I understand your reasonings..however when you're producing high amounts of pressure especially in the combustion chamber you need something that is going to handle the heat/pressure/abuse. Now im not saying you have to tq the headstuds to 165ftlbs...all im saying is that the studs that I have made can take that type of tq. Our decks are not large and are quite small and any surface area you take away...can pose to be a problem. What happens if you mess up and cross drill the hole wrong? Lots of mistakes can happen to a block that isn't machined properly. All I'm saying is that you alliviate the possibilities of mistakes