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Tools to get our Antique Automobiles on the road and keep them running.


Dandy Dave

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Another photo of the seat with the lapping compound cleaned off. Both the valve and seat are shiny before this is done. After a satin gray pattern will appear where the valve will do it's job. Also, a seat with the valve seat refacing tool guide in place also showing a seat that needs grinding. Third photo. A suction cup tool used to lap the valves. I keep a cup of water near to wet the rubber end so it will grab the valve better. 

 

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Here's a photo of the off the shelf valve I started with, and the length I had to machine them to. To be able to use the original valve keepers I had to mill a slot in the valves. More photos to come on that.

 

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A good friend's grandfather (born about 1920) worked as a mechanic in the 1940's and 50's on our old antique cars, and his tools had been stored for over 50 years in my friend's father's garage. Since neither my friend nor his Dad were inclined to use them, when my friend's Dad passed 10 years ago, he offered them to me rather than toss them out. Included was the vintage Snap-On tool chest (it has a nice roll-up closer), and the circa 1940's Canadian Buffalo drill press (which weighs about 150lbs). It works like a charm. Among the hundreds of small tools (several dozen sockets and handles, screw drivers, taps, dies), were some of the tools shown here, including some nice offset closed wrenches, some special shaped ones, some very small stuff, and a "nut splitter". The 2 flat ratchet style wrenches are cool and are marked "raise" and "lower" on opposite faces. Most of his gear was quality stuff, Snap-On, Blue Point, Grey, Bonney etc. Often wonder how many cars from the 30's and 40's these would have kept on the road.

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Edited by Gunsmoke (see edit history)
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18 hours ago, DonMicheletti said:

I'm interested in the proceedure you used to mill the slot.

It is narrow for the depth and isnt easy - At least I had some difficulties

Here you are. I did them in my Bridgeport Mill. Used a 9/64ths end mill. You have to spin them fast and don't cut too deep on each pass. Drilled a hole to sink the end mill in. Zeroed that on the digital read out so that I could easily find my starting point.

 

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Another tool used in the process of doing valve work is a seat stone dresser. This has to be done to keep the stones concentric.  This is done with an industrial diamond on the adjuster tip. 

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Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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Dandy Dave, your workshop tools are really impressive!  But to generate all the electricity for them, do you have a direct line from Niagra Falls?!

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8 minutes ago, dship said:

Dandy Dave, your workshop tools are really impressive!  But to generate all the electricity for them, do you have a direct line from Niagra Falls?!

It is nice that the body shop where my machines are set up has 3 phase power and is on a main line. I do have a phase converter in the wings that I have used in the past.

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10 hours ago, EmTee said:

What keeps the stone aligned with the valve guide?  Is there a pilot that attaches to the stone?

Look here. It's up a ways. It fits in the valve guide.

On 3/29/2023 at 6:58 AM, Dandy Dave said:

It is important to have proper stone holder guide rods to keep the stones centered correctly. I have some that are expandable. I find that these are always "on the money" if the valve seat stones are dressed correctly.

 

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Dave, thanks for all of the valve-job photos and descriptions.  I have a much better appreciation of what happens after I drop off the heads at the machine shop.  How were the guides in the engine that you were working on?  Did you have to fabricate and install new guides also?

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3 minutes ago, EmTee said:

Dave, thanks for all of the valve-job photos and descriptions.  I have a much better appreciation of what happens after I drop off the heads at the machine shop.  How were the guides in the engine that you were working on?  Did you have to fabricate and install new guides also?

The guides had some wear but OK for this vintage tractor. We (The owners main mechanic and I.) opted to just leave them as the tractor will be run very little. I could have made new ones, or bored out the old ones and put in bushings. None were available so all would have had to be made from scratch. Valve guide bushings are available for like common Chevy 350's and such but not so much for these large valves. I have 12 + Hours in this job as it is. 

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19 hours ago, DonMicheletti said:

It is important to know when to NOT make things perfect.

Yes. Sometimes making things super tight sets you up for having sticky valves, Especially in something old like this that may only be run once every year or two at a show or just to exercise it once in a while. There were some old German machinists years ago in a shop I worked at for a time that had a competition over who could make a part fit tighter then the other and argue about it. Hans, das is der tightest. Neun (9) Gruber Das is tighter. .00001... Trouble is they left no room for oil. In the real world this does not work well for parts that need to move. Das part you make is worn out before it is used they would say. 🙃    

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I've been working on a 1995 Chevy Suburban that has no spark. 5.7/ 350 CID. Finally down to the pickup coil in the distributor is bad. No signal and nothing will work. I dread pulling one out as the clamp bolt is a real PITA to get to. No room to get on these with a normal wrench. The edge on the distributor prevents getting it with a socket as there is no room for the ratchet, or an extension, or a swivel socket for that mater. So I machined this dandy little tool yesterday. Made it from a piece of 3/8ths key stock that I had on the shelf, and a piece of flat stock that was laying around the shop. It works like a dream. That stubborn bolt came right out. One might say, " That's just dandy,.. Dave." 

 

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  • Dandy Dave changed the title to Tools to get our Antique Automobiles on the road and keep them running.

Another useful tool in replacing and making sheet metal parts. A Box and Pan Brake. One can move, or remove, the sections to bend the metal in a "Box form" if needed.

 

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1 hour ago, Dandy Dave said:

Another useful tool in replacing and making sheet metal parts. A Box and Pan Brake. One can move, or remove, the sections to bend the metal in a "Box form" if needed.

 

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My high school shop class had one of those.  As rookies, we all had to fabricate a tin cup from scratch, including using a brake and soldering with the old irons.  To pass the class, the cup had to hold water and not leak.

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While on the subject of sheet metal work, This large Slip Roll can roll 1/4 plate steel if needed. Think the curve on a bulldozer blade. I also rolled some 1/4 inch a number of years ago for a friend that needed some new band and shoe area for the brake drum on an early automobile. The grooves are to roll round stock in a ring, or semicircle.

 

 

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Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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