Fabrication 10?

[sunbeam39]

Just saved 50.+ buck by making my own valve spring compressor. old socket, new clamp 6.00 little weld and whaaala:

Not pretty but works like a charm!!

[SappySE107]

What are you clamping against cause its not the valve. Doesn't look too safe for aluminum heads to me.

[Superdave]

Probably safer than the claw type... i hate those things.

[sunbeam39]

good point

should have added I guess as some would think that metal on metal is a good idea. for the valve spring, I used a garden hose washer, for the valve itself, I used a small piece of old bike tire.

[sunbeam39]

One head done

Well after safely removing Valve springs with homemade valve spring compressor, valve guides and bolts, used blaster with #6 glass bead and I think turned out great!!

[ForcedFirebird]

They look fantastic! Now you just need to port them to get them to flow a little better

I'm putting some #6 beads on the shopping list since I have a few extra sets of iron heads laying around

I bet the socket really helped to keep the locks and retainers from getting lost. Last time I was dissasembling heads, a retainer shot across my garage and went through a cardboard box 10ft away, and never found one of the locks. Looks like I'll be welding an old socket to my c-clamp type tool I just paid $30 for

[sunbeam39]

#6 glass

Here is what the glass did on the pistons:It takes a bit more time, but not one scratch, cleaned carbon from rings seats, perfectly. All in my $30. cabinet with $30. media

What should I use to port them out.

[ForcedFirebird]

Here is what the glass did on the pistons:It takes a bit more time, but not one scratch, cleaned carbon from rings seats, perfectly. All in my $30. cabinet with $30. media

What should I use to port them out.

I got a used cabinet for $30, and it came with a bucket of media .

You didn't post a pic of the pistons, mine need to be done.

Porting can be done with a stone or carbide burr with a rotary tool or die grinder.

[sunbeam39]

Pistons

Sorry, here they are:

Tried finding a used cabinet here, but either they were broke, or wanted almost as much as new.. cant attached the pic of pistons as they are in another thread but here is the link to that one:
It is labelled sand - glass blasting

http://60degreev6.com/showthread.php?t=38537

hopefully that works, but I'll try to send PM to ya including pic

[ForcedFirebird]

Looks like the beads beat up the pistons a bit. You can no longer see the lathe tooling marks in them.

I have had luck with a soft wire brush and degreaser for pistons, these came out nice...

http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/forcedfirebird/Hybrid%20Build/?action=view&current=100_3249.jpg

[sunbeam39]

Tried

Tried soaking them for a couple of days and using a plastice scrub "lightly" but not much luck, thought the wire would scratch, and also thought that if the #6 bead did make little marks they could be cleaned up with emery cloth?!?! If not I had budgeted to replace them,

Do you think I can save them?!

[ForcedFirebird]

Unsure if they will be ok. If you sand them back down they might be OK. How much pressure did you use with the blaster?

I used a fine bristle brush on mine, some elbow grease, WD40 and Formula 88 (best stuff I have found in a long time).

[sunbeam39]

pressure

I used 35

[ForcedFirebird]

I used 35

Only 35?! I used 120psi on the outside of my block and it didn't look like the heads you just finished. Have a crappy gun right now, though could be part of the problem.

There's got to be a better media for aluminum.

[Superdave]

Only 35?! I used 120psi on the outside of my block and it didn't look like the heads you just finished. Have a crappy gun right now, though could be part of the problem.

There's got to be a better media for aluminum.

glass is great for aluminium...

i had my old 3400 top end done with it..