[GreenKeys] Model 15 startup

[Don Robert House]

GEORGE YOU ARE WONDERFUL...  YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK.
Don
K9TTY


On 20 Oct 2007, at 12:41 AM, George B. Hutchison wrote:

The right hand end of the mainshaft should have a plug in it sealed  
with a small leather washer.

Take a good pressure oil can and using a shop rag for a gasket remove  
the plug and pump oil into the mainshaft and watch the hole on the  
middle of the selector cam sleeve retaining screw (it says "Left Hand  
Thread" on it)on the opposite end. If the main shaft is clear, you  
should see oil dribbling out of that hole. It will be hard to see  
some of the other places, but you should see something around the  
main shaft clutch which is right inside the left hand bearing of the  
main shaft. There could also be some oil dribbling out of the spacing  
clutch felt at about the center of the shaft.

If you don't see any oil coming out of anywhere, then it might be a  
good idea to pull and disassemble the main shaft and see if you can  
see oil coming out of the cross-wick holes in the main shaft as you  
pump it in. If you see nothing, then chances are the main shaft is  
plugged, and you will have to drill it out. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRILL  
OUT A MAINSHAFT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DISASSEMBLED. YOU WILL RUIN THE  
SHAFT AND GET A BIG SPANKING FROM JACK HART!!

A good substitute for the main shaft wick could be made by doubling  
up a 30 inch length of box twine and twisting it a bit as you draw it  
into the main shaft using a length of say #22 solid bare wire. Just  
form a little hook in the end and hook the loop in the twine in it.  
Trim the ends so that they are flush with each end of the shaft.

Cross wicks would be nice, but inasmuch as they are rarer than  
chicken teeth, don't sweat it, just pump oil in the main shaft once  
every couple of weeks.

A main shaft drill is waiting for you at Home Despot, in the  
electrical tools. Get one 1/8" in diameter 12 to 14 inches long. They  
are commonly used nowadays for installing security system wiring.

Don't be afraid of the main shaft. They don't bite. When dis- 
assembling the shaft simply put the assorted pieces in the same order  
as you remove them, in the same direction as they were on the shaft.  
A main shaft can only go together one way.

In the event you have a hard time getting some of the pieces off the  
shaft, it generally means that the oil has fried and is gluing the  
pieces on. Stuck on pieces can be removed by lovingly placing the end  
of the shaft on  a piece of soft wood, such as cedar or white pine,  
and use controlled tapping, rapping, or beating as necessary  with a  
leather or rawhide mallet and you can usually convince them to come  
off. Don't ever directly strike the parts with a steel hammer, or use  
a steel rod to transfer the whacks from the hammer. A brass rod can  
be used judiciously, or use a piece of hardwood dowel.

Use 400 or 600 grit emery cloth to polish the shaft and remove any  
varnish, and correspondingly use an appropriately sized gun cleaning  
brush to remove the crud from the interior of any parts.

Really stubborn varnish can also be vanquished by soaking the  
afflicted shaft or part in a product called "Oil Eater", by a company  
called Kafco. It is available in most of the larger Costco  
warehouses. Beware - Oil eater will turn your skin to mush if you  
keep your fingers in it. When satisfied that Oil Eater has done it's  
thing, rinse all parts in very hot water for a couple of minutes, dry  
with compressed air or in a 250 degree oven, and then spray liberally  
with WD-40.

Products such as Amway Industrial Cleaner or Oil Eater will go into  
the grain boundaries of the metal and remove some of the deeper  
lubrication. Heating in an oven opens the grain boundaries, and the  
WD-40 will by nature just wander right in, allowing the part to once  
again expect to lead a longer life.

I will once again render my opinion that Slick 50 is a brand of snake  
oil, sold by varlets, cutpurses, carpetbaggers  and other shady gents  
off the tail of a covered wagon. The best grease I have found is  
Conoco Super-Sta #2. It is a lithium-based grease with a tackiness  
agent added to it. Costs a little over 2 bucks for a ten-ounce tube.  
Not available everywhere. Check your phone book for a dealer near  
you, or call Western Union for Operator 25.

Oil is either 10 weight or 20 weight paraffine based stuff, non- 
detergent. Hard to find, but it is still around.

Hint to the fledglings - - -

Having trouble with unexplainable garble when your model 15 selector  
seems to be adjusted all peachy-keen??

Try the Selector Rap Test!!! - - - Take a hard handled screwdriver  
(wood or plastic, not rubber) and rap the big screw which is the  
pivot for the rangefinder indicator swing arm. If your machine goes  
ka-chunk every time you hit that screw, chances are that the trip  
latch/selector arm stop are worn beyond fixing. You need new ones.  
Symptoms are the same for both pulling-magnet and holding magnet  
selectors.

Enough of Grampa George's model 15 clinic for now.

73,

George - W7TTY


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