Sunnen engine honing 1949

[Kingbee]

I recently came across some old issues of Motor Service magazine. Cool old ads and nothing was imported. I thought some of you might like this two page Sunnen ad. Accurate to within half a thou!

[PackardV8]

Anyone who's hand-honed a block hopes never to have to do it again. Yes, it can produce really good results, but it's really hard work.

[SupStk]

Isn't that the truth Jack. Before I came up with a boring bar, used to bore blocks with AN-111 hone. All I can say, I must of had more enthusiasm than brains.

Remember seeing old Van Norman ads for their boring bars with the "Sucker outer". Wondered if the writer of that ad kept a straight face when it was submitted?

[rgalajda]

Notice on the bottom of the second page says " Canadian Factory Chatham Ontario" Canada

[Dan Timberlake]

When I was a starry eyed 18 year old, Tiny, of Tiny's garage ( junkyard+machine shop combo) told me his as-bored cylinder finish on the 283 he did for me was quite smooth and didn't need honing.

That engine never made it together while in my possesion so I can not attest to how it ran.

[bentvalves]

When I was a starry eyed 18 year old, Tiny, of Tiny's garage ( junkyard+machine shop combo) told me his as-bored cylinder finish on the 283 he did for me was quite smooth and didn't need honing.

[PackardV8]

When I was a starry eyed 18 year old, Tiny, of Tiny's garage ( junkyard+machine shop combo) told me his as-bored cylinder finish on the 283 he did for me was quite smooth and didn't need honing.

That engine never made it together while in my possesion so I can not attest to how it ran.

Tiny was correct, Dan. It would have run . . . . for a while.

[benno318]

I still hone by hand - I toyed with the idea of upgrading but cost and loss of floorspace, and the fact I'm not doing 5 a week had me decide to keep it as-is

Currently only doing blocks that I build myself for customers, I lost way too much time doing rebore/hone for customers that assemble their own, workshops and such so I now sublet these jobs.
I have noticed my bores have less taper and out of round than the "proper" machines.

On another note somewhere here I have a manual for a Wandess (english?) boring bar which claims that their finish can be so precise, as to eliminate the need for honing!!

[Dan Timberlake]

http://www.mjscrane.com/odd_stuff/downl ... manual.pdf

So it does !
Nice hand drawn illustrations suggest it is from another era.

in 1948 Buick was pretty specific on final honing, but without much info or grits,cross hatch etc. .0005" taper or out of round was considered the mx for a re-finished cylinder.
http://buick.oldcarmanualproject.com/ma ... age39.html

[jed]

The honing done in the advertisement is all dry. I never had much success going dry. Always used some kind of lubricant.
I just sold my an style hand hone to a younger man here on ST. He’s building a .005 GM 5.3. With very little coaching, from what he has told me the cylinders are straight and round.

[PackardV8]

I still hone by hand - I have noticed my bores have less taper and out of round than the "proper" machines.

You can be proud of the accuracy you have learned to achieve while hand honing.

However, there's no need to accept crap work from job shops. Forty years ago, the base model Rottler and Sunnen power stroke machines would finish a round straight bore. If you're getting back junk, it's because the operator isn't taking care of his stones, coolant, or he's pushing too fast and hard. Don't pay for work which does not meet your standards.

[SupStk]

Since I started out using the Sunnen hone powered by a drill. After a lot of practice and getting good results, moved up to a hone cabinet using the friction feed Sunnen hone with AN stones. That was a small step in a learning curve and eventually got a CK-10. Was about ready to dump the CK and go back to the hone cabinet because I really struggled trying to get the results I wanted. Learning on the lesser equipment gave me the education needed to move up.

[Kingbee]

Since I started out using the Sunnen hone powered by a drill. After a lot of practice and getting good results, moved up to a hone cabinet using the friction feed Sunnen hone with AN stones. That was a small step in a learning curve and eventually got a CK-10. Was about ready to dump the CK and go back to the hone cabinet because I really struggled trying to get the results I wanted. Learning on the lesser equipment gave me the education needed to move up.

Doesn't the CK-10 use a friction feed with AN stones as you had in your old honing cabinet? How did the CK differ?

[SupStk]

You can advance a CK by hand but it has an auto feed. The CK uses EHU type of stones opposed to the AN style stones used in the AN 111 and the friction feed hone like was in my hone cabinet. The friction feed is adjusted by hand while the hone is spinning, which is a step better than stopping the hone to adjust like on the AN111.

[BillK]

I still use a Van Norman cabinet with an AN head. No power stroke. Keeps the upper body exercised better than lifting weights I sent a couple of profilometer scans to Total Seal a few years ago and they told me to keep doing whatever I was doing I simply have not had any issues that could be traced to cylinder finish.