2 turn and move to the next cylinder. You should be sweating a little at this point. It should take about five minutes (or longer) per cylinder and you may need to take a break in between. The little (1/8") plastic button on the bottom of the cutting blade is there for the cutter to "feel" it's angle in the cylinder, but you must have the arms pressed down flat on the block, at all times, for that to work. If you are a DIYer, and you've gotten this far, you have both moxie and skills, but you will also have tired arms by the time you're done with 8 or 10 cylinders. Good luck.

No instructions came with the tool, but I was lucky enough to find a YouTube video titled only as cylinder ridge reamer. Its somewhat easy to use. Just turn the small 15mm bolt clockwise to expand the tool until it fits snug but free within the cylinder. Make sure the two little flanges rest on top of the cylinder wall. Tighten the small bolt until there is slight pressure then turn the reamer clockwise with, I think it was a 21mm ratchet. Keep downward pressure and turn slowly and evenly. Repeat the process until the ridge is gone. Caution, the cutter can grab it you don't keep a slight even down pressure while turning. Also, clean the cutter between cylinders and use a good honing or cutting oil.

It works great!

First time using a Ridge Reamer for me. I watch the YouTube video and the guy reviewing this product was covered in sweat claiming it takes forever and then "it does a good job but you'll get a workout". Here's the problem, it cuts at a taper so when you check for the ridge with your fingernail, as you're going round, the ridge never seems to go away. I ended up .020 bigger in diameter at the top before I realized it was cutting a taper, and the ridge was still there!

Came without springs and with a snapped rubber band, didn't wind up using it at the time so I didn't notice till months later when my brother needed to use it.So used-acceptable aperently means "used may be broken"

First one was missing the carbide tooth, Amazon exchange was painless other than having to wait 3 weeks for the replacement (original estimate was 5 weeks).The tool requires a good deal of pressure and attention. It needs to be pressed into the cylinder as you rotate it in order to keep the tool true. Even then, the design of the cutting assembly is slightly canted and cuts a slight taper at the top of the cylinder as you cut the carbon lip. As far as I can tell, there is no way to alter the cutter angle aside from trimming a small rubber nub. And trimming it only makes the taper slightly less, removing it completely may eliminate the taper but will certainly score the cylinder walls a couple inches down.I really don't know if there is a better alternative to this tool, but I have to suggest looking for one first. And only use this one if your tolerances allow for a slightly wider bore at the top 1/4".