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Atlas Th 54 Bull Gear Locking Pin.
- Thread starter Strtspdlx
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 10,511
Well, then most likely, either something has gotten into the hole ahead of the ball or the pin is home made and just too long. Supposedly, to remove the pin, you rotate it 180 degrees which compresses the spring but puts the ball against the un-machined side of the pin. Then you hold a rag/shop towel over the visible hole in the gear and pull the pin completely out of the gear. The rag will prevent the ball from either killing you or launching into low earth orbit. If all of that fails, next step is to pull the spindle.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 10,511
Yes. In fact, that might be the better way to do it as with the bull gear locked by pushing the indexing pin into the nearest hole of the 60 on the face of the bull gear , the gear couldn't move.
One correction of an error that I also made - the detent device is a 9-60 ball-nose pin, not a ball.
One correction of an error that I also made - the detent device is a 9-60 ball-nose pin, not a ball.
I rotated the pin 180 degrees and was able to pull the in out further than I've had it before--so that it disengages, as designed. I can just see the flat side of the pin. However, I can no longer push it back in. And there's not enough room to pull it out completely. It's out far enough that I can't close the top cover without hitting it. I suppose one option is to cut off the handle part of the end that's sticking out--looks like it could be done pretty easily with a hack saw. Then, I guess I'm not sure what I do. If I get a new pin I'm not sure I'll be able to get it in. And I'm not sure how to deal with the spring and the ball. Ideas?
Update--I was able to get the pin back in, so I'm able to run the lathe. Whew!! Used a small drill bit to depress the ball while pushing in with the pin. So I'm back to square one, which isn't a bad place to be. Can't use the back gears but still have plenty of other options.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 10,511
Dave,
As Bryan said, don't cut it off. Although it appears that your only solution is going to be to pull the spindle, which will free the gear and allow you to pull the pin, until you are ready to do that, at least you can still use the lathe in direct drive. And if you cut off the right end, you will not be able to cut off the left end once you get it out to make it match the original part. So you would have to either make of buy a replacement.
First let me repeat that it isn't a ball sitting on top of the spring, it is a pin with a ball end. Second, the tool to use instead of a small drill bit for reassembling the parts when you do eventually get the pin out was probably made from a pin punch the same diameter as the ball nosed pin. Or you might find that you have better luck with a straight rod modified and held in a small T-handled tap wrench. But in either case, you would grind the side of the rod until you had a semi-circle left so that you could still depress the spring and be able to insert the new or modified direct drive pin far enough over the ball nose pin to then be able to remove the tool and push the direct drive pin on in. However, I am betting that the direct drive pin that's in there is to long to remove in place because one or both of the holes in the spindle cone pulley are damaged. That is the only thing that makes any sense. So you may have to either source a new pulley or if possible repair the one that you have.
There is a reverse engineered drawing of the direct drive pin in Downloads. Or you can probably buy a replacement pin from Clausing. Along with the pulley if you can't fix that one.
As Bryan said, don't cut it off. Although it appears that your only solution is going to be to pull the spindle, which will free the gear and allow you to pull the pin, until you are ready to do that, at least you can still use the lathe in direct drive. And if you cut off the right end, you will not be able to cut off the left end once you get it out to make it match the original part. So you would have to either make of buy a replacement.
First let me repeat that it isn't a ball sitting on top of the spring, it is a pin with a ball end. Second, the tool to use instead of a small drill bit for reassembling the parts when you do eventually get the pin out was probably made from a pin punch the same diameter as the ball nosed pin. Or you might find that you have better luck with a straight rod modified and held in a small T-handled tap wrench. But in either case, you would grind the side of the rod until you had a semi-circle left so that you could still depress the spring and be able to insert the new or modified direct drive pin far enough over the ball nose pin to then be able to remove the tool and push the direct drive pin on in. However, I am betting that the direct drive pin that's in there is to long to remove in place because one or both of the holes in the spindle cone pulley are damaged. That is the only thing that makes any sense. So you may have to either source a new pulley or if possible repair the one that you have.
There is a reverse engineered drawing of the direct drive pin in Downloads. Or you can probably buy a replacement pin from Clausing. Along with the pulley if you can't fix that one.