How do I Remove pinion key on Kluge press?
I need to remove the flywheel on my 10x15 Kluge. This is not an auto feed press, it is from the 40’s. I removed the three screws closest to the wheel side, but at the other end is a pinion key and I cannot release it. Does anyone know how do this?
I am moving the press through a doorway and need to remove the flywheel for it to fit. Please let me know if anyone knows how to do this.
On a side note, I am also searching for the manual and oil chart for my press.
Thank you,
Cheryl
The key on the gear should be a ‘gib key’ with a protruding finger that will permit you to put a square body tool like a chisel or large screw driver between the gear and the finger. Tap the chisel between the gear and the key finger and hopefully the key will slide out the keyway. Then the gear should slide off the shaft.
The gib key is tapered and when it is tapped into the keyway between the gear and the shaft, that is what hold the gear in place.
If the finger is broken off the key, it can be very dificult to remove it.
If you attempt to use a puller without removeing the key you will probably pull the gear up farther onto the taper of the key and make it even tighter.
Good luck.
Hope to hear it worked out OK.
I had a similar problem, Skiyou is right about a puller. That said once the pin ‘pops’ with a puller you can usually remove the key. But before you try that can you look at the problem in reverse. I had a small wharfedale press with two gears held on the shaft with gib keys or g heads as we call them over here. I ignored the keys and knocked the gears AWAY from the pins. It worked a treat. Generally once you have movement the pin will move. Be careful using a chisel or even a screwdriver as they can snap. Also they can merely remove the head of the key. Sometimes if all is holding the flywheel on a treadle is the gib key knocking the flywheel away from the pin works. But not always! Be careful to use a hardwood block to hit against, or even better a copper or rawhide heavy mallet/hammer.
Finally make sure the shaft, keyway and key are all thoroughly clean of dirt. The tiniest amount of dirt can provide resistance.
Good luck,
Jeremy.
One little addition to the above, perhaps, re chisel, screw driver, wedge etc, behind the key/gib as they invariably end up with a negative rake going the wrong way for the pulling out tool, and are always of softer material than the parent shaft/cog/pinion etc with a tiny file behind the head, (needle file, berreta,”knife edge” etc) alter the negative rake to positive.!!!>>>And then with suitable piece of, say 1/4 inch square rod make 2 wedges of say 2-3 inches long, with very gentle slope, and use in opposition to each other, behind the key/gib (same as chisel/screwdriver/one wedge etc) but, with the added advantage of parallel extraction and still have the option of persuasion with copper or raw/hide hammer???…OR option “B” locate one of the MYTHICAL miniature slide hammers, lurking SOMEWHERE!!! in the U.S.A. that apparently would pull gib keys out when a negative rake was present??? as posted some time ago on B.P. but the contributor did not have the bottle to clarify.!!
Give it a shot of WD 40 or the like and let it sit a day.
heating the area with a propane torch
tap it gently now and then with a hammer
WD 40 can be helpful
Liquid Wrench is even better
last machine i tore down
was able to get a edge of a 3 foot pipe
over the raised edge of the key and pry it out
after the heat / liquid wrench treatment
Lobster Shift
Sounds like good idea.
Has anyone tried heating with propane torch, then small quantity of WD40, let it cool. Apply copper, wood, rawhide, plastic, rubber hammer? Use a brass drift between hammer and objective? How many days of trying, repeating recipe, before trying other means? Has anyone tried carbon dioxide (“dry” ice)?
Some neighbours asked me for advice, they were trying to fit a plug (which had rusted through) to a car engine, Tried freezing but still too tight; I suggested measuring the diameter, primitive method, showed us they had been given the next size up in similar plugs. They refurbished the old plug with some sealant and finished the job quickly.
Alan.
The Google image-search has hundreds of examples of techniques for removing gib keys. (Some of them are a bit sketchy, but many look very good.)
Alan
woohoo
i never thought of using dry ice
sounds like a interesting idea
Mac
If you try heat, I think it best to heat the gear opposite the key, heat the entire length of the gear in a valley… between the two gear teath. This should help the gear to ‘open up’ in other words, the bore in the gear will become slightly larger, hopefully relax the grip on the shaft and key.
If you heat the entire gear, it will likely squeese the shaft and key more tightly. It would be good to put a cold wet rag around the shaft up next to the key to help keep it cool .
In my opinion WD40 and pen oil is of little benefit here, it is allready oil soaked, there is little or no rust.
Good luck.
Hiope to hear you soon succeed.
James ‘Mac’ McGraw
There is a jib key puller available through the SMOKESTACK site I have one, it weighs about 5 lbs and is like a large tapered wedge, however when they are
super tight it may not be effective. In extreme cases one can weld a rod on to the end of the key and configure it like a slide hammer and pull it out Dave