Thomas head

[fordtruck36]

Hi all dose any one know what's happening with the Thomas heads was after one from snyders but said they were discontinued. Any one know of any around for grabs

[waxhead]

Here is a post made by Tod Buttermore the other day

"I'm in the process of modeling a new version of the Thomas head that will be much better than the one I currently make for Snyder. If enough people are interested, I can make a pattern without the fins."

Tod

[Hotrodfil]

I like my Thomas head - might like another in cast iron, with or without the fins.

[Del in NE Ohio]

Snyders has their new Thomas head in stock now. Saw them last week.

[Tod]

The last 2 batches of castings had issues. I will not go into details as to why on here. I am indeed making a new one. I'm pretty sure Snyder's will be involved somehow. Please do not contact them about this until they are ready to be sold. You will just be tying up phone time for nothing.

I'm doing this to make my own work go more smoothly, to make a pattern a foundry can actually cast, and help a good customer (Snyder's) sell a quality product.

Tod

[glenn in camino]

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I've had mine for 10 years, and I love it.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Hi, Tod -
We ordered one of your Thomas heads from Snyder's last year in the springtime and had it polished out. It has not been installed yet. As I recommended this head to the owner, I am now concerned that it may have been in the "bad batch" you mentioned. What were the problems with these heads? Correctable? Do they need to be resurfaced before installing?
A now-concerned Marshall

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Marshall V. Daut

Hi, Tod -
We ordered one of your Thomas heads from Snyder's last year in the springtime and had it polished out. It has not been installed yet. As I recommended this head to the owner, I am now concerned that it may have been in the "bad batch" you mentioned. What were the problems with these heads? Correctable? Do they need to be resurfaced before installing?
A now-concerned Marshall

No, that would not be from the bad batch. The bad batch had issues where the spark plug holes did not mold up properly and had to be machined out and re-shot-blasted. There is also a pattern issue with draft on the end where the molds break and the foundry needs to cut out the bad area. I do not even machine the castings I pull out that are not to my liking. The one on Ebay is an example of one that looked good until machining opened up gas holes. If I deliver them to Snyder after machining them we go over all casting defects. My main gripe is the foundry not properly grinding their gating or leaving globs of metal where it shouldn't be. The pattern is to blame for many of the casting issues.

You go ahead and use that one. It should be fine. This new foundry didn't work out.

Added: Buyers will not see the most annoying issue which is the method used by the foundry to keep the spark plug holes from breaking out in molding. That only caused me grief and led to many hours of cursing the foundry and the guy who made the tooling.

Tod

[fordtruck36]

Thanks all for the replys. Is there a rough time frame when they will be done tod.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by fordtruck36

Thanks all for the replys. Is there a rough time frame when they will be done tod.

I can't say. I have a lot of other stuff going on right now. I have 2 other heads to get going first. Every day production slows things down considerably.

Tod

[Marshall V. Daut]

Tod -
Thanks for taking the time to explain the situation with the defective heads. I'm sure this information will ease other readers' minds, too. I know that you made me breathe easier. We look forward to enjoying the performance your cylinder head will give to my friend's A.E.R. engine in his speedster. She ought to really fly!
Thanks again, Tod.
Marshall