Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole.

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry and physics. Sure
drove me nuts for a while. Can't go into since it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. It had a screwdriver slot but I
couldn't unscrew it. So I ground a screwdriver to fit the slot, used a arbor press and a
fellow tech to force the screw driver into the slot while I used a crecent wrench on the
square shaft of the screw driver (sears craftsman) to break it loose. I learned that
threadlocker was involved in this. Likely the blue stuff.

I made a 5c collet closer setup for my 6903 lathe. I fixed the hand wheel for tightening
it using permatex red. I *thought* it would release at 375F if I wanted to change things.
Well, my oven at 500F wasn't getting it done.

So I set the handwheel over a range burner and gave it the heat. My IR temp gun got wildly
differing temperatures from the 4130 draw tube and the alumininum hand wheel. Like a 200+
F difference.

I let it set for a while. That burner being on isn't a problem during a Michigan winter.
I kept trying it at times but the wheel was stuck. Finally, I smelled something. My
little pea brain thought that might mean something important chemically just happened and
for sure it did. That draw tube is at 630+ F. The aluminum is lying like a rug. Freaking
hot. My leather gloves didn't allow me time to unscrew the hand wheel before I really
needed to put this down and get that burning my hand glove off. OUCH! Note, I repeated
that sequence more than thrice.


A while back I repaired a cracked hub on a varidrive sheeve by boring it out, threading
the sheeve and threading a new hub securing it with Loctite red and dutch pins. I no
longer have any fear that the hub will ever work loose.

http://wess.freeshell.org/6903_chit_a_crack.JPG

http://wess.freeshell.org/driven_front_newhub.jpg
http://wess.freeshell.org/driven_rear_newhub.jpg
http://wess.freeshell.org/Driven_fro...b_dutchpin.jpg



Wes

Wes wrote:
Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole.

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry and physics. Sure
drove me nuts for a while. Can't go into since it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. It had a screwdriver slot but I
couldn't unscrew it. So I ground a screwdriver to fit the slot, used a arbor press and a
fellow tech to force the screw driver into the slot while I used a crecent wrench on the
square shaft of the screw driver (sears craftsman) to break it loose. I learned that
threadlocker was involved in this. Likely the blue stuff.

It's interesting you meantion the use of the square shafted craftsman
screwdriver with a wrench. That's pretty common move over here.

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

Cydrome Leader wrote:
Wes wrote:
Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole.

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry and physics. Sure
drove me nuts for a while. Can't go into since it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. It had a screwdriver slot but I
couldn't unscrew it. So I ground a screwdriver to fit the slot, used a arbor press and a
fellow tech to force the screw driver into the slot while I used a crecent wrench on the
square shaft of the screw driver (sears craftsman) to break it loose. I learned that
threadlocker was involved in this. Likely the blue stuff.

It's interesting you meantion the use of the square shafted craftsman
screwdriver with a wrench. That's pretty common move over here.

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

Not sure but for a long time Snap-on had a hex just below the handle
that worked pretty well. Of course if you really need the force to break
the screw loose one of the old hammer type impacts works a treat. Just
be sure to use GOOD bits.

--
Steve W.

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 00:26:15 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
wrote:


Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

Stanley did make square shaft drivers that were sturdier than the
Craftsmans, I don't know whether they still do. I have a couple large
Craftsman screwdrivers with square shafts that I got for Christmas ca.
1964.

--
Ned Simmons

Cydrome Leader wrote:
Wes wrote:
Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The
follower was sticking at times causing the machine that rotates a
part and inserts a stud to fail on the last hole.

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry
and physics. Sure drove me nuts for a while. Can't go into since
it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. It had a
screwdriver slot but I couldn't unscrew it. So I ground a
screwdriver to fit the slot, used a arbor press and a fellow tech to
force the screw driver into the slot while I used a crecent wrench
on the square shaft of the screw driver (sears craftsman) to break
it loose. I learned that threadlocker was involved in this. Likely
the blue stuff.

It's interesting you meantion the use of the square shafted craftsman
screwdriver with a wrench. That's pretty common move over here.

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally
lower grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large
flat drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

I've seen screwdrivers that had a hex section right up by the handle . Got a
couple of Snap-on's like that .

--
Snag
"90 FLHTCU "Strider"
'39 WLDD "PopCycle"
BS 132/SENS/DOF

Good one, Wes. It'd make a great loctite commercial. I'm not clear on 1 point; when you went: "I
made a 5c collet closer setup for my 6903 lathe. I fixed the hand wheel for tightening it using
permatex red. I *thought* it would release at 375F if I wanted to change things." Had you already
made the 5C closer or did you go to all that trouble as a step in your fight to free the cam
follower??

Bob Swinney

On 2010-03-07, Cydrome Leader wrote:
Wes wrote:
Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole.

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry and physics. Sure
drove me nuts for a while. Can't go into since it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. It had a screwdriver slot but I
couldn't unscrew it. So I ground a screwdriver to fit the slot, used a arbor press and a
fellow tech to force the screw driver into the slot while I used a crecent wrench on the
square shaft of the screw driver (sears craftsman) to break it loose. I learned that
threadlocker was involved in this. Likely the blue stuff.

It's interesting you meantion the use of the square shafted craftsman
screwdriver with a wrench. That's pretty common move over here.

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

I have two Harbor Freight screwdrivers with square shafts. These are
huge, approx. 18 inches long. I used a wrench on one of them recently,
when I was opening up the motor from the lathe. I could not open it
otherwise.

i

Wes wrote:
Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole.
-- snip --

So I set the handwheel over a range burner and gave it the heat. My IR temp gun got wildly
differing temperatures from the 4130 draw tube and the alumininum hand wheel. Like a 200+
F difference.
-- snip some more --

Totally aside from your success...

Look up "emissivity", and maybe "radiometry". Basically, a material is
as good at emitting photons as it is at absorbing them. Aluminum is
shiny because it's highly reflective, it's reflective because it's
really bad at absorbing photons, which means it's really bad at emitting
them. So when you get it hot the photons don't come out -- in a way,
they 'bounce' off of the surface back into the material instead of
getting radiated.

So when you point the IR temp gun at some aluminum, you're getting a
little signal from the aluminum, and a lot of signal that's just a
reflection of the room around it. Mirror-polish the aluminum, and the
situation gets worse (there's a reason that aluminum is one of the
materials of choice for Really Good Mirrors).

Steel is gray because it absorbs some photons, which means that it's
much better at emitting photons than aluminum, which means that it'll
read better in IR.

Put a dot of black paint on the aluminum and watch your accuracy go up
(unless your IR 'gun' has a built in, unchangeable, and wrong for black
paint emissivity correction factor).

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

"Robert Swinney" wrote:

Good one, Wes. It'd make a great loctite commercial. I'm not clear on 1 point; when you went: "I
made a 5c collet closer setup for my 6903 lathe. I fixed the hand wheel for tightening it using
permatex red. I *thought* it would release at 375F if I wanted to change things." Had you already
made the 5C closer or did you go to all that trouble as a step in your fight to free the cam
follower??


Two totally separate events. The follower was a case of not knowing thread locker was
involved until I broke it free.

The handwheel with the bearings and spacer was too close to the handstock for comfort. It
felt fine when I first used it and fixed it with loctite but after a bit of use, I became
disatisfied with it. I left the drawtube long and threaded a couple extra inches when I
made it. Well, I'm going to make a longer spacer and maybe even a larger diameter wheel.
Never tried threading a barbell weight I hope there isn't too much mystery metal in it.

Wes

Wes wrote:

The handwheel with the bearings and spacer was too close to the handstock for comfort. It
felt fine when I first used it and fixed it with loctite but after a bit of use, I became
disatisfied with it. I left the drawtube long and threaded a couple extra inches when I
made it. Well, I'm going to make a longer spacer and maybe even a larger diameter wheel.
Never tried threading a barbell weight I hope there isn't too much mystery metal in it.

The 2 1/2 lb chinese bar bell weight (about 10 years old) was actually pretty nice turning
and threaded easily. I cut off the excess drawbar and fixed this new handwheel with blue
locktite this time. Also made a longer spacer. I like it now.

Wes

On Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:01:40 -0500, Wes wrote:

Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole.

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry and physics. Sure
drove me nuts for a while. Can't go into since it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. It had a screwdriver slot but I
couldn't unscrew it.

When buying cam followers ALWAYS add a B to the end of the part
number, this is B for Broached, as in a broached hex hole for an
"allen" wrench. Much betttrer than that ****ty screwdriver slot.

Thank You,
Randy

Remove 333 from email address to reply.

Cydrome Leader wrote:

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

Back in the 1970s we used to sell a ton of Irwin boxed screwdriver sets,
for under $5.00. Those things had the square shanks and the hardest
tips I've ever seen. Wood handles. I still have two of them, wish I had
more.
at least a few of those square shanks ended up replacing shear keys
on the driveshaft of my boss's 400-hp V-drive Chris-Craft. Saved a few
lake parties, they did.

RBnDFW wrote:
Cydrome Leader wrote:

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

Back in the 1970s we used to sell a ton of Irwin boxed screwdriver sets,
for under $5.00. Those things had the square shanks and the hardest
tips I've ever seen. Wood handles. I still have two of them, wish I had
more.
at least a few of those square shanks ended up replacing shear keys
on the driveshaft of my boss's 400-hp V-drive Chris-Craft. Saved a few
lake parties, they did.

hahaha.

On Mar 6, 7:57*pm, Ned Simmons wrote:

Stanley did make square shaft drivers that were sturdier than the
Craftsmans, I don't know whether they still do. I have a couple large
Craftsman screwdrivers with square shafts that I got for Christmas ca.
1964.

--
Ned Simmons

Some of their 100 Plus screwdrivers are still the square shaft
variety. Don't recall seeing them too often in stores, though.

John Martin

Randy wrote:

When buying cam followers ALWAYS add a B to the end of the part
number, this is B for Broached, as in a broached hex hole for an
"allen" wrench. Much betttrer than that ****ty screwdriver slot.

Oh yes. I wasn't sure about it so I bought both kinds.

Wes

On Mar 6, 7:26*pm, Cydrome Leader wrote:
Wes wrote:
Earlier this week I had to get a cam follower out of a machine. *The follower was sticking
at times causing the machine that rotates a part and inserts a stud to fail on the last
hole. *

The sticking and failing on the last hole was a matter of geometry and physics. *Sure
drove me nuts for a while. *Can't go into since it is a manufacturing process.

Anyway, I needed to get this McGee cam follower out. *It had a screwdriver slot but I
couldn't unscrew it. *So I ground a screwdriver to fit the slot, used a arbor press and a
fellow tech to force the screw driver into the slot while I used a crecent wrench on the
square shaft of the screw driver (sears craftsman) to break it loose. *I learned that
threadlocker was involved in this. *Likely the blue stuff.

It's interesting you meantion the use of the square shafted craftsman
screwdriver with a wrench. That's pretty common move over here.

Does anybody know of any other companies that even sell square shafted
screwdrivers? For as much slack as sears is getting for generally lower
grade tools, those and pretty handy as well as the really large flat
drivers that are really just prybars in real life.

Grace Screwdrivers.

I've used them for years. Wood handle, means they're less likely to
slip with oily hands. Excellent tools... and Brownell's still sells
them.
_kevin