Magnum Exh manifold machining.

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Cuda416

Cuda416

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Seems trying to find someone to shave some material off the face of an exhaust manifold requires a secret handshake and a decoder ring. Is it really that difficult? Anyone know a shop in San Antonio that can do it? I've already called Duffin, no go.
 
If all the local engine/job shops are a no-go, try a local Tech School or Technical College- their machine shop classes may be willing to take on some out of the ordinary projects...?
 
Oldmanmopar said:
My son does them but we're on the east coast.
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mind if I ask how? Seems a simple fixture could be made from bolts coming up from the bottom into the bolt holes, then clamping the whole thing down onto a flat plate.
 
He has fixtures that hold them and he made some of his own. Here is a fixture he made. he has several now and some machines that are made just to surface parts. He even makes his own torque plates

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Daanng.. That's a little more sophisticated than what I was thinking!. lol.. That's awesome stuff, he's pretty talented to be sure.

That cylinder head looks familiar :)
 
Anybody with a Bridgeport and a vise, and maybe a few clamps, can fly-cut those manifolds. I had a friend do mine (a long time ago) in his basement shop. He did not have any special fixtures... just rigged something up. You are only taking a few thousandths off with a single-point tool. All you need is something to hold onto it so it can't move.
 
69_340_GTS said:
Anybody with a Bridgeport and a vise, and maybe a few clamps, can fly-cut those manifolds. I had a friend do mine (a long time ago) in his basement shop. He did not have any special fixtures... just rigged something up. You are only taking a few thousandths off with a single-point tool. All you need is something to hold onto it so it can't move.
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i don't disagree, but the machinists I've spoken to feel otherwise...
 
Cuda416 said:
Seems trying to find someone to shave some material off the face of an exhaust manifold requires a secret handshake and a decoder ring. Is it really that difficult? Anyone know a shop in San Antonio that can do it? I've already called Duffin, no go.
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My exhaust shop has a belt sander for truing up manifolds. Not cheap. It goes through belts like crazy. I have no idea how feasible that might be depending upon how much material you want to remove.
 
Bodyperson said:
My exhaust shop has a belt sander for truing up manifolds. Not cheap. It goes through belts like crazy. I have no idea how feasible that might be depending upon how much material you want to remove.
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I'm certain that he's trying to get them flat. You won't get there using a belt sander.
 
As much as I appreciate the idea, I've never seen heads that would seal right after being done that way.
 
69_340_GTS said:
A.K.A. : "button pushers".
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Seriously? You have absolutely NO idea who I am talking about. Feel free to call Duffin Engine Services and tell them they aren't machinists... hell I'll give you a list. If you have something productive to offer other than how awesome you are, great..... I'll wait...
 
Hmmm. I thought that was it's purpose was. I never had it done. I just know he offers the service. Probably have to run gaskets I suppose.
 
I dunno, just speaking from my own experience. I would't trust it. Thanks though
 
You are taking it wrong. As far as I'm concerned, these guys that say "they can't do it", really can't do it. I do not see how a real machinist couldn't do that simple job. Now if they are just lazy, too busy to bother, are in some kind of a union, or it's against someone else's rules, then it's actually "won't do it". You originally asked about skill level... "is it really that difficult?" , so I thought that was where you were coming from. Lack of skills. Find a small shop that needs the work, or like Professor Fate said, maybe a technical school.
 
69_340_GTS said:
You are taking it wrong. As far as I'm concerned, these guys that say "they can't do it", really can't do it. I do not see how a real machinist couldn't do that simple job. Now if they are just lazy, too busy to bother, are in some kind of a union, or it's against someone else's rules, then it's actually "won't do it". You originally asked about skill level... "is it really that difficult?" , so I thought that was where you were coming from. Lack of skills. Find a small shop that needs the work, or like Professor Fate said, maybe a technical school.
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Fair enough, I apologize for my reaction, but the shops I have called "can" do it, but it will take time out of better paying jobs and they don't have the fixtures in place like the "Profs" son does.

I posted here so I might find the small mom/pop shop that would look at this as something they could do as filler. I have seen and known some pretty talented machinists who won't risk there machines for a one off. I get it. Like I said, if I had my own mill, even a bench mill, I'd knock it out in a heartbeat. I'm not making a living with my machines though.

Thanks again.

-=C
 
No luck so far. I've gotten everything from "You don't want to waste your money paying me to make a fixture" to "We can do it, but it will be a month out".... I'm getting ready to pull out a flap disk and go at it....wtf...
 
Cuda416 said:
No luck so far. I've gotten everything from "You don't want to waste your money paying me to make a fixture" to "We can do it, but it will be a month out".... I'm getting ready to pull out a flap disk and go at it....wtf...
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And a belt sander aint good enough? :poke:
 
Cuda416 said:
Seems trying to find someone to shave some material off the face of an exhaust manifold requires a secret handshake and a decoder ring. Is it really that difficult? Anyone know a shop in San Antonio that can do it? I've already called Duffin, no go.
Click to expand...
How much material needs to be machined?
 
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