Ideally I need a slower drill, slower up and down motion for more control, but I haven’t got the ability to slow it down more than that. I think it was pretty good for a first attempt!
Honing Nikasil Cylinders?
- Thread starter Vintage Engine Repairs
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Scottnc
ArboristSite Member
From what I have seen in Stihl cylinders, the Nikasil plating (nickel chromium nitrate) used is no where near as hard as what I was involved with in back in 90"s NASCAR. Nothing short of a diamond hone would touch the stuff. I've had good luck (so far) with a non-descript Harbor Freight mystery grit flex hone with the stones shorted equally from on both ends. Used a variable speed drill. Your mileage may vary. It helped a bunch with cylinders that insisted on making the piston skirt no matter how good the walls looked or felt. A couple licks with the hone is all it took. Anything much under 50mm or 2" need not apply until the stones are well worn. I do not like ball hones but if the fore mentioned flex is used first and a ball hone last I suspect the saw will never know the difference.
I believe current Stihl cylinders are chrome plated, at least in the last 20 years or so
