Started porting my heads today
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Metabo GE 900 plus for carbides, adjustable speed has very good torque
Have a Metabo GE700 for sanding rolls, less torque more speed.
Honestly you could probably get by with the 900 for everything, carbides only use settings 1-2 most the time anyway. Goes to 8 or so.
www.acutabove.com ask for Danny or try ebay
They have decent prices on cartridge rolls, too. Get the good ones or youll spend more time switching them out then using them. Youll need a mandel, one about 3-4 in, one 6 in.
Have a Metabo GE700 for sanding rolls, less torque more speed.
Honestly you could probably get by with the 900 for everything, carbides only use settings 1-2 most the time anyway. Goes to 8 or so.
www.acutabove.com ask for Danny or try ebay
They have decent prices on cartridge rolls, too. Get the good ones or youll spend more time switching them out then using them. Youll need a mandel, one about 3-4 in, one 6 in.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 1
From: Superior WI
Metabo GE 900 plus for carbides, adjustable speed has very good torque
Have a Metabo GE700 for sanding rolls, less torque more speed.
Honestly you could probably get by with the 900 for everything, carbides only use settings 1-2 most the time anyway. Goes to 8 or so.
www.acutabove.com ask for Danny or try ebay
They have decent prices on cartridge rolls, too. Get the good ones or youll spend more time switching them out then using them. Youll need a mandel, one about 3-4 in, one 6 in.
Have a Metabo GE700 for sanding rolls, less torque more speed.
Honestly you could probably get by with the 900 for everything, carbides only use settings 1-2 most the time anyway. Goes to 8 or so.
www.acutabove.com ask for Danny or try ebay
They have decent prices on cartridge rolls, too. Get the good ones or youll spend more time switching them out then using them. Youll need a mandel, one about 3-4 in, one 6 in.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 542
Likes: 0
From: middle of Illinois
Wish I had that tool when I did mine. I actually ended up switching to a dremel like tool for some of the final surface work on the guides, bowls, and chambers because I had such a hard time being consistant with the air grinder's speed. I only got away with it because I have aluminum heads, the rotary tool would take a year to cover an inch on iron.
Agreed. And it's really frustrating when you're on a roll (no pun intended) and have to stop to switch them out every 30 seconds.
My plan drawing looks a lot like cuisinartvette's drawing/picture above. On the guides, think of the leading and trailing edges of an airplane wing right where it meets the fuselage.
If you're doing it to save a buck, I'll repeat the warning you've likely heard from many others: It's not worth it, just send them to someone who's already made their mistakes, figured out what works, and can do it right.
But if you're doing it for the experience of doing it yourself and don't mind the fact that it won't be as good as a pro and will take up every spare minute you have for at least a month and leave a horrible mess on your work bench, go for it. Be sure to measure and share the results so everyone can either bash you for trying if it's not much gain, or accuse you of lying if it is!
My plan drawing looks a lot like cuisinartvette's drawing/picture above. On the guides, think of the leading and trailing edges of an airplane wing right where it meets the fuselage.
If you're doing it to save a buck, I'll repeat the warning you've likely heard from many others: It's not worth it, just send them to someone who's already made their mistakes, figured out what works, and can do it right.
But if you're doing it for the experience of doing it yourself and don't mind the fact that it won't be as good as a pro and will take up every spare minute you have for at least a month and leave a horrible mess on your work bench, go for it. Be sure to measure and share the results so everyone can either bash you for trying if it's not much gain, or accuse you of lying if it is!
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 658
Likes: 1
From: Centerville OH
I use a single speed electric die grinder plugged into an adjustable speed control that I got from Harbor Freight. I also use an air die grinder.
For iron heads, good grinding burs are a must. Also, resist the temptation to turn the grinder speed up to remove material faster. The bur will chatter and skip and you will end up grinding something you didn't want to grind.
Follow Ron's suggestions -- the man definitely knows his stuff.
For iron heads, good grinding burs are a must. Also, resist the temptation to turn the grinder speed up to remove material faster. The bur will chatter and skip and you will end up grinding something you didn't want to grind.
Follow Ron's suggestions -- the man definitely knows his stuff.
