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Hot Rods Help! How to polish these Chambers?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HuskerNation, Apr 26, 2019.

  1. HuskerNation
    Joined: Dec 28, 2010
    Posts: 337

    HuskerNation

    So I’ve located this replacement head for my old L-head Flathead engine which will give me a nice bump in compression over the original one. However, I am really struggling to find something to polish these combustion chambers with!

    I’ve picked up the port & polish sanding roles and have marginal success before either I brake the thin tip of the rod holding the sandpaper role or the paper just can’t get to the angles I need to reach the areas to polish.

    I’ve also tried using carbide tools to gently smooth the surfaces but they tend to bounce off the surface & I end up with really no improvement. I’ve tried flap sandpaper roles but with little success here as they are too large. After searching on line, I’m really stumped on what to use? I really hope someone knows what I need!

    IMG_4112.JPG



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  2. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,029

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    Why..?
    They are just going to get a layer of carbon anyway.
    Just make sure there are no sharp edges anywhere and bolt them on. Any sort of polishing will remove metal, removing metal will reduce the compression ratio.
    That IS what you are after, right ?

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2019
  3. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,939

    squirrel
    Member

    hmmm....someone else posted the answer I was too chicken to post....
     
    dana barlow and firstinsteele like this.
  4. Just take 5 minutes to knock down any pimples by hand and don't sweat the pits and pocks. Lay the gasket on 'em to visually check how stuff lines up. Done.
    If you have to get obsessive, do it on the outside/top.
     

  5. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,059

    1946caddy
    Member
    from washington

  6. HuskerNation
    Joined: Dec 28, 2010
    Posts: 337

    HuskerNation

    hmmmm, maybe I wasn’t clear on what I was asking in my original post....

    What I was asking for is someone who has an answer to the question on “What products/processes to use to polish up these combustion chambers”.

    Obviously, removing material in the combustion chamber will have the effect of decreasing compression. This was previously taken into consideration with all things considered on this engine setup & modification. Obviously, there will be carbon build up to one degree or another over time. Polishing will help reduce this somewhat in the combustion chamber. However, these “obvious” statements weren’t the nature of the question I was asking & answers I was in search of.

    Hopefully, this clears things up for those I may have confused in my original post.


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  7. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    If you want consistent volume in all cylinders wouldn’t you need to cut them all with tooling to the same depth? Just hand sanding could give a variety of depths.
     
  8. Gerrys
    Joined: May 1, 2009
    Posts: 327

    Gerrys
    Member

    Use a die grinder with either stones or sanding cones.
     
  9. Joe H
    Joined: Feb 10, 2008
    Posts: 1,525

    Joe H
    Member

    Small stones spinning really fast, followed with sanding rolls, not to course. Getting at them at a good angle is really hard, a very long arbor with the sanding roll will help.
     
  10. Asa has been stated there is nothing or very little to be gained by polishing the chambers.

    Never the less in answer to your question you use a fine burr to start with ( they come in various shapes n sizes) then you use a rubber tip and polishing compound. What you do not use unless you are very patient is the little Dremmel that most of us own. You want to lay your hands on the larger industrial strength Dremmel that profession head men use. They are a noisy bastard and best used in the basement when no one else is home.
     
  11. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,939

    squirrel
    Member

    I can't tell if it's aluminum or iron.

    You didn't say.

    It makes a difference.
     
  12. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

  13. Do a search for Cratex!
     
  14. Pete1
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,253

    Pete1
    Member
    from Wa.

    You use 80 grit Spiracones which fit on an arbor that looks like the tip of a wood screw.
    There is not an area that can't be reached with this.
    These will give a finish suitable for running 100% nitro.

    eBay item number:
    262670873655
     
  15. HuskerNation
    Joined: Dec 28, 2010
    Posts: 337

    HuskerNation

    Great information guys, I truly appreciate it!

    BTW; the head is cast iron. I did pick up the Harbor Freight version of Roloc discs & they worked pretty well & I agree, cutting the rubber backer down will help. They worked especially well on the exterior surface of the head.

    I may have to find some better stones & carbide bits to grind with, as I took a good look at the ones I have and they are not of good quality. When they rotate, one can see they have a wobble to them, which ends up causing them to bounce on the surface when grinding.


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  16. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,939

    squirrel
    Member

    Quality tools will go a long ways.

    Another thing...looks like a lot of pitting in the surface, are you trying to get rid of all of that?
     
  17. HuskerNation
    Joined: Dec 28, 2010
    Posts: 337

    HuskerNation

    Squirrel, definitely not trying to get rid of all of the pitting as that would likely remove too much material.

    Current state:
    [​IMG]


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    Last edited: Apr 29, 2019
    loudbang likes this.

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