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What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? #1249533 06/11/12 11:05 PM 06/11/12 11:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 11,179 Atco NJ DJVCuda OP I Live Here
DJVCuda OP I Live Here Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 11,179 Atco NJ	Title pretty much sums it up - What do you look for when selecting a machinist? have you taken a tour first? called on the phone? I'm interested in hearing some success stories on how you found your builder. Thanks

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: DJVCuda] #1249534 06/12/12 02:45 AM 06/12/12 02:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,138 Melbourne , Australia LA360 master
LA360 master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,138 Melbourne , Australia	I have always had friends in the industry, but if I was looking for a new machinist I would be asking around for feedback and seeing if I could check out their work on other people's engines. If the quality of their work checks out, I would suss out what kind of turn around time most people had. Last thing I would be looking at their shop and having a tour and a talk with them. I know many people who based the machinist they went with based on price, rather than quality. I'm not one of them! Alan Jones

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: LA360] #1249535 06/12/12 07:58 AM 06/12/12 07:58 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,067 Niles , Ohio T therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah. T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 21,067 Niles , Ohio	One of the most important is his past customers.My machinist is a one man show.He has had tons of repeat customers for the last 30 plus years.That and he dosent double check his work.He triple checks it or more then checks it again.He might not be fast but he is darn good.That and he always has a ton of work in his shop.Everything from stock to blown motors.Rocky Chrysler Firepower

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: therocks] #1249536 06/12/12 08:48 AM 06/12/12 08:48 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,103 Phila Pa S scatpacktom master
scatpacktom master S Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 3,103 Phila Pa	Easy... A guy that can make a round hole

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: scatpacktom] #1249537 06/12/12 08:54 AM 06/12/12 08:54 AM
Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,026 Trumbull,CT. J jim sciortino top fuel
jim sciortino top fuel J Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,026 Trumbull,CT.	Championships.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: jim sciortino] #1249538 06/12/12 09:30 AM 06/12/12 09:30 AM
Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9,225 Charleston S sixpackgut Drag Week Mod Champion
sixpackgut Drag Week Mod Champion S Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9,225 Charleston	since i'm not from SC i asked alot of people at the drag strip who they were using and the same place was mentioned over and over. as I gathered parts for my new engine I started to notice that these guys were going thru 3 engines a year! thats when I said to myself that no distance is to far for quality machine work to this day, I have friends that are constantly getting screwed by the same machine shop I avoided many years ago. as for the other machine shops in my area, they are no better either Gen 3 power 6.22@110, 9.85@135 Follow @g3hemiswap on instagram performance only racing, CRT, ultimate converter, superior design concepts, ThumperCarbs

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: sixpackgut] #1249539 06/12/12 09:36 AM 06/12/12 09:36 AM
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 15,118 85086 moparpollack Lil Herman
moparpollack Lil Herman Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 15,118 85086	One who won't feed me a line of bull or make promises that are unreal. 56 Plaza 63 D100 step side 67 Coronet, 68 Roadrunner, 69 Super Bees, 69 Coronet 500 convertible, 70 Roadrunner Post, 79 D150 360, and a severe case of Mopar a,d,d

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: moparpollack] #1249540 06/12/12 11:35 AM 06/12/12 11:35 AM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,051 The Great White North RAMM super stock
RAMM super stock Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,051 The Great White North	You will get many responses to this one--But I bet very few will be honest. In most cases--ALL that matters to the customer is the price$$$$---Until they have problems that is. J.Rob 2009 PHR\EMC Competitor 2010 PHR\EMC Competitor 2011 PHR\EMC Competitor 2012 PHR\EMC Competitor 2013 PHR\EMC Competitor 2014 HotRod/EMC Competitor 2015 HotRod/EMC NoShow 2016 HotRod/EMC 3rd place SPEC Bigblock 2018 HotRod/EMC 7th place G3

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: moparpollack] #1249541 06/12/12 11:43 AM 06/12/12 11:43 AM
Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 456 corpus christi tex C Cheatham mopar
Cheatham mopar C Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 456 corpus christi tex	See if he take the work and farms it out to other machine shops and picks it up and tells you its ready we have a guy here that does that, and some shops may have very good machinist but rather do quik turnaround work for their profit. id find a shop who does majority of high performane engines and look at the equipment hes using and whos using the equipment and try to know what their lifestyles are like, drinkers drugusers etc can be found at reputable shops.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: scatpacktom] #1249542 06/12/12 11:44 AM 06/12/12 11:44 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 75,004 U.S.S.A. JohnRR I Win
JohnRR I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 75,004 U.S.S.A.	Quote: Easy... A guy that can make a STRAIGHT round hole fixed

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: JohnRR] #1249543 06/12/12 11:58 AM 06/12/12 11:58 AM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 11,179 Atco NJ DJVCuda OP I Live Here
DJVCuda OP I Live Here Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 11,179 Atco NJ	Quote: Quote: Easy... A guy that can make a STRAIGHT round hole with a torque plate when you ask for it fixed double fixed. Thanks for the responses - I am curious as to what is the deciding factor(s) location, price, reputation, your overall interpretation of the shop / people? This is a big step when someone first gets into it and can be a costly mistake if you choose wrong.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? [Re: DJVCuda] #1249544 06/12/12 12:00 PM 06/12/12 12:00 PM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az Crizila master
Crizila master Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az	Quote: Title pretty much sums it up - What do you look for when selecting a machinist? have you taken a tour first? called on the phone? I'm interested in hearing some success stories on how you found your builder. Thanks Just went through this as I am new to the Az area. Started by getting some feedback from local racers. Meet with the guy. Asked for a shop tour. Looked at what he was working on, shop cleanlyness, Capabilities ( what he can do in house and what he has to send out ). A few test questions pretaining to my motor. If all the above passes your requirements, use him. Fastest 300

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: DJVCuda] #1249545 06/12/12 12:07 PM 06/12/12 12:07 PM
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,300 Northern Indiana Dunnuck Racing master
Dunnuck Racing master Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,300 Northern Indiana	The machine shop I use is the same one other machinists in the area take stuff to when they want it done right. I know several builders that take things to him,when they are doing high end builds that need to be right. You usually wait longer and pay more,but it is worth it in the end. I drive maybe 45 minutes each way to use him instead of 20 minutes each way for a reputable shop that is closer,but I believe is not as good at what he does. Not sure if that helps you at all. Keith www.dunnuckracing.com

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? [Re: DJVCuda] #1249546 06/12/12 01:04 PM 06/12/12 01:04 PM
Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,708 S. Il. U.S.A. 5spdcuda top fuel
5spdcuda top fuel Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,708 S. Il. U.S.A.	Several things. Track record; ie. what kind of engines and how many do they build and how have they worked out. Capability; do they have the experience and equipment to do what I want done "in house". Mistakes; everyone makes them. I want a shop that makes very few of them and takes full responsibility for them when they do occur. Time; we all want it done yesterday, but I'll settle for reasonable. Cost; we all want great quality and dirt cheap pricing. I definitely want good quality, but again I'll settle for fair and reasonable regarding cost. Convenience; it would be nice if they are within 100 miles of home. At this point I'll put in a plug for my own machine shop choice. Belleville Automotive in Belleville,Il. This shop is owned and operated by Mark and Linda Shaefer. Mark is a long time dirt track stock car racer who won the local championship last year. He builds lots of engines of various types, especially circle trackers. He has torque plates for both big and small block Mopars. Mark and Linda have met all the requirements I listed above.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? [Re: 5spdcuda] #1249547 06/12/12 01:08 PM 06/12/12 01:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,431 USA S SSAAHemiFan top fuel
SSAAHemiFan top fuel S Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,431 USA	Personally accuracy is all that matters to me. They don't have to be charming, cheap or fast. I just want everything machined correctly.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? [Re: SSAAHemiFan] #1249548 06/12/12 01:25 PM 06/12/12 01:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 13,247 Mt. Vernon, Ohio dartman366 I Live Here
dartman366 I Live Here Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 13,247 Mt. Vernon, Ohio	Quote: Personally accuracy is all that matters to me. They don't have to be charming, cheap or fast. I just want everything machined correctly. plus someone thats up on the latest trends and takes a personal interest in what works and don't work. Light travels faster than the speed of sound,,,this is why some people seem bright untill you hear them speak.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: RAMM] #1249549 06/12/12 01:38 PM 06/12/12 01:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,266 Renton Washington T Triple Threat master
Triple Threat master T Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,266 Renton Washington	Quote: You will get many responses to this one--But I bet very few will be honest. In most cases--ALL that matters to the customer is the price$$$$---Until they have problems that is. J.Rob I can honestly say cost had zero influence on where I took my last build, in fact I chose one of the more expensive options, for other reasons of course. REPUTATION, quality of equipment, the facility looks more like a doctors office than a machine shop, word of mouth, experience, speed. Lots of factors went into the decision. -Dustin 67 Dart, 9 second, 392" G3 Hemi 68 Barracuda 340 F/SA

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? [Re: DJVCuda] #1249550 06/12/12 01:53 PM 06/12/12 01:53 PM
Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 52,972 Romeo MI MR_P_BODY Master
MR_P_BODY Master Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 52,972 Romeo MI	I like to see a dyno.... that way they have to prove themselves but also the equipment in the shop and a bit of past history

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Builder? [Re: MR_P_BODY] #1249551 06/12/12 02:30 PM 06/12/12 02:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 16,376 D dogdays I Live Here
dogdays I Live Here D Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 16,376	I didn't look at price at all at first. I started asking around and found two shops that had better than decent reputations and repeat customers. Then I looked at a third and they are several steps up in quality and reputation but the price was more than I could handle, like three times the other two. Frankly, my build didn't need that much precision. So I went with one of my two choices and so far the work has met my needs. I'd say reputation, machine tool quality, willingness to listen to the customer, timeliness, and price, in that order. R.

Re: What do you look for in a Machine Shop/ Engine Buil [Re: Triple Threat] #1249552 06/12/12 02:34 PM 06/12/12 02:34 PM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,051 The Great White North RAMM super stock
RAMM super stock Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,051 The Great White North	Quote: Quote: You will get many responses to this one--But I bet very few will be honest. In most cases--ALL that matters to the customer is the price$$$$---Until they have problems that is. J.Rob I can honestly say cost had zero influence on where I took my last build, in fact I chose one of the more expensive options, for other reasons of course. REPUTATION, quality of equipment, the facility looks more like a doctors office than a machine shop, word of mouth, experience, speed. Lots of factors went into the decision. You guys are the exception--NOT the rule. J.Rob 2009 PHR\EMC Competitor 2010 PHR\EMC Competitor 2011 PHR\EMC Competitor 2012 PHR\EMC Competitor 2013 PHR\EMC Competitor 2014 HotRod/EMC Competitor 2015 HotRod/EMC NoShow 2016 HotRod/EMC 3rd place SPEC Bigblock 2018 HotRod/EMC 7th place G3

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