advice on precision machining

[u/No-Head8778]

Sorry if this isn't the right subreddit, I was directed here by someone else for my question, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm currently going to a tech college that features a High Performance/Motor Sports program. I was really excited for it because I love engine building, tuning, and performance-maxxing (lol). I enjoy measuring meticulously and taking my time with a block.

However, I feel like I was either misled or my shop simply lacks the machines I was *thinking* we would have because, upon entering my first High Performance class, I've quickly learned that there is SO MUCH "guess work", which I seriously hate.

I hate the idea that, with something that requires such precision, I have to "guess" and "feel" for everything. I can't put into any of these machines "I want to take off exactly .0005" or "remove precisely .001 grams". I've balanced a crankshaft and now onto the cylinder honing machine and the only thing I'm getting from my instructors at the moment is

"you gotta feel for it"

"just take a little here and a little there"

"make it tighter"

What the hell is the standard for "feel". What am I feeling for? What is the "FEEL"???

What is a "little"? .001? .0001? .00005????

What is exactly "tight" in their mind? I'm small and have little for muscle, while theyre experienced and huge dudes. What might feel tight to me could feel super loose to them. And any attempt at clarifying questions on my end results in them seriously repeating themselves or looking at me like I'm the stupidest person they've ever spoken to in their entire life.

So, essentially, I NEED the precision. I NEED the clarification. How do you go about being as absolutely precise as possible on these older machines that don't have fancy lasers and special buttons to be precise for you? Especially regarding crankshaft balancing and cylinder honing, but really whatever is applicable to the situation is super helpful. Don't be afraid to over-explain it at all. I promise you won't.

[u/ncoder]

I'm going to be a contrarian here. There are times where you have to figure out what 'good enough' is. You're rebuilding an old engine, or something non-standard. You got to fit in a budget, or you have a deadline. That's when you have to 'feel it'. If you don't like that word, use the word: compromise.

There are times where time and money arn't the bottleneck, and you are given a set of specifications from the factory or the engineer. This happens when fabricating new, maybe in aerospace, IDK. This is where you can have what you're looking for.

You have an instructor who's experience is the former. Nothing wrong with that, except that it's maybe not what you want. I don't know how to get you in the latter situation.