Overused terms

[Robyn]

Just cruising through a recent edition of a popular 4x4 magazine.

The terms "Billet" and "Blueprinting" get tossed around like water out of a hose. These terms have meaning but I am convinced that far too many folks out there have no clue what these terms mean.

Ballanced is another well used term.

Almost every custom engine builder uses the term "Blueprinting/ Blueprinted"
Really now, just what does this mean? Well the term aside from being highly over used is a simple one and it means.

"The engine has been built to a set of specifications and all the details paid attention to".

Now what specifications might these be? Hmmm could be the factory specs, could be the hard won knowledge of some grizzled old racer that learned the hard way as to what works and what does not.

Then again these specs may just be nothing in particular other than the use of the term sounds kewl and is used by many to mean $$$$ in their pockets.

Every engine has a set of specs that it was originally built to and in general when we rebuild an engine we adhere to those numbers.
Piston to cylinder clearance, bearing clearance ect as well as the proper bolt torque values as the engine is assembled.

Ballancing is done even at the factory but the very precise measurements that we see in the performance world are far above the factory.
This is so simply because a custom engine is hand built and every attention to detail is taken.

Ballancing is not a mysterious process but rather the adjustment of the weights on all the piston, rods and other rotating items so all the little pieces weigh the same. Then the crank is fitted with the flywheel/flexplate and the damper and a set of weights are fastened to the throws to simulate the rod and piston aseembly weight and then the crank is spun in a ballancing machine and the amount of vibration measured.

The ballancers measure in "mils" and the machinist adds or removes metal in the crank counterweights so the rotating assembly runs smooth at speed with very little vibration. (this is a simplified explanation)

Now the term Billet

OH MY GAWD :eek:

Everything is a billet something or ???????

The term billet means that whatever the part is that it was machined from a solid chunk of something. (Plastic, aluminum, titanium)
Nothing real trick and far out here folks.

Now the other highly overused term is the "CNC machined

Hmmmm now CNC equipment is great stuff but in and of itself does not make a particular part special or better.
CNC machines came about for many reasons.
First to promote a way to manufacture parts in mass quantities that conform to specs.
Second Most CNC operators are not machinists and simply change the part as it is finished.
The setup person who actually sets the machine up to run the parts is the one who makes the difference in what is coming off the machine.

CNC is a great thing but back just a very few years when all we had was manual lathes and mills the "machinist" had to do the thinking and make the setups and assure that the part was right. Even in the old days very close tollerances were obtained with ease.

These are just some musings over terms that tend to get overused in a way that skews the real meaning.

Marketing is a skill that takes on many faces. To the average person on the street, technical sounding terms can invoke the idea that a particular product is of better quality and or is something that is a must have.

To those that read these pages that are not well aquainted with the machine trade or the engine building arena these fancy slogans dont always gaurantee that you are getting more for the $$$$$$

This writing is not meant as a slam to any of our fine vendors in any way, but instead just some thoughts provoked by the constant barage of advertising in the marketplace.

best to all

Robyn

[trbankii]

I hear ya!

I'll add another term - "CAD designed"

Seems that if something is drawn up on a computer it must have mythical properties - just like the CNC on the "making" end of things... And more often than not it means just that - that it was drawn up on a computer instead of a sheet of paper and not that it has been through the solid modeling, computer analyzed stuff...

[Robyn]

Oh Yeh buddy.

Not to put down truely good products but to merely point out that far too much hype is used to market things using terms that really dont mean much in and of themselves.

Robyn

[rustyk]

Not to jump on the folks yer smacking, but billeting also refers to a place troops can bed down. Seems a bit much considering the size of a 6.5L, eh?

[Robyn]

I must clarify

I like to smack when smack is needed. :D
But in all fairness the terms are uses far too much as the industry found a cash cow and is exploiting it.
This is done simply because many folks are impressed easily?????? :rolleyes:

Good input Rusty

Robyn

[robscarab]

Good point.

I am in the process moving and have an ad in the local bargain finder listing a bunch of extra speed parts for sale. I had a call from a young man wishing to purchase a B and M 250 supercharger from me. After spending 10 minutes explaining how a roots style blower differs from a turbo..., he asked me if it was made from "Billet"?? I responded that the housing was cast aluminum and then machined to the close tolerance required to provide a good seal. He replies that he can get a "billet" supercharger for the same price from his "buddy". I asked him what model it was and he said it was a Vortech but didn't know the model. He did however "know" that it was made from "billet", not aluminum, and was "extruded" and powder coated ! He became very indignant when I tried to help him understand what the term billet means ,but he knew better.. He "knew for a fact" that "billet" is a titanium alloy, and is much stronger than aluminum!....! I never got the chance to explain that the Vortech is a centrifugal SC ,because he was too busy telling me about the Vortec heads he just bought.....for his 5 liter Mustang !....billet, of course !

The Blower kit ad he was originally calling about clearly states that it is for a BBC.....

[rustyk]

It must be our education system...:mad:

[jomomsophat]

Good point.

I am in the process moving and have an ad in the local bargain finder listing a bunch of extra speed parts for sale. I had a call from a young man wishing to purchase a B and M 250 supercharger from me. After spending 10 minutes explaining how a roots style blower differs from a turbo..., he asked me if it was made from "Billet"?? I responded that the housing was cast aluminum and then machined to the close tolerance required to provide a good seal. He replies that he can get a "billet" supercharger for the same price from his "buddy". I asked him what model it was and he said it was a Vortech but didn't know the model. He did however "know" that it was made from "billet", not aluminum, and was "extruded" and powder coated ! He became very indignant when I tried to help him understand what the term billet means ,but he knew better.. He "knew for a fact" that "billet" is a titanium alloy, and is much stronger than aluminum!....! I never got the chance to explain that the Vortech is a centrifugal SC ,because he was too busy telling me about the Vortec heads he just bought.....for his 5 liter Mustang !....billet, of course !

The Blower kit ad he was originally calling about clearly states that it is for a BBC.....

WOW billet and extruded at the same time !!! they must use lasers or something ;-)

[Chief919]

Another one is "MIL-SPEC", everybody trys to bill any heavy duty part as "mil-spec"

[Robyn]

OH YEAH BUDDY

Good O'll MIL SPEC

Very few folks would even have access to the paperwork on any given product that would be "MIL SPEC" let alone understand.

Hmmm maybe Mil Spec toilet seats.

I mean Come on, any item can have a MIL SPEC, even a package of canned meat or ice cream.

Just a blue print as to what the product will conform too.
Another good post on the overuse of terms to sell things.

Many items that resemble something that may be sold to the military are represented as MIL SPEC and may never have been made for the miltary.

Many items are over runs on military contracts and very well did meet mil spec others were rejects for one of many reasons and did not meet the spec and are then sold as MIL SPEC to the unsuspecting public.

I see this in the AR15 market place. Many companies sell parts as MIL SPEC and most are or were never slated for the military in the first place.

I am guilty of using this line "MIL SPEC" in the sales brochure of our 502 Thunder Sabre 50 cal AR carbine.
The one difference is that the components refered to are MIL SPEC and they do conform to the MILITARY blue print for the parts in question.

Just the American way I guess, Used to be called "Name dropping"
Same result though, folks buy the stuff.

I dont mind the use of the terms if it means something thats of importance.
My reasoning was and is that the product is of a particular quality and or better.
Mil Spec is fine but in many cases better quality parts/items can be found on the open market.

Sort of like the term when refering to having an engine Built, "blueprinted"

Hmmmm who's prints, what specs? ( factory numbers or Bubbas garage ideas) are the specs worth anything or were they just parts that were stuffed together with all the rest and called blueprinted?
Factory quality (OEM) or gypo stuff from All Night Auto and Rip Off Supply??

Words mean little unless there is good documentation and material proof behind them.


Carry on troops ;)

Robyn

[More Power]

Heavy Duty is another overused and poorly defined term. I read an article recently in a truck mag that discussed a collection of off-the-shelf OE parts..... Heavy Duty fan, heavy duty fan-clutch, heavy duty water pump, heavy duty lift pump, and on and on.... :rolleyes: We also have the 1500HD, 2500HD, 3500HD, and then the ante is upped to Super Duty..... One of Pontiac's performance engines in the 60's was named, of all things... a Super Duty....

I propose a new term.... "Extra Heavy Super Duty" :D

Jim

[93GMCSierra]

Don't forget the Z71 package.

[DmaxMaverick]

Don't forget the Z71 package.

Not really. Z71 is the actual RPO code, indicating the off road suspension package. It may sound cool, but was in use long before it was ever seen pasted on the outside. Z82 is a real cool sounding number, and is BIGGER than Z71. Z82 only means HEAVY DUTY (of all words) trailering equipment optioned.

[arveetek]

Good thread! I really enjoyed reading this one!!!

Casey

[Dr. Lee]

WOW billet and extruded at the same time !!! they must use lasers or something ;-)

Well, now, don't go off half-cocked. They don't use lasers, but most aluminum billet is in fact extruded in big, I mean BIG, extrusion presses.

Titanium billet, in contrast, is made by melting the raw titanium sponge in a vacuum arc furnace, because even a small amount of oxygen will dissolve in the titanium and make it brittle.

Remember, the license plate on my truck reads "MTLRGST", giving me the right to claim that I am the only "licensed metallurgist" in the state of Florida ;).

[winemaker]

And how does "genuine leather" differ from "leather"?

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

I am sitting here laughing my head reading this. To true on many of these. The Pontiac SD455. Something I like to rub into Ford boys faces. "You call THAT a super duty!?"

And yes, HD everything. Truly HD is designed and built with extra capacity and so that it can withstand extreme work situations. Not an extra plastic cover or logo, LOL.

And yes, I laugh at how Companies market extras. The Firebird was a hard to find 2nd gen in that it was loaded right out. Had a longer RPO list than almost any other car I have seen. And it had the WS6 suspension package. The 4th Gen Firebirds had the WS6 on them. I don't know how many times I saw them advertised something like "2002 Pontica Firebird Formula WS6" and people would talk about how it was a WS6 but wouldn't have a clue. Most figured it was an engine add on.

[trbankii]

Have to add another one I've been noticing more and more lately - "wireless"

When you start seeing packaging touting a "wireless" flashlight or a "wireless" pencil sharpener to denote that it uses batteries I think you've gone too far...

[CleviteKid]

Anything that has to be promoted as "USER FRIENDLY" probably isn't.

And if it makes me angry :mad: with the people who designed it, it definitely is NOT user friendly !

[Robyn]

Actually, Ford has used the term "Super Duty" since the 60's in the medium duty truck lineup.

They had the 477 Cube and the 534 Cube Monsters

These were part of the super duty equipment.

Our local fire house used to run those behemoths up until just a few years ago when they finally went diesel.

Seems that the big companies are always going back and dredging up old names they used back in the 50's and 60's and doing the retro thing.

Wonder when they will offer the "New Biscayne " Hmmmm never know what they will try?? :rolleyes:

Robyn

[Lonesome7.3]

This thread certianly will give one the giggles.

I have noticed somehting else similar to what you all are speaking of.

Acronyms that people obviously do not know the meaning of. Like an IFS suspension. What is an independent front suspension suspension? Or how about ATM machine, do you mean an automatic teller machine machine? I am sure I could go on and on about that.

[Robyn]

We can also move on to "Oxymorons"

Jumbo shrimp, Guest Host, Hmmmm they go on forever too. :D

Robyn

[Lonesome7.3]

How about a rear windshield. What the hell is a rear windshield. What kind of driving are you doing if you need a rear windshield?


I have got one even better. Every year when we visit family in Tennessee we hit the salvage yards up there. They are Faaaaaarrrrrrrrr superior to the little yards where I am from. Well, one year I was building a 73 though 79 Ford and I could not find a Dana 60 for that body style down there anywhere. So we figured we would try our luck up there. I could not believe what that search had turned into. I walked up to the counter and asked for a one-ton front end for a 73 through 79 Ford. The parts guy responded with “a what” The rest seems like a skit of a comedy TV series.

Me- I said I need a front end.
Parts guy -“a front end?”
Me- yeah, you know, a front drive axle.
Parts guy- “ a what?”
Me- I need a front end for a one-ton mid 70’s Ford. Do you have any or not?
Parts guy- “a front end you said?”
Then before my eye could quit twitching he said, “Oh, you mean a front rear.”
Me- A what?
Parts guy “You need a front rear, right?”
Me- Dude, what in the hell is that?
Parts guy –“The front piece for a 4x4”
Me- um, yeah, I need the front end for a Ford 4x4.
Parts guy- “Well all we have are front rears, I am not sure what you are talking about.”
Me- how can you not know what I am talking about? What in gods name are you talking about?
Parts guy- “I told you what I am talking about, what are you talking about?”


As you can see I was peeing straight into the wind on this one. I thought he was talking about the forward axle on a tandem set up. I had never in my life heard any one refer to a front end as a front rear. What kind of back woods, toothless, uneducated, sister banging idiot came up with such a stupid term?

Long story short, I bought a front end back home. It turned out; all the parts guys up there spoke like that.

[a5150nut]

Try to find a chain binder in Texas...........it's a Boomer!

I used to build and install overhead crane systems. We hung them off B7 all-thread or cold rolled threaded on both ends. On the I-beam you use a Bevel Washer (square tapered washer to take out the taper in the I-Beam).I usually got mine from Fort Worth Bolt and Tool.

Well, a small job came up and I needed 250 5/8s bevel washers. I called FWB&T and they were out. No problem, I dig out the Yellow Pages find another bolt supply.

Hello, yawl got any bevel washers?
Any what?
Bevel washers.
Long pause, I don't think so. But just in case what does they look like?
Well, square, wedge shaped, with a round hole in the middle.
Oh, yawl meena side hill washer. We gots lots o dem.

It was fun traveling the country trying to pick up the local jargon and accent...............:eek:

[Lonesome7.3]

You have to love the locals. I use to think it was cool learning thier language. But after several heated conversations like the one previously mentioned, it got old. I will admit, it is funny watching some one else go through what I did. ;)

[winemaker]

I'll never forget a visit to a 7-11 in Seattle...not exactly the deep south, but the lingo may as well have been so far as I was concerned. After ringing up the items the clerk looks right at me and says "Y'awll onna sacfr that?"

It took 3 or 4 tries to equate that statement to one I'm more familiar with "Need a bag?"

Then there was the time in Belfast when a guy asked if he could bum a fag. I said it was fine with me but I wanted no part of it. Turns out he thought I could lend him a cigarette.

Try this one next time someone asks if they can ask you a question. reply, "you just did".

Cheers
Brett

[Lonesome7.3]

Yeah the bum a fag got me once to. I worked with a gyt from England and he taught me all kinds of "different" terminology.

[Robyn]

The english "slanguage" is an interesting journey to say the least.

From the pacific northwest to the deep south the terms used are so different. Now move over to Britain and really get a shock.

Our friends to the North have their own twists to it too.

Go to the Land Down Under and its more learning to catch up on.

I get a broad cross section of folks that walk through the door of the gunshop and the terms and slang used can get interesting for sure.


Best

Robyn

[Robyn]

Just a little story.
A number of years ago a close friend was over seas setting up a new foundary. The crew were all locals and the english was good but the slang was totally different.

Tom remarked to the crew boss that once they got to a certain point in the assembly that they would need to get the "scrubbers" uncrated and ready to install. (stack emissions devices)
The crew boss replied "Scrubbers" ???????/ My god man how can you think about them??

Seems that a scrubber is a Whore in that part of the world. :eek:

Got to love it

Robyn

[GMC Hauler]

Military has lots of them:

Scuttlebutt: Water fountain/Rumor
Secure: MP's, Marines and Army, this one means safe i.e. the building is secure. Navy technicial side: a piece of equipment is shut down.
Field Day: Sounds like fun in high school. Means several hours of cleaning in the Navy.
Bug Juice: Windshield washer fluid/Navy Cool-Aid
Dixie Cup: Paper cup/White hat worn by sailors
Head: On top of your shoulders/Navy bathroom

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

Our friends to the North have their own twists to it too.

Don't we, eh? :D