Head Milling And Compression Ratio

[AMXguy]

The set of newly fully rebuilt 906 heads I bought from a buddy has .022 stamped on both ends, so I'm going to assume that means they were milled .022  probably? is that more or less than normal?

 So when I get the specs on how much the block was decked when it comes back , and add that to this .022 I can choose a piston to give me somewhere in the 9:1 or 9.5:1 range, so do you adjust by head gasket thickness or just run with it? I also assume whe you're given a compression ratio by a piston maker they're saying that their specs are a with no machine work? so somewhere you have to compensate for removed metal? I know how to bolt engines together but I've never worried about this before and I'm not sure if I should. it gives me a headache.

[Topcat]

KB pistons has a compression calculator.

http://kb-silvolite.com/calc.php?action=comp

[femtnmax]

Use what topcat sent you.  It will really help your engine build.  It is not difficult at all.  I use a hospital type cc syringe.  Most engine machine shops have cc equipment.  For head gasket thickness, Felpro blue perma torque is 0.040 thick, and they are great head gaskets.
I do NOT use intake closing at 0.05, instead I use the actual intake closing point in degrees that will be on the cam card for your camshaft.
The choice of cam should really be matched to the head and piston combo.  The intake closing point will control your dynamic compression ratio.  The later the intake closes after bottom dead center then the lower the compression ratio will be because the piston moves further up the cylinder before the intake valve closes.  So a timing chain with plus/minus 2 degrees or 4 degrees keyways lets you dial in the final compression ratio by controlling when the intake valve closes.
This way you will know your engines exact compression ratio, not just a guess. 

Here is Hot Rod info on static/dynamic compression ratios:
http://www.hotrod.com/pitstop/hrdp_0706_pitstop_compression/index.html
Ask questions on this forum.  Folks will jump in and help.

[Topcat]

So a timing chain with plus/minus 2 degrees or 4 degrees keyways lets you dial in the final compression ratio by controlling when the intake valve closes.
This way you will know your engines exact compression ratio, not just a guess. 

Here is Hot Rod info on static/dynamic compression ratios:
http://www.hotrod.com/pitstop/hrdp_0706_pitstop_compression/index.html
Ask questions on this forum.  Folks will jump in and help.

Some good points made byFemtnmax. 

Yup I just bought this. It requires a Torrington bearing that's included.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=380106290950

[AMXguy]

How do you know the deck clearance when you don't have a piston? finding what piston I want to buy is the object.

[Chryco Psycho]

enter the heights of pistons available to you

[moper]

you need to measure it on your block, or assume you will be square decking it to that level (better be starting with a virgin factory machined block...) As far as stampings, I have my own codes for my engines, but I've also stamped "505HP" or anything else the owners wanted on them before. 022 may simply be the end of the invoice number... Best way to know is to measure.

[femtnmax]

Combining Chryco and Mopar, Look up the blocks factory deck height.
From Ramchargercentral:
BLOCK DECK HEIGHTS
B = 9.98"
RB/Hemi = 10.725

So what engine are you building?   Are you using factory stroke crank and rods?  Can your machine shop measure from the crank main bores in the block to the block head gasket surface??   If they can, then you will know if the block has been decked already.

You know the crank stroke, and rod length.  Piston info from the manufacturer will include the compression height.   
So take half the stroke, and the rod length, and the piston compression height.  This number will equal the deck height of the block if the piston tops are flush with the block deck, and the block has not been deck cut already.
Most factory pistons are below the block deck with piston at TDC.  Usually it works out well to have the piston tops flush with the block deck (head gasket surface).
You can get there, just need some more info.

[femtnmax]

The set of newly fully rebuilt 906 heads I bought from a buddy has .022 stamped on both ends, so I'm going to assume that means they were milled .022  probably? is that more or less than normal?

Like others have said, it's tough to say what the number means.  IMO the best way to check what you have is to CC a combustion chamber with spark plug and valves in place, and a little grease on the valve seats to seal the valves.
You will need to know the combustion chamber cc to use the compression calculator no matter what.   Look at the calculator, you need all the info except the piston cc, then selecting a piston will be straight forward.