Valve truble

RustyRatRod said

I don't cut spring pockets down at all. IMO, that's not a handle on anything except trying to find a water jacket. The spring pockets are sometimes some of the thinnest areas of the cylinder head to the water jacket. Enlarging spring pockets for a larger diameter spring is one thing. Cutting spring pockets down into the head.....no way on earth would I do that or ever recommend it. Not in this lifetime.

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Since I like what you are talking about... When I was a teenager building my hot rod slant 6 I remember using one of my spare heads and having Wayne schedler cut the spring pocket down to see how deep it was because we were having issues with the spring installed height. I remember them being around .100-.150 before hitting water.
Needless to say I spent $60 bucks 'at the time' and bought isky +.060 retainers...same ones now are 135.00 I would not cut a pocket deep unless I had to..and then it would not be more than .. .020... see what I did there? Haha nah about .030 tops. Like you..i also believe there are too many good ways to fix that type of issue than cutting pockets deeper. Jmo.
If he cut all the guides for positive seals he could clear another .075+ more lift. It shortens the guide in the process. It's a 2 for 1. It have been better he had a shop that knew start to finish what to do with them. This reminds me of a type of 'bare bones' get it running head job deal.
I have a set of heads like this. ..and have all new non rotator 360 exh valves for them. Gonna buzz them out and flip them for cheap on here at some point. Seems all the iron head guys are east of me...all the cali folks want chinease anymore.