A couple of questions , before ordering parts.

Lu47Dan · Post by **Lu47Dan** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:47 am

Homemade Breeder Reactors

Well the tools are done will pick them up tomorrow Tuesday September 2 .
Gill , still trying to find a bearing separator big enough to remove the bearing and seal retainer from axle . Might have to set down and make something . Will try to get it off today .
Dan

Lu47Dan · Post by **Lu47Dan** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:17 pm

I managed to get the retainer of the axle shaft tonight , it took a little finagling to get it off but the test of the tool I say was a success .

The tool slides down over the axle shaft easily .

Being I was using an old seal for the test I would say it worked out alright .

Dan .

wwattson · Post by **wwattson** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:35 am

Just one more question before I head out to the shop to turn a few of these out. The sketch Jim sent me shows the inside diameter of the insert as being 2-3/8". In as far as this piece is removed when you actually install the seal on the axle, is there anything critical about this I.D. or is the only really important dimension the 2.510" I.D. of the other piece for the shaft clearance?

Thanks,

Bill

Lu47Dan · Post by **Lu47Dan** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 9:31 am

Bill , the "Nose" piece is removed before installing the seal retainer onto the shaft . There is not much material left after turning the 2.600" diameter , turn the 2.510" inside diameter of the tool first . All in all I am glad I had the tool made from aluminum instead of nylon , the nylon might have been too soft to install in the seal . Dan

Post by **Lavoy** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:33 am

Bill,
I.D. of the insert itelf is irrelevant, I have even made one out of solid shaft stock, it is just heavy to use.
Lavoy

wwattson · Post by **wwattson** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:06 pm

Finally got around to turning one out of PVC. I think it will work fine for the occasional final drive rebuilder. Actually had the thing launch out of the lathe and didn't even scratch it. Here's some pictures.

I'll get the prototype to Jim so he and verify that it's ready to go and then I should be ready to go to production. The problem I hit with the PVC is the one I expected. It needs more support when being machined down to thin sections and I'm going to end up making a mandrel to mount it on in the lathe. It'll make for a better result in the production units.

Bill

P.S. Anybody need a Geiger Counter? Great thing to have if your part of the world is subject to dirty bombs, radioactive spills, or nuclear attacks.

CELSESSER · Post by **CELSESSER** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:38 pm

Bill,
Like Detroit on a typical Saturday night?

The tool looks like it should work well, why not make the inner (nose) piece with a smaller inside dimmension for rigidity while putting the seal onto the tool? Have you machined any of the high molecular weight plastic (the white stuff) ? I hear it machines well and is slippery which would be good for getting the seal on and off without rolling the lips. I know it is pricy though.

Chuck

wwattson · Post by **wwattson** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:14 pm

Chuck,

It's turned from a piece of 2-1/2" Schedule 80 pipe so the I.D. is 2.323". It's really plenty stiff and I would guess it would easily survive 100 or so seal installs with little trouble.

The cost of the PVC pipe is a small fraction of the cost of an equal diameter rod. I wanted to try to keep the cost down for the casual user. The steel ones I plan to make from 12L14 dimensional tube. They'll be much stronger and have knurled grips more in line with a long lasting tool but they'll cost significantly more.

Bill

wwattson · Post by **wwattson** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:26 pm

I finally got the mandrel fabricated to make the PVC version of the tool. The problem I was having was that the PVC was too slippery and too flexible to chuck in my lathe chuck. The mandrel is solid aluminum and is fitted to my collet chuck. The two o-rings give it the grip to permit turning.

And now the first example turned with the new mandrel.

I'm going to go ahead and turn out a few of these tomorrow. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't work but I want to get feedback on one of the two prototypes before I start selling them. The PVC versions will go for $30 each when they're ready.

Bill

Ray III · Post by **Ray III** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:34 am

That's great, the government is probably watching this site in case we start building our own battle tanks (and breeder reactors).

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A couple of questions , before ordering parts.

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