Forums and what is an automotive machine shop?

Well, I see companies put a forum on their website, http://www.enginebuildermag.com/ is the one I was just looking at, since I am in the automotive industry through my automotive machine shop. What is an automotive machine shop you ask?

I'm not good at programming websites, so our shop website basically gives the types of work we do and as I study how to do a better website, I will be doing that...I like a nice looking website, but I don't know how to make one yet. Always something new to learn how to do!

My machine shop: The Machine Shop showing some of the types of work we can do for you or your mechanic.

Most have heard of mechanics, some of you reading this may even be mechanics. Mechanics are the people you take your car or pickup (or truck too) to, to have it worked on if it isn't running/operating the way it should be. Maybe it is something simple like needing new tires or brakes (although brakes aren't "simple", they are one of the most important parts of our vehicle), so we head down to the tire store to get new tires put on by the mechanics there or to our favorite repair shop to have them install new brake parts so our car/pickup stops like it used to stop when it was new.

While they have it taken apart, they (if they don't own the equipment, which costs thousands of dollars for each different machine) take the parts that need machining down to their favorite local machine shop. In this case, if they (or you) were doing (rebuilding) the brakes, the drums and rotors probably need re-machined so they are true and parallel so when you apply the brakes the brake pedal doesn't pulse (go up and down rapidly) and cause the who car/pickup/vehicle to shake when stopping. That means the drums or rotors are warped. If they are warped too much, then they need to be replaced. There are specifications telling how much can be machined from them to bring them back into factory specifications. The machine shop will have books listing those numbers. So, when you take them into the machine shop and lay them on the counter, probably the first thing the machinist will do is measure the part to see if it is thick enough to be machined to bring it back into specs. If the part isn't, then you will have to get others from the wrecking yard (which will then have to be machined) or news from the machine shop or an auto parts store.
Many times, our customers have the new ones they buy machined by us before installing them on their vehicle. They have found out from previous experience that there is a certain percentage of the parts will become warped from having been stored incorrectly. It is a lot of work to install parts (new or otherwise) and go for a test drive and find out the vehicle shakes worse than when the customer brought it in.

Maybe there was a rumbling noise you were hearing which was being caused by a wheel bearing going bad. In that case, you would remove the axle and take it to the machine shop where they would install a new bearing on it, if it were still serviceable. Sometimes the bearing inner race will spin on the axle, ruining it. Then time for the wrecking yard or dealer again to get another, good and or new one. The new one from the dealer probably will not have anything on it, no bearings, no studs or anything and the machine shop will have to put all the new pieces together that you buy for it. Bearings, 99% of the time, are not reusable and have to be replaced.

What if you overheat your engine and blow a head gasket? What is involved in making sure the head is reusable and machinable? Our machine shop can use pressure checking, used for checking aluminum heads, blocks and other pieces, the parts are submerged under a water mixture and air applied to the part, then we look for bubbles which shows we have a crack or pinhole that needs repaired, magnetic particle inspection (manafluxing ferrous metals like cast iron and steel) and dye penetrant as another way of checking for cracks.

The first thing done is to measure the head and make sure it is usable (thick enough) and making sure it isn't warped too much. This is really critical for overhead cam heads. If it is good so far, then into the washer (like a big dish washer) with it to get it cleaned up so we can pressure check it or magnaflux it, looking for cracks or other problems.

Ken

To be continued...

What does my ex-wife look like?

She was born in 1976 and told me she is getting fat. Weighs 104lbs now. Wears size 0/1 in clothes.

You can go look at Ani (click on any of the photos to make them larger) to see what size of a woman I like. It extends past "like" into, "need". All of my girl friends and ex-wives have been built on the slim size. One time, I tried with a "USA normal" size, 5'6", 140lbs and it didn't work... worst marriage I could even imagine happening... lasted for just 6 months. I think all of us have a check list of things that HAVE to be, and slim is one of mine. Built into my brain since day one for me I guess.

She is living in a 1.1 million dollar house now with a millionaire and has found that money is NOT everything. I already knew that, so the person I fall in love with this next time won't be rich either, because I come from a poor logging family, and have always been poor and probably always will be, and a rich woman wouldn't be happy with someone who has never had a suit on in his life (me). Hey! Maybe a rich woman wants a toy! Some guy to spend money on. Hummm, wonder how I would like that.

Ken

In search of a partner/wife/lover/best friend...

I thought I had found her, but learned different in 2005!

Will I be able to find someone to love for the rest of my life? I don't know. I thought I did 8 years ago. We were married for 6 years and one day in December 2005 she said: "I'm young, I'm smart, I'm beautiful and all you have is this ol' house and that ol' machine shop AND, I deserve better than this."

September 2008: Ani is doing okay, doing what she wants to do. I am doing okay, but I miss having a woman in my life to love, thus I am looking again for a wonderful woman to be my "other" half. Someone to share my life with. Someone I can love and be loved in return.

If you are slim and smart and don't mind that I am old, fat and ugly, with not much money, then, maybe we can enjoy each other. Write to me at: setkbs-profile@yahoo.com

Ken

Smoking, just burning up money...

I also enjoy talking AND listening. If you enjoy talking about many different things and are always seeming to be learning something new, then we would probably enjoy talking to each other.

I was stupid and smoked for 21 years but smartened up and quit on March 18th, 1981. But now I am allergic to cigarette smoke, makes my eyes all puffy, my nose run, all that stuff like that...even 26+ years later. So if you smoke or around smokers, well, that pretty well rules out trying to do anything with you.

We would have to stick to chatting on the Internet or on the phone.

How come so many people started smoking lately? How sad. Bad for everyone's health.

Ken

Some of the things I like to do...

I like computers, well written software, and cable Internet, which makes finding information out about all kinds of things much easier.

I also like to take pictures and have somehow managed to produce a few that look halfway decent. If you like photos of waterfalls, sunsets, steam trains and various other subjects take a look at some I have taken over the years. Just go to Google.com and type in MrChevy or Ken Chevy and hit Enter. My photos on Pbase are a nice selection and ALL of my photos can be looked at by anyone, no matter what age. Or here www.PBase.com/MrChevy or www.KenChevy.com and click on a gallery link.

You are welcome to download copies for your enjoyment, choose the largest size. Beauty is something to be enjoyed by everyone.

Ken