What to look for in a Machine Shop
 

I have made contact with a few Machine Shops.. and they are capable of doing the work necessary. I have about 5 on my list of shops. Each of them have agreed to allow me to tour the place [so I can check things out, and how they work, etc..] but I need to know what to look for. What makes a machine shop good, or bad? I don't want to send off my precious heads to some retard that dropped out of HS and can barely spell "Machine Shop." Also what are some good questions to ask?


-justin

are u looking for job or for work to be done? and look how clean it is and how the tools look and their age and how they are kept for.

Work to be done. Maching my heads .085" The reason my engine looks like it does ;).

So basically the cleanliness of the shop? I am not going to judge by old tools. Nothing wrong with old tools if they are well taken care of, IMO. Things get better with age, I believe.


-justin

well look at what the other customers have to say

yeah the best way is definitely to find other customers.


I'm currently a customer at carquest. They've had my effing block for SIX MONTHS. no progress.

edit: from another engine, not my car.

not to hyjack your thread but do you plan on getting custom length pushrods to keep valvetrain geometry? that is quite a bit to take off.

Nope. I'm hoping the lifters and rockers will be able to adjust. There is also the problem of the shaving messing the trig, and making the intake not fit quite right. Not quite sure though.. going to have to try it and see. My guess, it will be okay. But, I could be wrong.

I only know one guy who went to one of the shops on my list. He said they were okay, but the guy at the main desk was a real asshole to him.. so we'll see. He got his stuff machined there, and that was a year ago, and his car still doesn't run....

EDIT: If you want to discuss this further, please post it in this thread. I would like to keep everything in one place [for future reference].


-justin

a key thing to look at is how long the shop has been in business