Cutting cylinders to proper overall length

[boatdoc]

Please educate me on whether i should have the top of the cylinders machined or set up on a lathe to turn the bottom of the cylinders.
If i can have the tops machined what is the best way to remove the dowels?

Unfortunately no machine shops close to me that do this on a regular basis or possibly ever. There are some good machine shops just not experienced with this kind of work. Some willing to "take a look, might be able to do it"
Should this be done on a milling machine or can a wet stone automotive head resurfacing machine do this?

I can see pitfalls in having the bottoms machined by someone not really familiar with doing it.

Thank you in advance.

[RTMike]

Pull the dowels with a blind hole bushing tool,them have the head gasket surface faced off to the measurement desired

[FSG]

....... them have the head gasket surface faced off to the measurement desired

true the base of the cylinder first

[SP33DY]

I prefer to cut the base. Indicate the head gasket surface to be sure it is parallel to the base and doesn't run out. Trim the head gasket surface just enough to true it. Taking all of the needed material from the head gasket surface can lead to interference with the rivets on MLS head gaskets. No big deal to snip the rivet tabs off, just not my preference. In an extreme situation locating dowel height can become an issue. Depending on the cylinder size, I hold it in the lathe between a rotating tailstock chuck and the headstock chuck, or on an expanding mandrel between centers. Any properly tooled machine shop should be equipped to handle this little job.

[jsachs1]

Depending on how much has to come off, I've done/do them on the H.G. surface, and some on the cylinder base. I do quite a few EPA, mandated in the hole chopper cylinders (S&S) to get to 0 deck. Some as much as .080".
John

[boatdoc]

Good news , found a guy that knows what he is doing!
All good now. Thanks everyone for the advice.