Looking for Machinist... or Advice

[bob58o]

I've been calling around looking for someone to mill my Hemi Predator 212cc Cylinder Head
I found one place that would do it.
https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/aos/5570410707.html
$85/hr. - No estimate on time until he has it to look at.
How Long should it take for set up??? I assume cutting only takes 10 minutes.

What is a decent price for whole job (just milling the head 0.005-0.015")?? I Started with sand Paper already. I will cc the chamber before I have it worked on.
Still looking into different options. GX 160 heads, Ebay Heads, but would like THIS head - or equal replacement head (just with a smaller chamber).

If he tries to charge me a fortune and it comes down to it... And I pay shipping both ways.....

Anybody willing to make a few bucks and take on the job???
You can PM or post here. We can talk about it or what ever. You can shoot me a quote. We can talk about what else you might be able to do.

I still looking at other options, but beginning to consider shipping the head to have it done as well.

Thanks in advance!
Bob

P.S. I edited my location back to original so that Poboy doesn't yell and start a thread on the importance of filling out a profile correctly. LOL

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Well, being in Chicago you're going to pay more than someone out in the sticks, but I'd say 50 bucks is an easily fair price.

Any engine machine shop, or if you have a fabricator or blacksmith, anyone with a Bridgeport can handle this really.

Before I was an engineer, I was a machinist. I would estimate it would take me about 30 minutes, start to finish, to set-up and mill it flat.

 

[mckutzy]

I think the most amount of time will be spent on referencing jig, IE: where the face of the head is to be machined to the relation to the table.

Something like this would have to be made...
http://www.ezbore.net/Head-Milling-Fixture-p/ezt12500h.htm

On a old briggs flat head.... they typically reference from the sparkplug hole, as it is inline to the axis of the bore....

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I wouldn't make anything, I would set it up square with blocks, parallel's, whatever I needed, check it with an indicator, and cut it.

Jig's are for making a whole bunch of something, the same, if you're just doing one, no need for a jig.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Jig's are for making a whole bunch of something.

And all this time, I thought they were for Irish celebrations!

EDIT: Oh wait! I forgot! I can't go crappie fishing without them!

 

[Jrgunn5150]

And all this time, I thought they were for Irish celebrations!

I'm not Irish, but I still use them for celebrating as well.

 

[Joe-405]

Call dyno cams. You will have to ship it to them but it won't be anywhere near that price.

 

[Poboy kartman]

P.S. I edited my location back to original so that Poboy doesn't yell and start a thread on the importance of filling out a profile correctly. LOL

And what makes you think THAT will stop me?

 

[chancer]

P.S. I edited my location back to original so that Poboy doesn't yell and start a thread on the importance of filling out a profile correctly. LOL

Finally!!! A couple weeks ago I forgot Where you actually DO reside.

 

[Desertduler]

If I had the time I would do it for you, right now I have too many things going on, I have blocks and parallel's and material that I could square the head up on my milling machine. .015 is not that much to remove you could do it yourself by taping down emery paper on plate glass and work the cylinder head in a figure 8 motion, before I had any metal working machines I worked down many heads using this method, remember when you remove material off of a four cycle engine with push rod activated valve train the rocker arm geometry changes and that creates a whole different can of worms, also as a note which does not relate to your engine but when you mill a cylinder head on a four cycle engine with a overhead cam the valve timing becomes retarded and one must readjust the valve timing to compensate for the change. See why I use two stroke engines and engines without valve trains?

As a rule of thumb as far as rocker arm geometry goes at 50% of the valve opening the rocker arm tip should be in the center of the valve tip this must be checked before and after any machining is done to either the cylinder head or deck of the block, different rocker arms are installed with different ratios, camshaft base circle is changed and or camshaft is changed and or if the valve stem height has been changed. This is a very important step that on any engine with rocker arm activated valves needs to be checked and compensated for and corrected if need be that most people don't do for what ever reason.

 

[bob58o]

.015 is not that much to remove you could do it yourself by taping down emery paper on plate glass and work the cylinder head in a figure 8 motion

I am in the process of doing this right now. I have been a using figure 8 motion. I just started to see how it was going to go. The glass pane is small and with a single sheet of sand paper, the strokes are short. I was afraid this might lead to Convex or imperfect surface. It actually seems to be going OK. I am learning the best way to do this and hopefully I get it down before I take off too much material!

I may want to go more than 0.015" after I find out how many cc's are left in the head. I think a 10.5 compression ratio seems reasonable. I'll figure out how much needs to come off. I found a good chart at NR Racing for estimates of how much to shave to achieve certain compressions with different head gaskets.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I am in the process of doing this right now. I have been a using figure 8 motion. I just started to see how it was going to go. The glass pane is small and with a single sheet of sand paper, the strokes are short. I was afraid this might lead to Convex or imperfect surface. It actually seems to be going OK. I am learning the best way to do this and hopefully I get it down before I take off too much material!

I may want to go more than 0.015" after I find out how many cc's are left in the head. I think a 10.5 compression ratio seems reasonable. I'll figure out how much needs to come off. I found a good chart at NR Racing for estimates of how much to shave to achieve certain compressions with different head gaskets.

Do you have a straightedge to check it with? I think i saw you had caliper's, you can use them if so.

 

[bob58o]

Do you have a straightedge to check it with? I think i saw you had caliper's, you can use them if so.

No straight edge. I just ordered a $20, 12" straight edge accurate to 0.001". I hope that is good enough for me. I've been reading 0.003" for the gasket surface with no abrupt changes over 0.001".

I'm still looking....

I found this $30/hr guy who is always all over craigslist. I sent him a text with some pics (of cylinder head) lol.

I'm sure he can do a better job than me.

 

[bob58o]

Do you have a straightedge to check it with? I think i saw you had caliper's, you can use them if so.

My calipers are from Harbor Freight, but are better than my measuring skills apparently. I was trying to use the depth probe on them, but fillet and chamfered edges are making it difficult. Was having same trouble trying with the other side of the calipers.

So then I started looking at good straight edges..... More than the price of outsourcing machining!
Considered glass as straight edge but seem hard to check with feeler gauge. I've read that valve lapping compound on glass can make a nice finish, but that seems more difficult than the sand paper??

 

[bob58o]

Today I'm bringing the head the the shop for an estimate. Hopefully around 2 o'clock. $85/hr

Maybe a 3 angle valve job if he's a good salesman? lol


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---------- Post added at 11:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------

I don't want to take the valves out but I guess it is time.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

But do they work on lawn mower engines?

 

[bob58o]

But do they work on lawn mower engines?

Yes he said bring it in. I didn't ask about the valve job.

---------- Post added at 11:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 AM ----------

Looking at the head I now see a scratch (hope not a crack) in the intake valve seat. Oh No!
I post a pic with my phone.

Cant get a good pic. It is small and I cant feel it. It does not run in the radial direction. It runs around the circumference and doesn't run into actuall part of the seat that does the sealing. IDK

 

[bob58o]

Estimate....
2 hrs to shim level.
20 minutes to cut.

$200+ is out of my range. Good news is he checked my work and I had done good up to there. Back to sanding!

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Estimate....
2 hrs to shim level.
20 minutes to cut.

$200+ is out of my range. Good news is he checked my work and I had done good up to there. Back to sanding!

That seems like a ridiculous time estimate to me. You can use the back side of the calipers, the part that looks like a ruler, as a straight edge.

If you can't find someone to do it this week, I'll go out to the tool room and do it for you.

 

[bob58o]

That seems like a ridiculous time estimate to me. You can use the back side of the calipers, the part that looks like a ruler, as a straight edge.

If you can't find someone to do it this week, I'll go out to the tool room and do it for you.

Thanks!

The Guy looked at it, Checked it with straight edge and feeler gauge, QUICKLY RAN IT ON A BELT SANDER????, and said it is pretty straight. Don't know why he had to run it on a belt sander to check? I almost sheet my shorts.

Then he asked, "You want at least 0.025" taken off?" I said "Between there and 0.040" would be fine with me."
He got out a level and set it up quickly. He showed me how he had to get it level, yada, yada, yaja, 2.5 hrs. lol I said I'll buy the race ready head for $220 before I go that route.