Deck Height and Valve Relief, What would you do? Options

[BeatNavy]

While I wait (seemingly forever) for back-ordered rocker shims to arrive from aircooled, I keep debating in my head which way to go on deck height on a 2056 rebuild I am doing:

CC volume is 59.8 (calculated by Len Hoffman)
Raby 9950 (FI) cam
JE Pistons with valve relief
Deck height w/o any barrel shims is .032.
That gives me a CR of 8.6, assuming the valve relief adds about 2 cc's to CC volume.

Adding a .010 shim puts me just shy of 8.4 CR with a deck height of .042. .042 deck height is safer. Pretty sure I wouldn't go .032 deck height with flat tops, but does the valve relief give me enough "safety?"

This is my first Type 4 rebuild, so maybe I should go conservative? Am I crazy considering going less than .035? I've done the "clay test" with deck height at .042, and there's no issue there.

What would you do?

[BeatNavy]

So I should probably add: I did go to my "local" machinist (about an hour a way) and had him cut .035 off the jugs a few weeks back. I should have had him take a bit more, but I didn't think it all the way through -- that's my fault. Having him do additional work is a couple of 2 hour trips, $100 in services, and, likely, 2 to 3 weeks waiting. None of that is a deal breaker, but just trying to determine my options.

So I guess the straightforward question is: what is safe/acceptable deck height with valve relief? Still .040? .035?

Thanks for the input, fellas.

[McMark]

... had him cut .035 off the jugs...

Off the top or the bottom? If the top, make sure the heads don't hit the top cylinder fin.

[BeatNavy]

... had him cut .035 off the jugs...

Off the top or the bottom? If the top, make sure the heads don't hit the top cylinder fin.

Off of the bottom...

....and, I went out and purchased a set of Keith Black flat top pistons. I'm hoping it doesn't radically change existing deck height, but we'll see. I guess I'm willing to start from scratch to get closer to 8.6 CR after all.