Home Forums General Discussion Forum Ronell’s vs Merrits

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  • #49367
    doug s
    Participant

      Hi,
      Have my first question to the forum. I realize having a bushing machine is the way to go, but that is a ways away, for now I am on a real tight budget. I need to learn how to bush by hand anyway. Unless persuaded to other, I am currently looking at a Bergeon reamer handle and using KWM sized cutters / bushings.
      Merritts: P-1296.2.68 #3 cutter is : $35.00
      Ronell’s TR-03B #3 cutter is : $13.95.

      Is one simply higher priced than the other or are we looking at Ronell’s being an import? <<<<<<Actually I looked again, it says American Made.

      Merritts http://www.merritts.com/clock_parts/public/productlist.aspx?SearchText=P-1296.2.68&x=0&y=0
      Ronell http://www.ronellclock.com/27mm-KWM-Size-Reamer-for-Bergeon-TR-03B.htm?categoryId=-1

      The reason the Bergeon handle is that the cutter will be tighter with the set screw vs the bayonet style of KWM. (KWM bit being a little loose in handle?) Is this a big deal or just get the KWM set and be don with it.

      Thank you,
      Doug

      #61067
      arutha
      Participant

        Hi Doug,
        I dont use a bushing machine, my personal opinion is that by the time you have messed about setting it up and changing over the different cutters etc you could have done it quicker by hand. That is my personal opinion, others here will disagree.
        I have drill bits in half mm sizes from 2mm to 4mm. Drill the plate out, hammer the bush in, broach to size, cut the oil sink, smooth broach. If I have 3 bushes needed in 1 plate which have the same size external diameter I can mark them and drill them all out at the same time. The cutting angle of the drill bits is backed off slightly so they dont grab in the brass and they are stoned in the lathe to get exactly the right fit hole for the bushes. Cost compared to a bushing machine? The price of a few drill bits and cutting and smoothing broaches.
        The only thing you have to be careful of is if the original pivot hole is badly worn, you must even up the wear with a needle file before drilling out or you will lose centre. I practiced on a bit of scrap brass until I got the drill bits just as I wanted them.
        Just a thought!
        Paul.

        #61068
        doug s
        Participant

          @Arutha wrote:

          Hi Doug,
          I dont use a bushing machine, my personal opinion is that by the time you have messed about setting it up and changing over the different cutters etc you could have done it quicker by hand. That is my personal opinion, others here will disagree.
          I have drill bits in half mm sizes from 2mm to 4mm. Drill the plate out, hammer the bush in, broach to size, cut the oil sink, smooth broach. If I have 3 bushes needed in 1 plate which have the same size external diameter I can mark them and drill them all out at the same time. The cutting angle of the drill bits is backed off slightly so they dont grab in the brass and they are stoned in the lathe to get exactly the right fit hole for the bushes. Cost compared to a bushing machine? The price of a few drill bits and cutting and smoothing broaches.
          The only thing you have to be careful of is if the original pivot hole is badly worn, you must even up the wear with a needle file before drilling out or you will lose centre. I practiced on a bit of scrap brass until I got the drill bits just as I wanted them.
          Just a thought!
          Paul.

          Thank you Paul,
          Are you using a drill press base like one found at Time Savers Item #: 15213? http://timesavers.com/i-8948873-drill-press-bushing-tool-adapter.html
          Are you using a center first then to drill?
          By using metric bits, do you turn your bushings or buy? brand?

          I would need a lesson on modifying bits for brass. I have a small watchmakers lathe picked up at a garage a few years ago.
          Doug Sutton

          #61069
          arutha
          Participant

            Hi Doug,
            I use bits of wood to make sure I can support the clock plate flat, as you know sometimes they have pins and short arbors sticking out in the most inconvenient places. No I dont use a centre drill first, I do feed the drill bit in very slowly so it finds its own centre and then I grip the plate and press down with the drill.
            I have just read this all back and it sounds like very bad practice but I have yet to lose a centre doing it this way where as before doing it all by hand, broaching the holes out to take the bush I did manage to lose centre once or twice and I would quite often over broach the hole so the bush would fall all the way through 😯
            My drill press is a bench top type, all cast iron and belt driven. I drilled out a 0.4mm hole with a carbide drill bit through some 0.5mm gauge plate for a pocket watch click I was making, its an old but very accurate machine. probably the other thing I should have mentioned, make sure your drill is reasonably accurate otherwise your holes will come out a little larger than expected!
            Bergeon bushes are in metric sizes and if I need to make my own bushes for something they tend to be odd sizes and then I would broach by hand anyway.
            Paul :)

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