the Flex-Hone® Tool

BRM's Flex-Hone Tool is protected by...
USA Patent Numbers 3384915, 3871139, 5211725, 5353553
US & Foreign Patents Allowed or Pending

For Any Type And Size of Cylinder
The Flex-Hone® Process (Super finishing) produces a controlled surface condition unobtainable by any other method. It involves finish, geometry and metallurgical structure. A high percentage plateau free of cut, torn and folded metal (with radiused ports).

A resilient, flexible, honing tool with a soft cutting action. The abrasive (points) globules each have independent suspension that assures the Flex-Hone® to be self-centering, self aligning to the bore, and self-compensating for wear.

Specifically, it is a low-temperature abrading process that exposes the undisturbed base metal structure to produce a long wearing surface. It is a method of developing a surface on a metal part which is optically smooth and metallurgically free of any fragmented, amorphous or smeared metal from previous operations. It is accomplished at a low pressure where the “stones” float.

See and read the various booklets of actual tests covering almost every situation that will ensure a superior performance in situations depending on surface finish.

The particular type of Flex-Hone® crosshatch is extremely efficient in providing a multiplicity of oil grooves or valleys for oil retention as opposed to the often undirectional or uneven valleys common to the conventional type rigid hone. A crosshatch that usually remains as the cylinder wall has been wear-reduced by the FlexHone®.

If Your Specifications Call For:

• Developing a surface plateau of over 60%
• Producing an oil holding cross-hatch pattern
• Reducing Ra, Rpk and Rvk values
• Increased bearing area

If You Want benefits of:

• Lowered oil consumption
• Less blow-by
• Less friction
• Improved sealing surface

Then Flex-Hone® it!
Typical Applications Include:

• Air Compressors • Compressed Air Tool Bodies • Hydraulic Ram Cylinders • Brake Cylinders (Wheel)

• Hydraulic Valve Bodies & Valve Guides • Clutch and Brake Master Cylinders

• Hydraulic Motor Bodies • Finishing of Stainless Steel Tubing

• Pneumatic Cylinders • Brake Rotors

• Surface finishing of Boiler Components • Engine Cylinders and Block Liners

Although the FLEX-HONE® TOOL is manufactured in an extensive range of diameter sizes and grits that suit most applications, there will be times that the Flex-Hone® Tool must be tailor made to achieve the results you may require. Please consult factory for pricing and delivery time on all special order, special application hones.

To assist in selection of proper hone, this information is a good starting point.  Actual measurements
must be made after honing, as numbers will vary depending on the material being honed and the media used.  

What size should I order?

A hone tool's diameter is determined by the nominal bore size in which the tool is to be operate. A cylinder hone is always produced and used in an oversize condition. The degree of oversize creates pressure and a soft cutting action on cylinder walls. For example a 1" Flex-Hone tool is ordered if a 1" bore (I.D.) is to be finished, the built in oversize provides the proper cut. Remember that all tools are provided in oversized, so do not add inches or mm's to the ID that you are machining.  If the bore size is between standard Flex-Hone sizes, the next larger standard Flex-Hone should be selected.

Important note:

If the Ra (surface finish) of the part being machined needs to change more than 20 to 30 points, you may need to use steps to acheive the proper final Ra.  As an example, if you were trying to change a 80 Ra to a 20 Ra, you may need to start with a 120 or 180 grit hone and then finish with a 240 or 320 grit.  This stepping concept reduces the chance of damaging the tool due to over heating, when too fine a grit is used for an extended run time to try and remove excessive roughness.

 

Brake Cylinders, Hydraulics, Valve Guides, etc.      4mm - 3/16" are 6" OAL Balance 8" OAL

Catalog Number  MM For Bore Sizes   BC 4mm (.157")     BC 4.5mm (.177")     BC 3/16" (4.75mm)     BC 5mm (.197")     BC 5.5mm (.217")     BC 6.4mm (.250")     BC 7mm (.276")     BC 8mm (.315")     BC 9mm (.354")     BC 9.5mm (.375")     BC 10mm (.394")     BC 11mm (.433")     BC 12mm (.472")     BC 1/2" (12.7 mm)     BC 14mm (.552")     BC 5/8" (16 mm)     BC 18mm (.709")     BC 3/4" (19 mm)     BC 20mm (.787")     BC 7/8" (22 mm)     BC 15/16" (23.8 mm)     BC 1" (25.4 mm)     BC 1 1/8" (29 mm)     BC 1 1/4" (31.8 mm)     BC 1 3/8" (35 mm)     BC 1 1/2" (38 mm)     BC 1 5/8" (41 mm)     BC 1 3/4" (45 mm)     BC 1 7/8" (48 mm)     BC 2" (51 mm)     BC 2 1/8" (54 mm)     BC 2 1/4" (57 mm)     BC 2 3/8" (60 mm)     BC 2 1/2" (64 mm)     BC 2 5/8" (67 mm)     BC 2 3/4" (70 mm)     BC 2 7/8" (73 mm)     BC 3" (76 mm)

Disc Brakes      (5" OAL) Catalog Number MM For Bore Sizes DBC 1 1/2" (38 mm)     DBC 1 3/4" (45 mm)     DBC 2 1/8" (54 mm)     DBC 2 1/2" (64 mm)     DBC 2 3/4" (70 mm)     DBC 3 1/8" (79 mm)