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I know that this sounds trivial, but when I'm reaming for bridge pins, I spend more time and energy picking and unclogging wood trapped in the reamer than actual reaming. Any old tricks to help alleviate the reamer from clogging up after 3 or 4 turns? Clinton

No old triks I'm afraid.
I just use a large bamboo BBQ skewer and only turn a couple of turns between cleans. 3/4 turns sounds a lot, the flutes must be well hard packed. (I use SM's reamers)
I suspect a rub with beeswax would not hurt if you don't intend finishing the bridge.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Ah, so I'm not the only one this happens to I just take my trusty dull x-acto knife and run it down each groove, starting from the handle and going toward the tip. Usually lifts all the compacted wood chips out with minimal effort. But do be careful not to rub it against the actual cutting edges, so as not to dull them.

You can also use a pointy piece of wood, but push from tip to handle so you're not compressing the dust into a tighter space, since it doesn't get up underneath the wood chips as well as the knife. No danger of dulling the reamer, but also doesn't work as well, especially when the wood chips are tightly compacted.

IME, you don't have to clean it out every 4 turns. Just once or twice per peg. But it's still kind of a pain.

I'm glad I don't own any spiral reamers.

This is the only trick i know of. Grab it in your fist and pull it out. Before you leave for the ER, ask your wife/ girlfriend/ partner to clean it out for you. They will do a great job since you are injured and they will feel bad and want to make you feel better.
Don't use this trick too often though.

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PMoMC

Soft rubber. If you don't have a crepe block, get you one or two. They will revive most sanding belts and blocks, as well as instantly clear your reamer of chips.

You're welcome.

I have a crepe block, never thought of using it tho. I 'll give that a try. Thanks. Clinton

I use recycled old dental chisels, they last forever and can be ground to any shape the job demands.Ask your dentist

use candle wax on the flutes.
not allot-just enough so you can
easily use a toothpick to clean them.

mike

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Mike Collins

Yes to Mike's suggestion, or even good old Johnson's paste wax--applied to clean flutes and then buffed lightly with an old tee shirt. Not to throw water on Colin's suggestion, but all the bee's wax I've had is tacky and stuff sticks to it. Oddly enough, that makes it perfect for lots of things, such as sticking a screw to the end of a screwdriver temporarily. But I don't think it's the best choice for keeping one's reamer flutes clean.
Just my opinion, friends,
Patrick

Candle wax sounds good, or wax paste. Thanks guys.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... at=1,43456 I think this replaced another product called Waxilit.

Alex

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fwiw, i use a tapered endmill= spiral flutes, 3 and 5 deg avail, carbide, no packing, -not cheap but...