Sad... machine shop is closing OT
10-16-2018, 10:20 AM
#1
Le Mans Master
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Sad... machine shop is closing OT
I just found out the machine shop where I had my engine block, crank and heads worked on is closing its doors. I understand. why these shops are closing... Today most new engines are pretty much used once until it blows then replace the engine or sell off the vehicle. But for classics or race cars its getting harder and harder to find a good machine shop which does good work even worst now is finding a machine shop that still does the work.
Still I was sad to see the shop close its doors.
Still I was sad to see the shop close its doors.
10-16-2018, 10:55 AM
#2
Safety Car
I worked at and supervised a fairly large machine shop in the 70s and 80s. In the late 80s I decided if I was going to have to put up with all of the bad parts, hiring training trouble shooting issues all over the country and abroad and handling warranties, I might as well try on my own. After 4 years of doing so I decided I would never make enough to retire on I would just keep on working. So I folded and went into a different area of machining. Now my buddy of many years back is closing his machine shop and he is the only one I will use in our area. So I've bough enough stuff to do my own work. No one is interested in this kind of work anymore. There's not much money in it unless you are a high end race shop. I just finished showing a friend how to bore his flathead. We bored it .125 over so I made him make 3 passes on each cylinder. He thought that was easy. Then we got to honing, he didn't like that so much. I said well I don't like it either keep working. I have a friend that grinds my cranks. I asked if they were going to train anyone to follow him and they said no when he's done they're done. I can't imagine trying to find a shop that you trust to do this type of work. I worked in the medical field for a few years and finished out doing machine work on jumbo jets. Nothing in either field requires the accuracy of the automotive work. Very little in either had requirements closer than .005". There were some things but not that many. .005" in automotive may as well be a foot.lol
10-16-2018, 01:08 PM
#4
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I have been using the same machine shop for 30+yrs. I know that some day the owner will retire and then it will be difficult to find a knowledgeable, top quality engine machine shop. It seems to be a slowly vanishing trade.
10-16-2018, 01:14 PM
#5
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Me too. GOOD machine work is craftsmanship........................... ................and TRUE crafstmen (people who enjoy their trade and take price in it) are slowly disappearing.
10-16-2018, 01:17 PM
#7
Race Director
The machine shop I used a couple times has closed up. Summer before last I went looking for a shop who would balance my clutch to the flywheel. Could not find anyone in the State who said they could do so. I found a few who said if I brought them the entire rotating assembly out of the engine and the flywheel/clutch they could do it. I thought that was a bit extreme to just install a new flywheel before replacing the transmission after a rebuild. I was told I would probably have to go to Memphis or further east to find someone who could do it. They do appear to be a dying breed.
10-16-2018, 01:54 PM
#8
Team Owner
A shop in JAX I used a few times went out of business for the same reasons, owner retires and there was nobody left who could carry on the business.
10-16-2018, 05:23 PM
#9
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St. Jude Donor '11-'24
The shop I’ve used in the past is looking to close. New equipment is expensive and good help is tough to get.
10-16-2018, 06:08 PM
#11
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The guy I used for 35 years closed up and retired about 4 years ago. Nobody to replace him. Same reasons as stated above. A changing world and diminishing demand for machine work. There will always be machinists, just fewer and farther between. There are still guys pouring babbit bearings for antique engines, and I found a wheelwright to make new hickory wheels for my Model T. Just have to hunt down the source.
10-16-2018, 06:13 PM
#12
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Is this thread going to be as long as the typical "What crate engine should I buy" thread?
Last edited by Dad's '66 427; 10-16-2018 at 06:14 PM.
10-17-2018, 09:27 AM
#13
Safety Car
The machine shop I used a couple times has closed up. Summer before last I went looking for a shop who would balance my clutch to the flywheel. Could not find anyone in the State who said they could do so. I found a few who said if I brought them the entire rotating assembly out of the engine and the flywheel/clutch they could do it. I thought that was a bit extreme to just install a new flywheel before replacing the transmission after a rebuild. I was told I would probably have to go to Memphis or further east to find someone who could do it. They do appear to be a dying breed.
i can't imagine that Keith Craft or Jim Kuntz in Arkadelphia couldn't have done that. I had a balancer that I bought new in my shop but I didn't buy the arbor for balancing flywheels alone. There's just no call for it. But anyone could have just put it on the next assy they were balancing. I think I remember your engine being internally balanced. I have a 2 axis cnc mill in my garage. My oldest grandson has zero interest in it. I recently let one of the younger ones come make a part. He thought it was cool. I don't know if he'll show any interest or not. His twin brother didn't want to mess with it he was glued to his Xbox.
Last edited by Robert61; 10-17-2018 at 09:33 AM.
10-17-2018, 10:44 AM
#14
Tech Contributor
Same deal here, a lot of the good shops can't make ends meet competing with crate engines and a very aging classic car market. Hell I just packed up our complete machine shop and moved it. The interesting part, a known crook in the business here is still open and taking advantage of his customers, the honest guys are closing. Glad I have my own machines.
10-17-2018, 11:28 AM
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With all my years in racing, I have worked with a number of machine shops, and many of our fellow racers were machine shop owners. Many very good people, just trying to make a business work. A good friend that I raced with for several years owned a full machine shop, doing work for racers and rebuilding motors. Back when mail order started to become bigger and bigger he would have people come in, tell him what they wanted for a rebuild and he would work up an estimate with all of the parts and labor. A few weeks later the customer would show up with their motor, and boxes and boxes of all of the parts they bought off of mail order, and then could not figure out why my friend told them he was not interested in doing work for them, when they only wanted to cover the labor....
Everyone wants the best deal, the lowest price and it is a 'world economy' now. It seems there is very little concern for the neighborhood business, and in general people are short sided in thinking that somehow it all works out in the end. Going away are any semblance of the 'Mom and Pop' shops of just about anything. It is becoming a throw away world when it comes to products, not much lasts these days, so there is nothing to rebuild anyway....
I don't know what the answer is, but I do try to do my part to keep some of the old guard going. I just had our 427 rebuilt after a valve issue and the fellow who went though the heads and did the final assembly works out of his garage at home. You would never guess that he has an entire machine shop in a good size 2-car garage in a neighborhood. He is 73, I think. Had another fellow go through the Muncie, he also works out of his garage at home, he too has been doing this for a long, long, long, long, time. These guys are not on the internet, and don't have a web page. You find them by word of mouth from those that know who knows what they are doing, and who you can trust. In addition to getting quality work done, you also get to hear some stories from days gone by, which is worth something too...…
Everyone wants the best deal, the lowest price and it is a 'world economy' now. It seems there is very little concern for the neighborhood business, and in general people are short sided in thinking that somehow it all works out in the end. Going away are any semblance of the 'Mom and Pop' shops of just about anything. It is becoming a throw away world when it comes to products, not much lasts these days, so there is nothing to rebuild anyway....
I don't know what the answer is, but I do try to do my part to keep some of the old guard going. I just had our 427 rebuilt after a valve issue and the fellow who went though the heads and did the final assembly works out of his garage at home. You would never guess that he has an entire machine shop in a good size 2-car garage in a neighborhood. He is 73, I think. Had another fellow go through the Muncie, he also works out of his garage at home, he too has been doing this for a long, long, long, long, time. These guys are not on the internet, and don't have a web page. You find them by word of mouth from those that know who knows what they are doing, and who you can trust. In addition to getting quality work done, you also get to hear some stories from days gone by, which is worth something too...…
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GTOguy (10-17-2018)
10-17-2018, 01:29 PM
#16
Race Director
i can't imagine that Keith Craft or Jim Kuntz in Arkadelphia couldn't have done that. I had a balancer that I bought new in my shop but I didn't buy the arbor for balancing flywheels alone. There's just no call for it. But anyone could have just put it on the next assy they were balancing. I think I remember your engine being internally balanced. I have a 2 axis cnc mill in my garage. My oldest grandson has zero interest in it. I recently let one of the younger ones come make a part. He thought it was cool. I don't know if he'll show any interest or not. His twin brother didn't want to mess with it he was glued to his Xbox.
