13 replies to this topic

[nomininolife]

As above,

What cutting tools have people used to cut valve pockets in their own blocks?

I have tried the normal cutting stones on welds before and ended up with a pile of dust and the weld still in tact.

I have access to air tools as well as a dremel, so hopefully that will widen the range of options.


Any help gratefully received


Regards


David

[Paul Wiginton]

Milling machine

[nomininolife]

I dont have a milling machine to hand I'm afraid.


Regards


David

[Shifty]

Yup, the best way is a milling machine.

There was a guy on here(jet black or blick??) who did it with a dremmel.

Any machine shop will do it for you, would only take a couple of hours. Shouldn't cost more than £50 to have done(cash)

[HARBER07]

Also done mine with a Dremmel and an old piston.

[nomininolife]

There is nowhere near me to do it, travelling will take half my money up!!


Regards

David

[Shifty]

It doesn't need to be done at an engine place, any engineering company with a mill will do it for you.

Its an easy enough job.

[nomininolife]

Ok, thanks

I have spoken to the local engine places and I got the impression I had just been thrown to earth, I have found an engineering firm nearby that do CNC milling. I will give them a try on Monday.


Thanks for the help guys



Regards


David

[Shifty]

It doesn't even need to be cnc!!

A good old fashioned manual mill will do it, hell I could do it the one we've got at work!!

[bmcecosse]

I have done it with simple stones in an electric hand drill (45 years ago!!) - I'm sure someone did it with a router a while back? BUT - it's very much easier to just sink the exhaust valves into the cylinder head by 40 thou! This will give plenty of clearance IF the head hasn't been skimmed - and IF you are using a standard lift camshaft, and NO daft high ratio rockers! The 'sinking' can be done in less than 10 minutes using a pillar drill - and a 45 degree countersink. It works very well - best done on a rather tired head that can be picked up for peanuts! In fact -you may not NEED to do anything - have you measured the distance from head of exhaust valve to surface of head ? If it's more than (or equal) 320 thou - you don't need to do anything - again with standard lift cam/standard rockers.

[sonikk4]

I'm trying to remember what mag i read it in but it may have been an article by Dave Walker however as a cheap and accurate way of cutting pockets was to modify a couple of old valves by modifying the valve heads into cutting heads then using these in the valve guides with a head gasket fitted to cut the pockets.

It worked well but obviously the skill is getting the valve head shaped right to cut effectively and getting the depth right.

[nomininolife]

I dont really need to sink the valves, its a 12g295, I have put 1275 valves in, the valves hit by about 1/8 of an inch but its enough to have bent them.


Regards


David

[bmcecosse]

Ah right -well just 'tiny'pockets needed then! Easy to do with stones - just make sure no dust/grot goes down the bores - seal them with oil soaked rag.

[nomininolife]

Its a bare block any way so the dust isnt a problem. I will have a go with a stone, i can always take it for milling if its not going well.


Regards


David