Doing a little Tri-Z head milling!

[bkm]

Yeagerb came over last night and needed .020 taken off a Tri-z head. This is the first head shaving I've done. The plug hole is 90 degrees to the deck surface so it can be easily chucked up in the lathe and checked with the indicator. We had .001 runout prior to turning. I think it turned out pretty good.

Next experiment will be with squish bands and piston dome profiles. I'm not re-inventing the wheel here, but it just goes to show what can be accomplished in a home garage. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180208/c85a70f00f1542d6e510bf2115f7b21b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180208/ff7728a02f2d43d634d31317dc1447b3.jpg

[brandonlowe2]

hey that looks great! :-)

[bkm]

hey that looks great! :-)Thanks buddy. Your head popped my cherry. Lol

[El Camexican]

There's no such thing as bad heads, only good heads and great heads.

[brandonlowe2]

Good! Looks like you been doing it for years :-)

[3 Wheel Drive]

I had my z head milled down yearz ago, it runs pretty nice. I never bothered to use my billet cool head because it runs so good. :cool:

http://www.quadpit.com/mags/1985/3-4w-action/yam-wrench-report-02.htm

[El Camexican]

Now do me and my OCD a favor, roll your sleeves up past your elbows (safety first) and spin that chamber against some 600 grit sandpaper to make it shine :Bounce

[bkm]

Now do me and my OCD a favor, roll your sleeves up past your elbows (safety first) and spin that chamber against some 600 grit sandpaper to make it shine :BounceIt was 25 degrees in the garage. Chicks dig scars.

[El Camexican]

Chicks dig scars.

Maybe not that unit, but most lathes don't leave scars, they leave widows.

[big specht]

Anybody have any idea how to mount a head with out a 90deg plug hole? I have some that need done

[El Camexican]

Anybody have any idea how to mount a head with out a 90deg plug hole? I have some that need done

I'm not aware of one. I think they have to be done on a milling machine.

[bkm]

Anybody have any idea how to mount a head with out a 90deg plug hole? I have some that need doneFaceplate with spacers that mount on top of the flats for the stud holes is what I was drawing up in my head.

[bkm]

Maybe not that unit, but most lathes don't leave scars, they leave widows.Yes they will and even a little guy like this will break a finger. I know better, just like taking a bike for a quick spin without a helmet on, nothing could ever happen to me.

[bkm]

I had my z head milled down yearz ago, it runs pretty nice. I never bothered to use my billet cool head because it runs so good. :cool:

http://www.quadpit.com/mags/1985/3-4w-action/yam-wrench-report-02.htmWe went .020 on this one, but it looks like the wrench report suggests .030.

[El Camexican]

We went .020 on this one, but it looks like the wrench report suggests .030.

You won't regret that.

[6spdls1z28]

We went .020 on this one, but it looks like the wrench report suggests .030.Wanna do mine????

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[El Camexican]

Faceplate with spacers that mount on top of the flats for the stud holes is what I was drawing up in my head.

When he mentioned that I was thinking about multi-domes as well, like an RD 350. I wonder if you could mount a head to the tool stand and draw it across a tool that was offset in the lathe head?

[bkm]

When he mentioned that I was thinking about multi-domes as well, like an RD 350. I wonder if you could mount a head to the tool stand and draw it across a tool that was offset in the lathe head?Mill attachment that mounts to the cross slide and run and end mill in the chuck. The old timers will tell you the only machine a true machinist needs s a lathe. In theory al lathe should be able to make itself.

[bkm]

Wanna do mine????

Sent from my XT1635-01 using TapatalkAbsolutely. Shoot me a pm

[morgan]

Please post more pictures when you modify the squish band, interested to see that.

[bkm]

Please post more pictures when you modify the squish band, interested to see that.You and me both. Lol

[Ol Deuce]

Looks Good!! I did that same thing on my Gold 175 head !! Ol Deuce

[bkm]

The liquid R head is definitely an angled plug. The faceplate idea won't work because the bolts through the bottom would interfere with the cutting process. I'm going to make sure the plug hole is in the center of the head and then turn an arbor out our round stock. Kinda hard to picture without pictures, but I'll report back. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180209/0e2f51cb1df7809bb55b0e81d3e3754b.jpg

[big specht]

I have some air cooled heads I want to cut and that's been my dilemma is mounting them in a why that is easily repeatable and centered.

[bkm]

I have some air cooled heads I want to cut and that's been my dilemma is mounting them in a why that is easily repeatable and centered.I'm thinking a 14mm threaded arbor up through the combustion chamber side of the head sticking out like the spark plug. Then take a chunk of round stock, internally threaded for 14mm to fit over top of the arbor and drill it for a set screw so it's always in that place. It's going to be angled too, but after its set in place, chuck the head up combustion chamber side to the left. Then turn down the round stock until it's 90 degrees to the deck surface.

[big specht]

That will work if the other head have the same plug angle. But that's a good idea

[bkm]

That will work if the other head have the same plug angle. But that's a good ideaThey'll probably be head specific.

[muthey]

now you are just getting complicated tap the holes in the head and run bolts between them and a mounting plate.

[bkm]

now you are just getting complicated tap the holes in the head and run bolts between them and a mounting plate.

The 250r heads are notorious for leaking around the stud holes so leaving those alone would be my first choice. I don't think guys would appreciate drilling and tapping the stud holes in their heads just to mill the surface and while my way might not even work and take a little labor to get it done, If it does work, it's a set it an forget it type deal. Plus I'm not removing the chuck, installing the faceplate, and then indicating it in. Not to mention the labor of tapping the stud holes.

[El Camexican]

I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to explain this without a drawing or sketch, but here goes anyway.

Imagine a round plate that was the size of whatever the maximum your bed will allow on that lathe which had a short hollow shaft (pipe if you will) the largest diameter that the chuck will acsept welded to it. Now imagine that you have perforated that large round plate with a whole bunch of different hole patterns that are threaded, as well as one large one (unthreaded, maybe 1” día.)in the center.

You would need an assortment of angled slugs that would match the angles of the various spark plugs in the heads that you planned to do machine work on. Those slugs would have the angle on one side and be cut straight on the other.

If you only wanted to face the mounting services of the head the slugs could just have a small hole in the center that would allow you to draw at T shaped rod through the combustion chamber side of the head, through the spark plug hole and through the hole in the slug which could then be tightened with a nut. However, if you wanted to reshape combustion chambers you would need to have a rod that could thread into the spark hole from the top. Not sure if your lathe would afford enough room for that.

One way to make the tools would be to smash a bunch of spark plugs up and just weld some threaded rods to the remaining threaded metal portion of the plugs to make your tools.

So focusing just on a setup to face the mounting services of heads with non-perpendicular spark plug holes, the remainder of the threaded holes in that round plate would be used to thread rods, or bolts into it to press up against various points on the top side of the head which could then be locked into place with nuts. These would be used to properly locate the head parallel to the mounting plate as well as stabilize it during the machining process.

Does this make sense?

[bkm]

I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to explain this without a drawing or sketch, but here goes anyway.

Imagine a round plate that was the size of whatever the maximum your bed will allow on that lathe which had a short hollow shaft (pipe if you will) the largest diameter that the chuck will acsept welded to it. Now imagine that you have perforated that large round plate with a whole bunch of different hole patterns that are threaded, as well as one large one (unthreaded, maybe 1” día.)in the center.

You would need an assortment of angled slugs that would match the angles of the various spark plugs in the heads that you planned to do machine work on. Those slugs would have the angle on one side and be cut straight on the other.

If you only wanted to face the mounting services of the head the slugs could just have a small hole in the center that would allow you to draw at T shaped rod through the combustion chamber side of the head, through the spark plug hole and through the hole in the slug which could then be tightened with a nut. However, if you wanted to reshape combustion chambers you would need to have a rod that could thread into the spark hole from the top. Not sure if your lathe would afford enough room for that.

One way to make the tools would be to smash a bunch of spark plugs up and just weld some threaded rods to the remaining threaded metal portion of the plugs to make your tools.

So focusing just on a setup to face the mounting services of heads with non-perpendicular spark plug holes, the remainder of the threaded holes in that round plate would be used to thread rods, or bolts into it to press up against various points on the top side of the head which could then be locked into place with nuts. These would be used to properly locate the head parallel to the mounting plate as well as stabilize it during the machining process.

Does this make sense?Yep, makes perfect sense. In essence it's kinda the same thinking as my idea with the angled slugs. I'm just skipping the plate idea. I think we're on the same track here. The biggest problem is the capacity of my lathe. If I had a bigger lathe with a 4 jaw, this wouldn't even be an issue.