1989 Blaster Engine Rebuild - Part 6, Two-Stroke Software Review

1989 Blaster Engine Rebuild - Part 6

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14

Tools

Two-Stroke Software Review

Part 1

Tools
With the proper tools cylinder work becomes much easier - especially when working on transfer ports. Here's a few of the more common tools.

A straight hand piece and some necessary tools. From the left (1/4" shank tools) - 3 different carbide cutters, small wire brush (above it is the wrench and spindle stop for the hand piece), long sand paper roll mandrel, cloth or Emory mandrel, short sand paper roll mandrel, (1/8" shank tools) - 2 different long shank carbide cutters, 3 short shank carbide cutters. In the center are a few collets used to hold the tools.

A 90 degree angle hand piece, a collet and some necessary tools. From the left - 4 Cratex rubber abrasive tools, 6 diamond impregnated cutters, 3 hard stone tools, 2 short solid carbide cutters. At the bottom are the wrenches for changing tools. Next to it are 2 left hand cut carbide tools. A left hand tool is used by putting it in the hand piece with the cutting end facing the opposite direction. Very light pressure works best.

Tools

To visit a site that shows the Foredom brand of flexible shaft grinders, hand pieces and cutting tools click here. Take a look there to find something you like and to get an idea of the costs involved. I prefer the hanging motor as opposed to the bench top design. This is purely a preference. You'll need at least 2 hand pieces to get any work done. A straight heavy duty unit and a 90 degree angled head hand piece for transfer ports and such. These tools are expensive and the accompanying tooling is also not cheap. It's not uncommon to spend hundreds of dollars on cutting tools to make the work easier. If there's only one engine in your future it's probably not economical to buy all the stuff new. Most tooling comes in 3/32", 1/8" and 1/4" shank diameters (for hand pieces that accept straight shank tools). Many right angle hand pieces require 3/32" and 1/8" shank diameter tools. Latch type hand pieces are more light duty and wear out quickly - though sometimes they have just the right bend to get into some tight spots. C.C. Specialty in Lawrenceburg TN is the place to get 2 stroke engine porting tools. They specialize in this area. Call them up for a catalog 931-762-6995. I have the 1/8th HP model with a foot control. Though these tools spin kind of fast (up to 18,000 RPM if I remember correctly), it is rare to use them at over a couple of thousand. Most of the time I spin mine at about 1200 - 1500 rpm. The Foredom electric motors put out full torque at any RPM. If you try to stop a tool from turning you'll get to watch a spinning electric motor hanging from a twisted cord until it rips its power cord out of the wall. As always be careful with tools. Wear eye protection and get some of those surgical masks to keep from breathing the metal dust - or better still buy a respirator. I also wear ear plugs sometimes because the noise made by the frequency of some cutting tools hurts my ears.

When porting a cylinder or the engine cases a few different tools are generally used. For fast material removal in areas that need a lot of work, especially if cutting an iron liner is involved - carbide cutting tools work well. They are available in different shank shapes, diameters and lengths depending on whether the work is on the transfer ports or larger intake or exhaust ports. High speed steel tools are available but their life expectancy is not all that great - especially if the tool accidentally touches an iron liner. There are some tools made specifically for fast removal of aluminum (called aluma-hogs), but if they touch anything harder than aluminum they become scrap metal. Diamond impregnated tools are pretty much necessary for cutting the ports of chrome and other plated barrels. Porting can be done without the diamond tools if the tool is worked correctly and in the right direction - with the surface instead of against it. Cutting with the tool in the wrong direction allows it the opportunity to peel the coating of the liner and chip or flake it away - ouch...$$$. The diamond tools also work well and provide a good finish on intake and transfer ports - they leave the surface with a little 'tooth' without making it too rough, though they don't leave it as rough as the often observed industry standard #80 finish. Hard stone tools are sometimes used to apply the finishing bevel to a ports edges, though I generally use a cylindrical diamond tool and then go over it with a Cratex rubber abrasive tool. The Cratex tools are also good for putting a clearance on the exhaust bridge on engines that have them. Various grades of emery cloth cut into strips and used with a mandrel will take the exhaust port from its "roughed in" condition to a surface that can be more easily polished. If polishing the exhaust port is desired it can be further worked using Semi-Chrome polish and a mandrel with cotton cloth attached to it.

A closer look at the Cratex rubber abrasives. They may not look like much but the scratchy rubber does cut. It comes in handy for exhaust port bridges and finishing port bevels.

A closer look at the diamond tools. These tools are best used with light surface tension. Bearing down heavily ruins them - they'll remove material in their own time.

1989 Blaster Engine Rebuild - Part 6

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14

Tools

Two-Stroke Software Review

Part 1

Tools With the proper tools cylinder work becomes much easier - especially when working on transfer ports. Here's a few of the more common tools.
A straight hand piece and some necessary tools. From the left (1/4" shank tools) - 3 different carbide cutters, small wire brush (above it is the wrench and spindle stop for the hand piece), long sand paper roll mandrel, cloth or Emory mandrel, short sand paper roll mandrel, (1/8" shank tools) - 2 different long shank carbide cutters, 3 short shank carbide cutters. In the center are a few collets used to hold the tools.	A 90 degree angle hand piece, a collet and some necessary tools. From the left - 4 Cratex rubber abrasive tools, 6 diamond impregnated cutters, 3 hard stone tools, 2 short solid carbide cutters. At the bottom are the wrenches for changing tools. Next to it are 2 left hand cut carbide tools. A left hand tool is used by putting it in the hand piece with the cutting end facing the opposite direction. Very light pressure works best.
Tools To visit a site that shows the Foredom brand of flexible shaft grinders, hand pieces and cutting tools click here. Take a look there to find something you like and to get an idea of the costs involved. I prefer the hanging motor as opposed to the bench top design. This is purely a preference. You'll need at least 2 hand pieces to get any work done. A straight heavy duty unit and a 90 degree angled head hand piece for transfer ports and such. These tools are expensive and the accompanying tooling is also not cheap. It's not uncommon to spend hundreds of dollars on cutting tools to make the work easier. If there's only one engine in your future it's probably not economical to buy all the stuff new. Most tooling comes in 3/32", 1/8" and 1/4" shank diameters (for hand pieces that accept straight shank tools). Many right angle hand pieces require 3/32" and 1/8" shank diameter tools. Latch type hand pieces are more light duty and wear out quickly - though sometimes they have just the right bend to get into some tight spots. C.C. Specialty in Lawrenceburg TN is the place to get 2 stroke engine porting tools. They specialize in this area. Call them up for a catalog 931-762-6995. I have the 1/8th HP model with a foot control. Though these tools spin kind of fast (up to 18,000 RPM if I remember correctly), it is rare to use them at over a couple of thousand. Most of the time I spin mine at about 1200 - 1500 rpm. The Foredom electric motors put out full torque at any RPM. If you try to stop a tool from turning you'll get to watch a spinning electric motor hanging from a twisted cord until it rips its power cord out of the wall. As always be careful with tools. Wear eye protection and get some of those surgical masks to keep from breathing the metal dust - or better still buy a respirator. I also wear ear plugs sometimes because the noise made by the frequency of some cutting tools hurts my ears. When porting a cylinder or the engine cases a few different tools are generally used. For fast material removal in areas that need a lot of work, especially if cutting an iron liner is involved - carbide cutting tools work well. They are available in different shank shapes, diameters and lengths depending on whether the work is on the transfer ports or larger intake or exhaust ports. High speed steel tools are available but their life expectancy is not all that great - especially if the tool accidentally touches an iron liner. There are some tools made specifically for fast removal of aluminum (called aluma-hogs), but if they touch anything harder than aluminum they become scrap metal. Diamond impregnated tools are pretty much necessary for cutting the ports of chrome and other plated barrels. Porting can be done without the diamond tools if the tool is worked correctly and in the right direction - with the surface instead of against it. Cutting with the tool in the wrong direction allows it the opportunity to peel the coating of the liner and chip or flake it away - ouch...$$$. The diamond tools also work well and provide a good finish on intake and transfer ports - they leave the surface with a little 'tooth' without making it too rough, though they don't leave it as rough as the often observed industry standard #80 finish. Hard stone tools are sometimes used to apply the finishing bevel to a ports edges, though I generally use a cylindrical diamond tool and then go over it with a Cratex rubber abrasive tool. The Cratex tools are also good for putting a clearance on the exhaust bridge on engines that have them. Various grades of emery cloth cut into strips and used with a mandrel will take the exhaust port from its "roughed in" condition to a surface that can be more easily polished. If polishing the exhaust port is desired it can be further worked using Semi-Chrome polish and a mandrel with cotton cloth attached to it.
A closer look at the Cratex rubber abrasives. They may not look like much but the scratchy rubber does cut. It comes in handy for exhaust port bridges and finishing port bevels.	A closer look at the diamond tools. These tools are best used with light surface tension. Bearing down heavily ruins them - they'll remove material in their own time.