Homemade cams?

#2
In what context do you mean you built a cam... Are you talking about welding and/or grinding an existing one?

You can increase the lift easily with an existing cam by grinding the heel. At total valve closure and for part of the rotation, there is no contact between the lifter and the cam lobe heel... If you grind off at this point it will increase the lift by the amount you grind off. No need to harden if you're careful. If you want to play with duration, etc, you will need to weld/grind, weld/grind, Harden. Or not Harden, if you don't mind a short lived cam.

They used to do this on old Harley's decades ago for drag racing.
 
#3
In what context do you mean you built a cam... Are you talking about welding and/or grinding an existing one?

You can increase the lift easily with an existing cam by grinding the heel. At total valve closure and for part of the rotation, there is no contact between the lifter and the cam lobe heel... If you grind off at this point it will increase the lift by the amount you grind off. No need to harden if you're careful. If you want to play with duration, etc, you will need to weld/grind, weld/grind, Harden. Or not Harden, if you don't mind a short lived cam.

They used to do this on old Harley's decades ago for drag racing.

Welding an existing one it was already pretty hard the file just skated over it
 

65ShelbyClone

Well-Known Member
#4
Welding and grinding to reprofile a cam is still used today, but it requires a dedicated camshaft grinder, well-designed lobe masters, and a suitable welding process to do it effectively. Just keeping the cam from warping is tough.

I don't want to discourage you from trying it because many of us have. Just be aware that the chance of success is pretty low and the chance of wrecking stuff is high.
 
#5
Welding and grinding to reprofile a cam is still used today, but it requires a dedicated camshaft grinder, well-designed lobe masters, and a suitable welding process to do it effectively. Just keeping the cam from warping is tough.

I don't want to discourage you from trying it because many of us have. Just be aware that the chance of success is pretty low and the chance of wrecking stuff is high.
I agree with all of this.

I don't think it costs that much to have a mfg like Isky or someone to make a cam for you to your specs... I'm pretty sure he would come out cheaper than doing the weld/grind thing, and it will probably run better. Guys used to do this out of necessity; nowadays it doesn't make much sense unless you just want to be able to say that you did it. Although the bragging rights if you come up with something really good are cool.
 

delray

Well-Known Member
#6
you know it's not impossible to make a tool to grind cam lobes(youtube it). if you have the ability to run a cnc mill or lathe and have computer program skills, a guy could fab up is own grinding machine. thing is, the time your done making one your better off spending $100+ and have someone else that does it for a living. it's just not knowing how to make a grinding machine. it also is knowing how a cam works too.
I mentioned this earlier in another thread,but they are kind of on the same subject.....
 
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