I've been calling around to a few of machine shops around my area asking for price quotes for line hone. Some shops say they only do line bore and I was wondering are they the same or 2 different processes?

 

A hone uses abrasive stones rather than cutters to remove metal. Line honing typically removes less stock and leaves a smoother finish than line boring, making it well suited for applications where only minimal stock removal is necessary or where a smoother bore finish is desired or required (as in overhead cam cylinder heads where the cam journals have no bearing shells or inserts).

 

You're 100% correct, and the same goes for removing material from the cylinders as well. A lot of people get honing and boring mixed up or they think they're the same thing.

I do want to add that typically an engine that gets align bored gets align honed as well. It's just not common for an engine to need to be align bored, unless it has aftermarket caps or caps from another engine.