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Valve seat cutters

Has anyone ever used the cheaper cutters with carbon steel heads?  Some advertisers say they aren't suitable for hard valve seats. E.g. "THESE WILL NOT CUT MODERN DAYS HARDENED VALVE SETS" (Sic) like you have in an ally head presumably?  

It is a job which I may only do two or three times, so I don't need "professional" quality.  If they can do the job then that would be OK.  They are only around £30 for a suitable set.  Yes I know - they are from India and I could buy a carbide head set for £66 - but would I need to?

I remember the days when Pride & Clarke sold them for peanuts!  Mostly War Surplus I expect.

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They don't work as they just skate over the seat, I use tungsten carbide seat cutters which do work but you need a few heads to justify the cost.

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Thanks John,

I don't think £66 is a lot of money for the tungsten carbide cutters I mentioned.  I don't know how much seat cutting cost as I haven't had it done for at least 40 years - on a car!  Is it less than £66? 

This set is from India (!!) and is 14 pieces including 6 cutters, 2 valve guide reamers (5/16" & 3/8") and 2 guide stems - it's here : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14-Pcs-Valve-Seat-Cutter-set-Carbide-Tipped-for-Vintage-Cars-and-Bikes/254413162803

I could always use it then sell it! 

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I should add that my valve seats aren't badly worn, but I will be re-guiding them as well as new valves and rocker shafts and rocker ends.  I still have my 1/2" expanding reamer that I used on this head in 1965 and on a few Jaguar XK engine heads.  Same diameter guides!

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If the cylinder head valve guide holes are not worn, and if the seats are hard, and if the original guides had concentric holes, I doubt if the seats will need cutting anyway. Mine didn't. I'd put it together and check before buying a piece of kit you don't need.

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Has anyone close to Lionel got what’s needed? It really is a very quick process. If I had some I’d like to use them, have them used.  Your ref to the XK engine made me smile as I did similar in the early 80’s.

Used to bring home liquid nitrogen in my coffee flask to chill the guides and seats and beat a copper cylinder flat to warm the head on. She is still running but alas not mine any longer.

£66 in the bank as opposed to a one off use.....

 

Perhaps we should have a members tool set to lease out???

 

best regards

jon

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That would be an excellent idea. I seem to remember that branches used to do this at one time. The only problem is that not everyone is an experienced mechanic and things like reamers can be wrecked by one thoughtless reverse rotation.

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I use Neway carbide cutters, takes a few minutes to cut the seats and after a few trials I no longer do a final grind if the valves are new as the cut is so clean. Only issue is they seem to spend more time out in other peoples garage than mine but at least the blades never seem to wear.

 


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