I use steel shop carts to contain the mess of chips and honing oil. After I deck and bore a block, I'll screw in short bolts in a couple head bolt holes to protect the deck when rolling it over. The job should look good when it's done, and this is simple and...
When I'm working on something other than the familiar V8s, I mark the cam bearings with a scribe to indicate their location and orientation. Also, I'll measure how far they are in from the front and back, and note the center bearings. It sure helps when the time comes...
Here's an easy way to precisely align or clock a boring tool in a boring head. You'll need a dowel pin the same size as the tool shank to fit the boring head, a 1/4" thick x 1/2" aluminum flat bar, and a 1-1/2" x 1/2" aluminum flat bar, though the size is not...
When boring blocks, in addition to a cardboard chip deflector and a vacuum cleaner running under it, I still wipe the bar down with a microfiber as it retracts. Just one more way to keep chips out of the column seal. Ron Flood Cedar Machine North Branch, MN
When I'm boring a block, I draw a little line on the micrometer with a felt tip, once it's set. This way I can see at a glance that I haven't inadvertently loosened the lock screw and/or changed the setting. You don't really have to focus in on the setting each time,...
It is good practice to lube up the main cap registers on aluminum blocks before seating the main caps. I have noticed the registers will peel aluminum when driving a steel main cap into place. Applying a thin layer of high-pressure grease to the cap and block will...