Hand ring filer vs electric

[TexasRoadRunner68]

I’m about to gap rings…is it worth investing the money for an electric ring filer? I like that it’s powered and has a deburring wheel…but it’s $649 lol.

This is my first build. I will do a 440 and possibly some others in the future.

Of course I can’t find one of these used. I was looking at the battery proform units, but decided against those.

Any input from the experienced engine builders?

 

[69Bee]

I use the Goodson version of this, but I gap a lot of rings. The steel Cummings rings made me do it; one hour for one ring manually! I think the Proform 12v ones are cheap and voted against them too. There is a bit of a learning curve using this, but works well. In the video for the Proform model, the person said 'you need to increase the gap 0.012", turn the knob and grind away'. That is the quickest way to screw up your rings because the ends will NOT be parallel. Any person that knows math (Geometry/Trig), you need to follow the arc of the circle to keep the gap ends parallel. I have found that by grinding no more than 0.004" then reposition the ring works well, but still check the ends by pushing the together and look for light and adjust accordingly. All of this being said, if all you might do in your lifetime is a few motors, I would probably sticl with the manual ring filer from Summit racing.

 

[Master Gunner]

A couple of things come to mind when it comes to ring files, with the main thing being how often you plan on using it. If it's just going to be a few motors (less than 20) then the manual one would make more sense.
The other thing is, are these street engines or race engines? Just my opinion, but I don't think the gain on hand filed rings vs pre gapped rings is really worth it on a street engine.
Again, my opinion, and that and $5 might you a beer.

Mark

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

Hand filer is just fine. The elect is worth it if you are building engines as a living. Something to keep in mind, you can ruin some rings in a hurry on one of these elect filers. They remove material quick.

 

[dvw]

I use a Pro-Form. is it perfect? No. But I''ve learned its in and outs. There is a plug in cable to charge the battery. It's always plugged in when I use it. The wheel has run-out. So measuring has to be done with the wheel in the same spot everytime. I mark the wheel with a yellow a paint stripe. For the last .001-.002" of gap I sneak up on it. In its last use 14 out of 16 rings were dead on to the small side of my desired spec. Two rings were plus .001". With proper set-up it will cut the gaps perfectly square. It cuts Stainless rings pretty well also.
Doug

 

[BSB67]

This is what I do. Works surprisingly well. Cost me nothing

 

[Bighouse]

^^^ great idea

 

[TexasRoadRunner68]

For hand files, spend a bit more to get an old us made one or get a chineseium one with a new disc on Amazon?

 

[HawkRod]

I'd say hand file the rings if you are only doing this engine.

A key thing is to file in one direction only, moving the file always towards the center of the circle of the ring. Never pull out from the center of the circle. Why? If you file the other direction you will create a ridge that will scrape your cylinder wall. Yes, you can file away that ridge but then you reduce the contact patch of the ring.
Also, after a little bit of filing, force the ring ends together and look at them against a light source. They need to stay parallel. If they are not, fix it as you file.

Hope that makes some sense. Good luck!

 

[IQ52]

I use a Pro-Form. is it perfect? No. But I''ve learned its in and outs. There is a plug in cable to charge the battery. It's always plugged in when I use it. The wheel has run-out. So measuring has to be done with the wheel in the same spot everytime. I mark the wheel with a yellow a paint stripe. For the last .001-.002" of gap I sneak up on it. In its last use 14 out of 16 rings were dead on to the small side of my desired spec. Two rings were plus .001". With proper set-up it will cut the gaps perfectly square. It cuts Stainless rings pretty well also.
Doug

Exactly my experience right down to the yellow stripe. I loaned out my hand filers 6 years ago and they never came back. See the borrower in town on a regular basis and never asked for them back....I like the electric too much.

 

[33 IMP]

This is what I do. Works surprisingly well. Cost me nothing

View attachment 1370864

I made mine out of aluminum, but yeah, same principal same result. Works, gets the job done, costs less than $600.
( and for power-adder motors, just throw in generic non-file to fit rings, for that extra necessary clearance)

 

[493 Mike]

I "borrowed" a design and improved it. I had the Dremel copy (Craftsman) and the rest came from my stock. The block nearest the knob pushes the ring against the small ball bearings which direct the gap toward the cutoff wheel. The two spacers on the 3/8 all thread rod are used or not depending on ring diameter.
Mike

 

[fourgearsavoy]

I vote the cheap Summit hand filer but be very careful if this is you first time because it is very easy to remove too much.
I have used mine to build 8 engines with good results. I learned it doesn't take much pressure to go too far the first time I used it on my 493 .