[Riot Racing]

I heard that a regular air tool can't be used because their RPM is too high and can't be controlled steadily.
I have seen the DIY head work tool kits and they say to use a dremel or grinder. I just want to do some clean up work nothing hardcore.

any recommendations?

[yekoms]

I have a little Speedair air reducer with male/female couplers on it. Plug it into the air line at the wall turn it down to about 30lbs. Hold the diegrinder at full throttle and adjust the air pressure to get the RPM you need. Still needs alot of air volume though.
WEAR GOOGLES and blow the chips/dust out of your hair before you take the googles off.

[Riot Racing]

Originally Posted by yekoms

I have a little Speedair air reducer with male/female couplers on it. Plug it into the air line at the wall turn it down to about 30lbs. Hold the diegrinder at full throttle and adjust the air pressure to get the RPM you need. Still needs alot of air volume though.
WEAR GOOGLES and blow the chips/dust out of your hair before you take the googles off.

Well i DO have a dremel tool but i don't know if that will work good enough. So you are using a digrinder and turning down the psi coming into the grinder?

What tools and attachments are you using to do the head work?

[yekoms]

...This is a post that I did on another site (Maliburacing.com) It was about World Products cast iron S/R Chevy heads but, it's about the same for most "clean up" jobs. I hope it helps you a bit...

S/R porting...
There are different ways to do the same thing. I'm not a know it all. These are just some of the things that work for me. (BY THE WAY SNOW SKI GOGGLES WORK GREAT) They are comfortable and don't fog up to easily.
The best tip that I would give anyone that wants to port heads is. Start at the place that you want to remove to most metal. (In your case with the S/Rs that will be the exhaust short turn on the sharp edge where the cast port floor meets the machining below the valve seat.) GRIND THE SAME AMOUNT IN THE SAME AREA FROM ALL 8 PORTS AT THE SAME TIME. THAT WAY IF YOU LEAVE THE JOB FOR A WHILE OR GET TIRED OF GRINDING EVERTHING IS CLOSE TO EVEN. DON'T FULLY PORT THE FIRST PORT THEN GO TO THE NEXT ONE. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF HEADS THAT HAVE THE FIRST TWO CYLINDERS LOOK GREAT AND THE REST OF THEM GET PROGRESSIVLY SMALLER FROM THE GUY GETTIN' TIRED OF GRINDING.
I'm a cylinder head guy in a race engine shop so I have industrial electric grinders for roughing in the ports. I do the finish up work with an air die grinder.
I use the made in USA 1/4" shank carbide bits that you can get at auto flea markets. They come in short about 3" and long about 6".The oval (olive)shape about 1/2" diameter and the tree (flame) shape handle most of the stuff that you want to do. The oval does great on the short turn of the ports. My favorite bit is one of the long ovals cut down to about 4". Using the short bits you have to be careful that the collet of the grinder doesn' t hit the valve seat.
I like to regulate the air pressure down to about 40Lbs so you can hold the grinder at full thottle and not worry about it gettin' away from you by cuttin' too fast. The cutters last longer that way also. You can also use the longer bits then with the air pressure turned down.
The finish that the carbides make is OK to leave alone. The ports don't need to be polished. I do like to blend the edge below the valve seat where the carbide work meets the bottom of the valve seat area with a sanding drum on the ehaust side of the heads.
I hope this helps you get started. if anybody else has any ideas,questions, or things to add speak up that's the great thing about these forums.
Becareful Have fun,Smokey

[Riot Racing]

Ill read it later.
The head i am doing is forged aluminum though. Should make things easier

[yekoms]

aluminum is easier. Use single cut carbides and dip them in a WD-40/CRC type thin lubricant so they don't clog up.

[Riot Racing]

Originally Posted by yekoms

aluminum is easier. Use single cut carbides and dip them in a WD-40/CRC type thin lubricant so they don't clog up.

I was thinking "tap Magic" it is used for tapping/drilling aluminum.

SO how difficult is it to do the clean up work? Can i ruin anything or hurt airflow?

[Bee4Me]

You can get porting "kit's" from Summit with all the stones,cone's,arbors,disk's to do clean up work for cheap and comes with all the "tool's" you will need for this.
The carbide bits are great for a LOT of uses and if you do some searchs online can be had for cheap. You have to be EXTREMELY CAREFUL using them on aluminum as they will CUT QUICK and a little too much off the port short turn (bottom) can spell disaster. The exhaust port walls are thinner,heat transfer, so a little is a lot.
IF you have not done much or any work on heads,aluminum especially, with carbides,get a junk head of any type at the yard and PRACTICE getting use to how they cut because it's VERY easy to go a little too much with the cut.

Safty GOGGLES are a MUST cause these small chips,particles WILL get in your EYES.
The Tap Magic works great too if thats what you have.

I know Mopar makes a set of porting templates for most of their heads and might be helpful if something like these are available for yours.

And YES, You can RUIN a set of heads VERY QUICK with a little here and a little there in the wrong areas. Forget believing your Grumpy Jenkins and playing Pro Stock King cause it's easy to get carried away grinding.
Actually,gasket matching the INTAKE and leaving the HEAD alone can be a better flow advantage in some set ups. That "edge" can actualy help in a street application. Your call.