Mark,
I wasn't trying to cast dispersions on your machinist. He is right, if everything looks good, just stick it back together. Without pulling the sidecover and looking at the lifter, you are going to have to go by 'feel' when you reassemble it. If the dead straight pushrod spins like butter as it mates with the cup in the lifter, things are probably OK. If you squirt some 30wt motor oil down the hole onto the top of the lifter, you should be able to almost 'suction' the lifter straight up with the pushrod.
Those two tests will tell you the seat in the lifter is good, otherwise you would have to do a visible, and that means pulling the sidecover. Sears has some cool fiber optic scopes on sale, that would be an excuse to buy one!
Stuart
