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1G Crank polishing at home

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SasaniFab

Proven Member
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782
Dec 1, 2013
Mexico, Connecticut
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Since I build a lot of motors I figured I would make an adaptor that would allow me to throw the crank in the lathe for polishing. It also works really well for measuring and checking for runout. This is what I came up with.
 
You have my method all beat to heck with that.
Very Nice! :thumb:
Marty
 
We did it this way for the first time 15 years ago. Nothing innovative. We were taught by an old hot rodder, so we certainly did not come up with using a lathe to smooth a journal.
 
To be honest with a title like that, I didn't know what I was about to see. Risky click. I mean mostly I figured it was something like this. This crank is now considered ground down with that much material removed?

Do you figure it retains most strength still? Also what about knife edging removing more material from the crank, is it worth it or better to leave it alone for strength?
 
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The crank is not ground down, it is only for polishing, it will not reduce its strenght , this is the last procedure when a crank is cut all the time.
Knife edging is not recommended, unless it is a full race engine, not a daily nor a once in awhile pull, like I said a dedicated race engine.
 
And then you would require rebalancing.
 
What about the rods?
I purchased a commercial belt sander designed for crankshaft polishing

We did it this way for the first time 15 years ago. Nothing innovative. We were taught by an old hot rodder, so we certainly did not come up with using a lathe to smooth a journal.
No, it’s not innovative.... I’m just sharing what I’ve been doing. Polishing a crank is not rocket science. This is what I purchased

They don't matter once the journals are sufficiently hourglassed and your hand is wedged between the crank and the lathe bed.
I’m fully capable my friend....
 

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You no what my friend, I looked on Google for that SAME DEVICE to polish journals with but lacked the NICE MACHINERY that you have compaired to my "shop", which is like most other guys shops, probably better since I am blessed and have a lift and press and compressor. If I had a simple lathe, my home rebuilds, which as of today, one reached 39000 miles would be so much nicer and precise. Mine are built on stands, floors, dollys but WORK if you are CLEAN.
Could I use a laymans (Harbor Freight) lathe to do the same?
Thanks for all you do!
Marty
 
marty, a shops crank polisher is basically just a gear motor driving a center mounted on a length of channel iron with, with an adjustable center at the other end. The polishing apparatus is just a light weight hand held belt sander. get belts from goodson. Nothing precision about it. A HF lathe will not likely work as it's probably too short between centers and likely not enough swing. A cheap wood lathe with a pulley adjustment for like 20-50rpm would be a better tool.

I'm not sure what the intent was here, use a long strip of paper like a shoe shiner or something? That will take a long long time. Also hard to polish in the right direction like that.

Also don't need a mount plate, just grab it on the end of the crank, it's hard as hell won't chew it up with lathe jaws unless you try. That's how a crank grinder grabs them anyway....

I’m fully capable my friend....
need to practice with the one liners a bit I think.....

need to practice with the one liners a bit I think.....
Also turn your lathe jaws around, holy cats got them on about the last thread.....
 
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