There are several types of "hones". The ones most shade tree mechanics are familiar with are actually "glaze breakers", spring-loaded carborundum stones that do follow the cylinder shape. Those are only good for cutting through the mirror polish on the surface of a cylinder so new rings can seat. They're useless for finishing a rebored cylinder. Another service tool for re-ring jobs is the "button" hone with dozens of individual abrasive balls on flexible shanks. These are also only good for deglazing the cylinder walls.
The rigid hone used for final cylinder finishing after reboring is set to a specific diameter, and cuts only the high spots. After several passes with accurate measurements in between, the cylinder is left perfectly round, smoother than the boring cutter can accomplish, and with a cross-hatch scratch pattern that aids in the wear-in process necessary for new piston rings to achieve a perfect seal with the cylinder walls. It is virtually impossible to machine a cylinder smooth enough with a cutting tool to allow ring seating to happen, so the final 2-3 thousandths of an inch are removed with the hone. The torque plate lets the cylinder assume the shape it will have with the cylinder head bolted down before the final honing is accomplished.
Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 12/07/2013 5:35 AM.
