HMT VERSADRIVE REAMERS – TECHNICAL GUIDE

Versadrive Reamers are used to enlarge, align and correct existing holes in steelwork and fabrication applications. This guide covers material suitability, machine selection, material thickness, lubrication, adapters, best practice, impact torque and rotary RPM.

Which Materials Can HMT Versadrive Reamers Be Used On?

Structural Steel

All HMT tooling in this category is suitable for common grades of steel.

Hardened Steel

This category of tooling is not suitable for hardened steel applications.

For hardened applications, consider the HMT Ultra range of broaching and drilling tools.

Stainless Steel

When using reamers on stainless steel, lower RPM and a rotary setting are recommended because higher RPM or impact operation can contribute to heat build-up.

Non-Ferrous Metals

All HMT tooling in this category is suitable for non-ferrous materials.

Which Machine Should I Use With Versadrive Reamers?

Machine	Suitable?	Guidance
Impact Wrench	Yes	Impact wrenches and impact drivers are recommended for reamer applications where enlarging drilled holes in steel is required. Use the correct torque setting.
Rotary Pistol Drill	Yes	Reamers up to approximately 30 mm diameter can be used in a pistol drill at low RPM.
Compact Magnet Drill	Generally No	Compact magnet drills do not usually have enough stroke or working length for reamers.
Large Magnet / Pillar Drill	Yes	Suitable when fitted with an appropriate adapter such as a Weldon or Morse Taper arrangement.

What Material Thickness Can Versadrive Reamers Be Used On?

Sheet Metal

Up to 4 mm

Standard Plate

5–12 mm

Medium Plate

12–25 mm

Heavy Plate

Above 25 mm

HMT Reamers are suitable across these thickness ranges. For heavy material, the MAX shank provides the best results.

Which Cutting Lubricant Should I Use?

SpeedLube

Recommended for general-purpose drilling and reaming applications.

BioCut Paste

Recommended for overhead drilling and other applications where liquid lubricant is not suitable.

BioCut Blue

Recommended for hardened steels and stainless steels where heat reduction is critical.

Which Adapters Can I Use With Versadrive Reamers?

Impact Adapters

Suitable for use with Impact Wrenches. Use the appropriate torque guidance.

Pistol Drill / Chuck

The Versadrive hex shank fits into a standard drill chuck.

Weldon Adapters

HMT Reamers can be adapted for use in magnetic drills.

Morse Taper Adapters

HMT Reamers can be adapted for use in Morse Taper machines using the appropriate adapter.

HMT Versadrive Reamer Best Practice

How do I select the correct reamer diameter?

Do not attempt to increase the existing hole diameter by more than approximately 1–2 mm in one step.

If a larger finished hole is required, use the next size reamer to step up until the required diameter is reached.

Reamers should not be rotated in reverse when starting the cut.

What is the correct feed pressure?

Apply firm, steady feed pressure throughout the cut.

Excessive feed pressure can increase heat build-up and reduce tool life.

How many holes can I expect the reamer to last?

There is no fixed number. Tool life varies depending on the application, material, machine, lubrication, speed, torque and operator technique.

How can I prevent chipping or breakage?

Avoid lateral movement or tilting.

Do not use excessive feed pressure.

Apply steady feed pressure and maintain a consistent flow of swarf.

Is there anything else I should watch for?

When reaming box section, make sure the front tip of the reamer does not collide with the far side of the material, as this can damage the tool.

Recommended Impact Torque for HMT Versadrive Reamers

Recommended impact torque varies according to reamer diameter and material thickness. Use the following guidance when operating Versadrive Reamers with a suitable impact wrench or impact driver.

Recommended Impact Torque – Nm
Diameter Range	Sheet up to 4 mm thick	Plate 5–12 mm thick	Plate 12–25 mm thick	Plate over 25 mm thick
8–10 mm	280–340	315–380	350–430	385–475
11–13 mm	300–380	335–420	370–460	410–510
14–16 mm	355–445	400–495	445–545	490–600
17–19 mm	435–545	485–610	535–675	590–745
20–22 mm	465–575	520–650	580–720	640–795
23–25 mm	670–820	750–920	840–1030	925–1130
26–28 mm	750–930	840–1030	1040–1280	1150–1420
29–31 mm	930–1130	1040–1270	1290–1580	1420–1740
32–34 mm	1040–1260	1170–1420	1450–1765	1600–1940
35–37 mm	1080–1300	1210–1455	1500–1810	1650–1990
38–40 mm	1180–1420	1320–1585	1630–1960	1800–2160
41–42 mm	1260–1520	1420–1720	1740–2115	1915–2330

Recommended Rotary RPM for HMT Versadrive Reamers

When using Versadrive Reamers with a rotary drilling machine, recommended spindle speed varies according to reamer diameter and material type.

Recommended Spindle Speed – Rotary RPM
Diameter Range	Structural Steel – 26 m/min	Hardened Steel – 8 m/min	Stainless Steel – 12 m/min	Non-Ferrous – 48 m/min
8–10 mm	1030–825	315–250	470–375	1880–1500
11–13 mm	750–635	230–195	345–295	1410–1200
14–16 mm	590–515	180–160	270–240	1110–980
17–19 mm	485–435	145–135	220–200	915–830
20–22 mm	415–375	125–115	190–175	780–715
23–25 mm	365–335	110–100	165–150	690–630
26–28 mm	330–305	95–90	150–135	620–565
29–31 mm	295–275	85–80	135–125	555–515
32–34 mm	270–245	80–70	125–110	510–450
35–37 mm	250–230	70–65	110–100	470–430
38–40 mm	230–210	65–60	100–90	430–385
41–42 mm	215–205	60–55	95–85	405–365

Menu