Reaming holes before or after hardening

BTW, I'm not sure I've ever seen a "metric" barrel lap, or if the diameters are listed in millimeters very often, but you might also try searching for fractions of an inch that are closest to whichever diameter in millimeters you might be using (assuming you're using metric pivot pins). Typically they'll be listed in 1/8ths, 16ths, or 32nds of an inch in diameter, and some of them have an adjusting screw on the end that lets you tweak the diameter a small fraction of its diameter.
 
Drew Riley said:
BTW, I'm not sure I've ever seen a "metric" barrel lap, or if the diameters are listed in millimeters very often, but you might also try searching for fractions of an inch that are closest to whichever diameter in millimeters you might be using (assuming you're using metric pivot pins). Typically they'll be listed in 1/8ths, 16ths, or 32nds of an inch in diameter, and some of them have an adjusting screw on the end that lets you tweak the diameter a small fraction of its diameter.
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Thanks for all the great tips. I had this idea in mind but I went to acrolaps's website and saw they sell their laps in metric sizes so I've contacted them were I could order these or If I could order it directly from them.
 
My process is to Drill holes, Ream, Harden, Finish the holes by Lapping and test fitting.
 
Since you're working with a Stainless steel and heat treating in foil wrap the only real issue after heat treat is during the Tempering to lower the Hardness in a low temp oven. You will pick up some surface oxide discoloration which should not adversely affect the Hole dimension and my personal experience having made over 600 slip joints there was no need to do a second ream just the Lapping. You can do what you think you need to, but I never found the second ream to be needed.
 
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