Need an electric die grinder on the cheap to use on a one time aluminum heads and intake manifold job. What should I get and can i get it at the cheap place harbor freight. No longer have an air compresser so air is out.

 

I bought this one and returned it. Too bulky for my work but it was a good tool : https://www.harborfreight.com/4-amp-...der-56932.html

 

thanks looks like that could do the job.

 

Anything on the cheap is a trip to Harbor Freight.

 

Maybe they have a smaller one to handle cant take much to cut on aluminum.

 

I bought a cheap China 1/8" grinder about 15 years ago and it's working today. The collets wear out but it was about $30 if I recall. Compares to a Dremel. In fact I have a Dremel and never use it, just a back up. I found it on ebay

 

i like that big HF die grinder. did a set of iron bbc heads with one. just NEVER buy the cuting tools at HF. welding supply places have them for cleaning up welds.

 

I bought the electric harbor freight grinder, it works great. I have air grinders but with the air compressor running, it’s so damn noisy.

 

Most stuff I see to port with is 1/4 inch. So far have never even been in a harbor freight just heard they have cheap stuff. Worked engines for 52 years this probably my last one so if it makes it through two heads and one intake manifold all I need for it to do.

 

The big Harbor Freight electric grinder is fine but do not try to use sandpaper rolls or stones - only carbide cutters. The RPM is very high and the stones/rolls will explode at that speed.

 

Yes,,,the HF grinders work fine. I have the blue "Hercules" one and it does well. As mentioned they spin pretty fast so you have to be careful with long shank burrs or very aggressive ones. A variable speed one is much easier to control but you can do well if you're careful. Yes...get good burrs.....Summit sells some that work OK.

JIM

 

Buy once, cry once

Milwaukee Fuel. I have a long carbide cutter on one that I have used to modify and remove a ton of crap that had zero access. I bought it to port cylinder heads and have yet to do that, but I've sure found a ton of other things that it's great for. Oh, and at 10Krpm, everything is butter...

 

I use a hanging motor grinder with a 3' long cable and head unit. It has the smaller head so it fits in places others can't. This device also means less hand fatigue as the weight is being held for you and all you are doing is moving the end of the hose to cut or polish.

Dremel "quality" seems to be long gone, I am throwing away my most recent Dremel as they don't last like the older ones did. I have since then switched to a PROXXON brand Dremel type tool. It is a much nicer tool than the Dremel's are any more. The Proxxon's are made in Germany and have a great reputation for quality tools. I love my set, it came with the Proxxon Flexi-shaft in my kit and I have used it many times.

 

Have to agree. My dremel is pretty much becoming junk too. The battery power ones are so under powered they won't hardly do anything.

Thanks for the tip on Proxxon. I'm gonna check those out.

 

yes a variable speed would help I really don't have to do it cheapest way possible who makes a variable speed you know of. I have to buy a digital inside caliber probably and outside caliber then the stuff to port it with. For what I'm building the smart move would buy a set of afrs best 195 head fully cnc but oh no not doing that lol. I'm buying trick flows new dhc head that mostly looks nostalgia outside but modern elsewhere going to leave the chamber alone and the short side. Planning to raise the roof some intake and exhaust maybe widen the bowl some down by the guide then look at the pushrod pinch see if it's big enough not to choke the engine at 8000 rpm small engine 337. If I do need more at the pushrod pinch I'm thinking will leave it alone at the bottom of the floor and cut it at an angle where its wider at the top then bottom.

 

8000 rpm 337? You’ve got my interest. What else can you tell us about this build?

 

I've only started buying parts for it have a block that checked out will bore it .060 had to use a eagle 4340 3.250 stroke. The rods I have are molinar 6.250 in light only weigh 512 grams. Pistons I'm looking at weigh less then 400 grams pins are also short and light. Will be using a pro 55 cam core solid flat tappet should be able to have Mike Jones grind it with an LS firing order want that because it's supposed to be easier on the crankshaft, bearings and will be easier on the main webs of my block along with the light weight reciprocating weight of the rods and pistons, im planning on blocking off the bottom of the cam tunnel to keep oil off the crankshaft. Cam lobes will be oiled in three ways, edm lifters then I'm going to groove the lifter bore and then oil coming off around the lifter bores. Oil pump going to be a melling shark tooth. Valve springs will be a set of conical single very light with a tool steel retainer 136 seat pressure at 1.8 install height 412 lbs on the nose with a 438 rate. Back to the cam will have Jones make lobes more along the lines of an oval track cam not a drag race lobe. Rockers will be crower stainless steel .090 back set 1.5 on the exhaust will not know where to go on the intake tell I talk to jones, oh ya the valves will be hollow stem ferrea, ignition will be msd crank trigger. Will have two 4150 holleys for carbs.

 

Seems like DeWalt and a couple of others have them. I've also seen a peddle switch that plugs inbetween grinder and wall to vary RPM...but I haven't used one yet.

You can use HF inside outside calipers...comes in a set with a bunch of others for about $10. Then use a good digital caliper to measure them.

Pay close attention to the throat area under the seat. Don't go too big...it will ruin the flow. You need to measure that one closely. Typically intake in the 90% range of the valve to maintain a venturi effect.

Here's the aluminum I recently removed from the heads and intake I ported for my project...LOL

JIM

 

Maybe you could rent one at an auto parts store like Advance or Auto-Zone..
Some even loan them for a small deposit!!!
JJ78

 

Dual quads, high reving short stroke engine, cool build.
What heads are you using?
So the cam will be a narrow LSA with relatively short duration?
136# on the seat, sounds light. Is this because your using beehive type springs and light hollow stem valves you can get away with this?