[TheForge] Drying Borax (was: Welding flux?)

Wed Jul 24 12:59:44 EDT 2013

On Jul 24, 2013, at 12:31 AM, Jerry Frost wrote:

On 7/23/2013 10:27 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
> On Jul 23, 2013, at 7:40 PM, Jerry Frost wrote:
> 
> Let me see if I have this straight. the rollers are now too long for the space between the mounting plates?
> Yes
>  That's not a comment about what's changed, just about relative size. I can think of two basic solutions, spread the plates OR shorten the rolls.
> 
> The rolls are very hard and true..the flat inner races of needle bearings. Nothing else is still true and was never hard.

That's right you did say bearing races. How wide are they?

There are 2 sets side by side for 3" total width.

> 
> Okay, are the ends of the old rolls galled? A yes would indicate friction and the plates had moved in.
> 
> The rolls were still smooth and hard till they broke. The side plates that squeezed them were distorted and scarred from the blow out. They are what i have to clean up tomorrow, having done the column today.

Yeah, the plates would have taken the damage from the races.

> That's my bet anyway, steel's not known for growing much unless hot. to be sure, mic the space as is now and check against specs or failing specs the original rolls or mic the space where it's welded to the column.
> 
> No point. I'm not going to drive them into position with a lead hammer and still expect them to turn freely.

It's nice to have expectations, I'll be prepared to be happily surprised and celebrate with you.

The entire width of the broken pieces was sufficiently intact to span between side plates and i had to work  to pry them out with an angled prybar.

> 
>  Spreading the plates is a different thing, even hydraulics will have some spring making fine adjustments harder. I'd think a pair of long hefty bolts with between the plates would make a decent screw jack you can keep spread consistent.
> 
> Hah! That's why i asked you Jerry!  I do have some big, hairy old bolts, nuts and washers that might generate enough even force. Good!
> I'll give it a try...sneak up on it for sure. Thanks!
> 
> I'd crank it out a bit at a time and when the right distance use a torch to heat the inside of the plate so it wouldn't want to rebound as much. Just opening it to the right distance isn't going to do it, it will rebound no matter what below bringing it to way too high a heat but measuring it after this move will tell how much rebound is happening so the next stretch will be much closer.
> 
> Heat! On all that pretty gold paint? ( slap forehead), now Jerry, don't you have any sense of propriety?

My proprietary sense got knocked out of me, one more good thing that tree did. So don't use the torch, slip some heated steel in against the plates. It only has to do a little stress relief, not heat treat it. You only want them to relax a bit, become more cooperative. Of course a torch would be faster and easier but you'd probably have to drive to Burbank to find the right color gold paint.

Would have to take the whole thing apart to get heat to the right surfaces...Trying to avoid that if possible.

Thanks for the brain picking Pete, it's good therapy and feels good. After a while a TBI survivor starts to thin THIS is the new normal but you have to keep pushing back the veil. The harder I push the farther it parts. some things come easier than others so I take on the things that come hard. And I'm such a basically lazy guy too. <sigh>

Delighted at the progress you continue to make Jerry...Sometimes i wish i had an excuse as i see my battered brains slipping away with time.

Jer

> 
> Been looking for a used Harris 18-5 torch butt to no avail...
> Hard to shell out $240 bucks unhesitatingly, when i already have half a dozen torches...Ah well.....pf
> 
> Jer
> 
> 
> On 7/23/2013 1:01 AM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
>> well:
>> Let me pick your brain a bit then.
>> I've ordered the rollers for the press and they should arrive this week.
>> However, when i extracted the shaft, then tried to remove the rollers , they were jammed in there
>> solidly enough that i had to use angled prybars to work them free and that took about 10 minutes.
>> That's too tight for free turning rollers,
>>  so i think that the side plates moved in at some point in their abuse history.
>> Guessing i'll need to spread the plates a few thousandths or grind more clearance in that awkward location,
>> and i'd rather not take the whole silly thing apart for this.
>> The squat, 3 ton portapower cylinder is about 3/16 too tall to fit in there,
>> and the little dinky one isn't powerful enough.
>> Wondering about trying to drive in opposing sets of wedges
>> But that's marginal for several reasons.
>> Reluctant to get abrasive grains in the works and not enough room to swing big files.
>> Any ideas?
>> 
>> On Jul 22, 2013, at 11:47 PM, Jerry Frost wrote:
>> 
>> On 7/22/2013 9:44 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
>> 
> 

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