amateur 'semi-pro' flywheel resurfacing techniques "at home"

tightwad here contemplating resurfacing my old VW flywheel using an old wood router with an (say, roughly intake valve shaped, steel-shanked) grindstone in the router collet. a plywood 'rig' would hold flywheel above, 'loose', but have wood 'edge guides' attached to plywood so I'd not be able to move the flywheel outside the 'clutch contact' area needing resurfacing. obviously, any 'feed' setting change (depth of cut) would need to be cautiously set...
I'd set the router carefully to height, router fastened below, and height setting would be locked securely in place, flywheel 'slightly moveable' above. alternately, considering mounting router to large steel flatbar, 3/8 x 6" wide, and using it 'in the conventional manner', from above ;-) <if ya can call this 'conventional thinking', which I realize, um, in some circles, "might be kind of a stretch">
or maybe use a similar jig, this one drill-press mounted, with a same shaped grindstone above in the chuck, "milling machine style". process could 'take a little while' but that's OK. goal is to save money, and hopefully yield a 'semi-presentable' result :-). in a worst case scenario, I'd have to get another used flywheel, which'd cost less than a flywheel resurfacing job at the local shops...
similar 'wild-eyed ideas' that've proved successful for you 'at home in your spare time' for resurfacing flywheels (or similar items) definitely invited :-).

Leave flywheel on engine. Start engine. Carefully touch emery cloth to flywheel.
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Wouldn't a stone work better? Or perhaps a disk sander.

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Dunno, I'd never try it. It just seems like a better idea than the previous contraption.

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Disk sanders work good. Stay way from rotating ring gear. It will remove disk. BTDT
Gunner
The two highest achievements of the human mind are the twin concepts of "loyalty" and "duty." Whenever these twin concepts fall into disrepute -- get out of there fast! You may possibly save yourself, but it is too late to save that society. It is doomed. " Lazarus Long

You've got too much time on your hands. That Vdub flywheel is recessed, so an equal amount of material must be taken from the friction face AND the mounting face. I'd say your chances of failure + injury are great. Does a used flywheel cost more than a trip to the emergency room?
Chas Hurst
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This just sounds like a bad idea. A router stone would have to be precision dressed to be accurate. It would really need to be a lot bigger to maintain the dimension long enough to complete the job. That's a stepped flywheel, so you have to machine both surfaces so that the step is the correct amount of difference. I have a fairly well-equipped shop, and I'm not sure I could cut it. Might be able to do it with a brake rotor lathe, but it needs a grinder to get the hard spots flat. Also need a means to get the dowels out Important thing is to find out the spec for the step (difference between the two surfaces). Machine inner surface, than bring the outer down to spec. You might post this to rec.crafts.metalworking. Lots of sharp people there that love a challenge with limited resources.
|tightwad here contemplating resurfacing my old VW flywheel using an |old wood router with an (say, roughly intake valve shaped, |steel-shanked) grindstone in the router collet. a plywood 'rig' would |hold flywheel above, 'loose', but have wood 'edge guides' attached to |plywood so I'd not be able to move the flywheel outside the 'clutch |contact' area needing resurfacing. obviously, any 'feed' setting |change (depth of cut) would need to be cautiously set... | |I'd set the router carefully to height, router fastened below, and |height setting would be locked securely in place, flywheel 'slightly |moveable' above. alternately, considering mounting router to large |steel flatbar, 3/8 x 6" wide, and using it 'in the conventional |manner', from above ;-) <if ya can call this 'conventional thinking', |which I realize, um, in some circles, "might be kind of a stretch"> | |or maybe use a similar jig, this one drill-press mounted, with a same |shaped grindstone above in the chuck, "milling machine style". process |could 'take a little while' but that's OK. goal is to save money, and |hopefully yield a 'semi-presentable' result :-). in a worst case |scenario, I'd have to get another used flywheel, which'd cost less |than a flywheel resurfacing job at the local shops... | |similar 'wild-eyed ideas' that've proved successful for you 'at home |in your spare time' for resurfacing flywheels (or similar items) |definitely invited :-).
Rex in Fort Worth

DO YOU HAVE A VIDEO CAMERA?
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the vw flywheel bolts to the clutch which is bolted to the block. so the emerycloth idea although hilarious would't work. does it vibrate now? if not just hit it with a roloc disk in a angle grinder to clean it up, i could't tell you the last time i resurfaced a flywheel. Chip

|> DO YOU HAVE A VIDEO CAMERA?
Do the Darwin Awards require video now?? Rex in Fort Worth

Don't knock yourself out. Note the comments about it being a stepped flywheel. Get it done at a machine shop. Prolly $20. JR Dweller in the cellar
bill yohler wrote:
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Why has the name "Darwin" popped into my mind???

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Because this is the dumbest, most dangerous, boneheaded, idiotic, numbskull thing posted here in a very long time?
If he's lucky, the flying pieces will miss major arteries.

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The amount of time and energy some people will waste trying to save a buck never ceases to amaze me. Bob

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You must have missed the thread about the guy wanting to stick a clothes iron onto his oil pan for a block heater.

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Nope, didn't miss it, thought it was rather imaginative in a Rube Goldberg sort of way.... ;-)

Dang, dude, just go to your local beer joint and ask them if you can have the aluminum cans for a week. You'd be able to sell enough to a recycler to pay for a flywheel grind job, and do the environment and yourself a favor.
RJ
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This sounds very dangerous as well as a waste of time. My shop turns flywheels all the time for about $30.00. As someone mentioned earlier the flywheel is a cup and the step must be maintained. I have tried to turn flywheels on the brake lathe with poor results because, IMHO holding the flywheel in the center does not make a perpendicular surface to the axis of rotation. I have on occasion reduced the weight of a VW flywheel BUT, you have to be right to keep the balance. Neal