DoN. Nichols wrote:
On 2009-07-08, Roger Paskell wrote:
"Bill Noble" wrote in message
...

[ ... ]

plastic ends from your old ones, all is good again. Since the shaft is
hardened, you will need to turn it down from the end before parting off.
Hold shaft in collet or 6 jaw chuck so you don't mar it.

[ ... ]

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what are you referring to by "turn it down
from the end before parting off"?

The shaft is case hardened (surface only, with the rest being
simply tough steel). It is difficult to start a parting tool through a
case hardened surface, so you start with a normal turning tool (probably
carbide if you have it, and start turning at the end where you can cut
under the surface and peel the surface away as you cut. Once you get to
the right position where you have exposed the softer under surface, you
want to swap to the parting tool which can handle the inner metal though
it can't handle the hardened surface.

Enjoy,
DoN.


Or you can do it the way most body shops do. Use an abrasive wheel, cut
it short, then heat the end red hot, then cut the threads.
This assumes you cannot locate the correct length from any of the catalogs.

--
Steve W.