Advice needed

[redneck engineer]

I'm not a machinist by trade, but I'm wanting to start doing some automotive machining for myself and friends and maybe grow it into a side job. The only engines I will be messing with are pickup truck cummins, 5.9 and 6.7. I want to be able to surface heads and blocks drill head stud and main studs for larger fasteners and bore cylinders. My question is would a vertical bed mill machine be plenty rigid enough for surfacing, where I have to have less than .001 variance preferably within .0005 over 30 inches? My thought is if i can buy a bed mill I can use it for surfacing, boring cylinders and drilling, plus use it like a smaller knee mill thus utilizing it's versatility. The machines I'm looking at are used ones like dpm trak rx7, fryer mb14q and the like with stationary beds that move in x and y axis but the column moves in the z. They weigh 6-8k lbs. The other option would be buy a dedicated surfacer, which would be 15-20k and have only one use and buy additional machines for boring etc. the bare blocks weigh 325 lbs. these machines are rated for 1500 or so lbs. but I need it to be as rigid as a dedicated surfacer. the blocks are 14 inch wide at widest, 17 inches tall and 30 inches long. thanks

 

[michiganbuck]

Poor title go back and change while you can..Advanced edit, and then click on the title to change it.
Advice on automotive engine Service/ Repair.

Might be an OK title.

Or the whole thread is just Hens Chatter, that nobody can search.

I might have some input but won't input to a poor title thread.

 

[gustafson]

YOu need to have a useful title

They make specialty equipment to surface heads.

I seriously doubt you need[or can measure] that amount of accuracy

Heads need to be pretty flat across the short dimension, maybe within a thou across that. Flatness the long way is not so vital.

Nothing needs to be within half a thou