Valve cover question??

[ratrodney]

Hey.

My boy goes to a vocational school which has a cnc machine that they can engrave things in. Think it can safely engrave on a set of valve covers like these? Wats the thickness on the tops of these or most normal valve cover thickness? Tnx, RR

 

[ratrodney]

Well I cant get a pic. One second. RR

 

[Mr.Gussett]

Hey Rod, Those look like the same fabbed sheet metal (aluminum) valve covers
that Zack has for his BBC. You might be able to "engrave" something in the top of them but they are too thin to cnc much of anything with depth!

 

[skull]

Measure

l would measure the thickness on the top thru the oil fill/pvc hole and go 1/4 of that for my engraving.

Later

 

[Hudyhue]

I think they are too thin... But that's just my .02 , do you have a extra one laying around? If there close thickness have him try it on a throw away one first?

 

[Tim...Ok]

I'm a CNC programmer by day and have done ALOT of custom engraving for different rides, race cars etc..I usually only engrave about .010 deep, so the thickness of the aluminum isn't the problem..the problem is that most fabbed valve covers aren't very flat.. so your .010 deep engraving is .020 deep on one end and doesn't touch the other..careful shimming and clamping can usually make it doable, but its kind of a pain,especially on fabbed valve covers..

Tim