# Enginerds: Machining a 427 block out of solid billet (video) **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [February 16, 2011, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231 "2011-02-16T08:41:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TrueBlue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trueblue/32/7245_2.png) [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/1 "2011-02-16T08:41:35Z")
[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/c/c/cc0515a8d78f61b004cd364a70b3afef641a6d63.jpeg "Kirkham Motorsports University CNC Billet Aluminum 427 FE Engine Block 1 of 3") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLNJ8d8Vqc) So cool. > ]Kirkham Motorsports usually needs about 30 hours of computer-controlled machining to turn a **383-lb. aluminum billet into a 64-lb. engine block for its self-designed 427.** Luckily for manufacturing geeks, they’ve shortened the process to seven minutes for this video. > > While it looks like a button-pressing gig once in the machine, the programming for the CNC took 50 hours, on top of an additional 30 hours designing the block itself. And yes, the 319 lbs. of aluminum turned into metal shavings will be sent back to the foundry for recycling. ---
**Author:** ![97FormulaWS-6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/97formulaws-6/32/7384_2.png) [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/2 "2011-02-16T08:46:51Z")
There was a CNC machine manufacturer who was doing this at the Chicago Trade show last year; they had a machine running blocks constantly the entire show. I forgot who the machine mfg was, but I remember asking one of my machinest buddies, and he said they were pretty much THE top CNC machines in the world. ---
**Author:** ![breakstuff](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/breakstuff/32/5413_2.png) [@breakstuff](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/breakstuff)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/3 "2011-02-16T09:15:13Z")
Man would it suck to break a tap in the last hole. ---
**Author:** ![TrueBlue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trueblue/32/7245_2.png) [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 9:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/4 "2011-02-16T09:40:12Z")
Or not have the machine zeroed out. “It’s a V-7.5!” ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 10:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/5 "2011-02-16T10:00:07Z")
They designed it in 30 hours and programmed the machining in 50 hours? 80 hours for that? Fucking hell engineers around here can’t decide how to scratch their asses in 80 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 10:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/6 "2011-02-16T10:00:56Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > They designed it in 30 hours and programmed the machining in 50 hours? 80 hours for that? Fucking hell engineers around here can’t decide how to scratch their asses in 80 hours. Same here. That’s really impressive. ---
**Author:** ![97FormulaWS-6](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/97formulaws-6/32/7384_2.png) [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 11:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/7 "2011-02-16T11:07:21Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > They designed it in 30 hours and programmed the machining in 50 hours? 80 hours for that? Fucking hell engineers around here can’t decide how to scratch their asses in 80 hours. It’s called an engineer/programmer who can do both the design and programming, work well as a team, and who has decision authority and doesn’t have a manager (or management in general) who has their nose in everything. ---
**Author:** ![RedGoober4Life](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redgoober4life/32/7610_2.png) [@RedGoober4Life](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RedGoober4Life)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/8 "2011-02-16T11:49:00Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > They designed it in 30 hours and programmed the machining in 50 hours? 80 hours for that? Fucking hell engineers around here can’t decide how to scratch their asses in 80 hours. r they on nyspeed? 😉 \<3 ---
**Author:** ![Anonymity](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/anonymity/32/7215_2.png) [@Anonymity](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Anonymity)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/9 "2011-02-16T14:30:59Z")
> [@RedGoober4Life](#): > > r they on nyspeed? 😉 > > \<3 love it! ---
**Author:** ![walter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/walter/32/7202_2.png) [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/10 "2011-02-17T14:29:54Z")
Pfft, this \> that [https://youtu.be/RnIvhlKT7SY](https://youtu.be/RnIvhlKT7SY) ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blue_eyed_devil/32/7292_2.png) [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/11 "2011-02-17T17:18:51Z")
^That’s because DMG is German and HAAS is crappy US machinery. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jack/32/7613_2.png) [@Jack](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jack)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/12 "2011-02-17T17:49:52Z")
2 week development cycle for an engine block is super impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Jim1234664](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jim1234664/32/7438_2.png) [@Jim1234664](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jim1234664)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/13 "2011-02-18T13:25:46Z")
> [@Jack](#): > > 2 week development cycle for an engine block is super impressive. Its not like this is a custom engine… many examples/drawings already exist and it has to accept all gm 427 parts that are in the same boat… doesnt seem like it would take all that long if you were already familiar with modeling blocks ---
**Author:** ![Jack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jack/32/7613_2.png) [@Jack](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jack)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/14 "2011-02-18T15:31:20Z")
> [@Jim1234664](#): > > Its not like this is a custom engine… many examples/drawings already exist and it has to accept all gm 427 parts that are in the same boat… doesnt seem like it would take all that long if you were already familiar with modeling blocks It takes 2 weeks (as mentioned earlier) to even get pen to paper, let alone a finished product regardless of how much existing product is available. That is the impressive part. I guess you could read it from the standpoint that it took 2 weeks of actual work to complete the project, but we worked on the project for 2 years bullshitting before the block was done. ---
**Author:** ![rdandy5875](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rdandy5875/32/7511_2.png) [@rdandy5875](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rdandy5875)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/enginerds-machining-a-427-block-out-of-solid-billet-video/209231/15 "2011-02-18T16:10:58Z")
> [@walter](#): > > Pfft, this \> that > > [https://youtu.be/RnIvhlKT7SY](https://youtu.be/RnIvhlKT7SY) MMMMM, Good way to spend $500k…