# Attempted Disassembly of an Aloris BXA QCTP



## middle.road (Feb 16, 2018)

After searching and reading quite a lot I tried to disassemble the new to me BXA. Tossed in the towel late last night.
I had wanted to get the chips and swarf cleaned out. After making two 'blades' to fit the slots and attempting to loosen it with an 18" adjustable all I managed to do was chew up the mild steel blades. 
I guess 18" isn't large enough, but I didn't feel comfortable going with a longer cheater pipe on it.
Then I thought I'd remove the handle to clean off the rust patina. Went and milled two flats on it for a 9/16" wrench. 
Note: the handle is hard. Managed to cut two poor looking flats on it and ruin the EM. I really didn't think to check for hardness before starting.
Clamped it the vise, with a ~16" cheater pipe on the wrench, and it slid off. I did apply heat to the handle twice during the day...
Soaking in diesel and ISO32 now to attempt to get out as much swarf as possible.


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## 4GSR (Feb 16, 2018)

Get you a old Drag Link Socket for 15/16" size and a long breakover and try to remove.  I'm pretty sure it's right hand thread.  Could be left handed?  Never know. I've had one apart long ago, at least I know I've had the dovetail pieces out before.


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## chips&more (Feb 16, 2018)

Guys, it's a right hand thread


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## lxcnc (Feb 16, 2018)

I bought a used Aloris BXA and made a similar ‘blade’ tool to fit the top slot. The first tool I made didn’t fit the slot good enough and got so twisted I had to make another one. On the second tool, I drilled a hole and put a 1/2” bolt through it and put a 4’ cheater bar over the bolt.  This second tool worked but started to deform.   If I had to do this often, I would make a tool so that it would be bolted down through the center hole of the toolpost so it wouldn’t torque out of the slot as turning.


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## middle.road (Feb 16, 2018)

Soaked it in diesel overnight, rinse it out with some old liquid wrench I had, then soaked it in ISO32 throughout the day, pulling it out every so often and letting it drain on some white paper.
Have some tiny specks of swarf but it's a lot cleaner than yesterday. 
Going to hold off attempting to disassemble it for now. Want to make up a tool as LX mentions above when time permits.
Want to get this puppy into use, than migrate the AXA over to the Logan and then get the Hardinge post off the Logan ready to sell to offset the recent expenditures.


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## Nogoingback (Feb 17, 2018)

If you have a heat gun or even a hair dryer, you might try that as well to help get things moving. Or, in the oven at a moderate temp for 
a while.  Anything that won't catch all that oil on fire!


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## middle.road (Feb 17, 2018)

Nogoingback said:


> If you have a heat gun or even a hair dryer, you might try that as well to help get things moving. Or, in the oven at a moderate temp for
> a while.  Anything that won't catch all that oil on fire!


Oh, oh. Thanks for reminding me. Honey picked me up a toaster oven a while back and I stashed it in the attic and forgot about it.
I do believe I'd better start up an inventory of what's up in the attic. out of sight out of mind...
hmmm, diesel, LW, and hydraulic/trans oil, that's going to make for an interesting aroma...

I heated up the handle and the 'crown' twice with a torch before I even attempted the plates.


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## EmilioG (Feb 17, 2018)

The best penetrating oil I've ever used is Dow Corning Molykote Penetrating Lubricant.  Every fastener I've soaked with this stuff has come off easily.
It seems to have very good flow characteristics.  5 minutes, and I'm always able to remove the stuck fasteners.


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## Uglydog (Feb 17, 2018)

I took apart an Armstrong QC-4 piston for cleaning and lube last summer.
Had me baffled. Carefully tried the bigger pipe method, tried lube. Was Frustrated!!
Finally put her away for a couple days. Came back to her, and with one glance I knew what I had to do, it was easy.
She came apart, cleaned her and reassembled.

I just googled on: aloris tool post disassembly.
Came up with some videos and some threads. May or may not be helpful to you....

Daryl
MN


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## middle.road (Feb 18, 2018)

I youtube searched until I ran out of coffee, and didn't come up with a single one.... Go figure.

Had a bit of time today and thought I'd make the T-Nut for the post. 
Wrong -  thickest steel I have on hand is 1/2", need 5/8".
Had the hardware - a length of 5/8"-11 rod, that appears tough, and an oversize nut and hardened washers.
I thinking of cutting apart a old swivel base I have laying around, but I'm not sure about using cast iron for the nut.


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## Z2V (Feb 18, 2018)

Uglydog said:


> I took apart an Armstrong QC-4 piston for cleaning and lube last summer.
> Had me baffled. Carefully tried the bigger pipe method, tried lube. Was Frustrated!!
> Finally put her away for a couple days. Came back to her, and with one glance I knew what I had to do, it was easy.
> She came apart, cleaned her and reassembled.
> ...


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## Uglydog (Feb 18, 2018)

Z2V,
I wish I remembered!!
Seems to me that I noticed that the piston was spring loaded and by rotating the lever while depressing the piston it just disengaged.
I've not had a wedge system apart.

Daryl
MN


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## lxcnc (Feb 23, 2018)

Here is a post I found that shows the internal barrel that you’re trying to unscrew.  Also, I read that you should remove the handle - I did this but can’t remember if it really mattered.
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/aloris-type-import-qctp-barrel-gets-unscrewed.10755/


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## middle.road (Feb 23, 2018)

Thanks LX!
It resisted my limited attempts. I settled on soaking it and blowing it out several times. It's moving smoothly now so I'm going to cross my fingers and get this puppy mounted.
The existing T-Nut and Stud are off of a Clausing and the nut is an 1/8" narrower on the bottom width - of course.
The only part that I managed to disassemble was the knob...


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## Bob Korves (Feb 23, 2018)

"Tamper proof"


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## 4GSR (Feb 24, 2018)

"Tamper proof" Another level of challenge to a machinists or machine nut like us.


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## richz (Feb 27, 2018)

This is what I made to disassemble mine.


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## middle.road (Feb 27, 2018)

richz said:


> This is what I made to disassemble mine.


Now there's and idea.
That'll be up next on the list to try.
Thanks!


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## lxcnc (Apr 2, 2018)

richz said:


> This is what I made to disassemble mine.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I can’t believe I didn’t think of making a tool like this! Simple but very effective!


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## Mystery1 (Apr 2, 2018)

I would use an impact wrench with that latest tool. The shocks will generally loosen things up where constant pressure won't.


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## Tim9 (Apr 3, 2018)

I'm guessing you've got some loctite on those threads. Heat it to @ 250 F or soak it in Acetone. Heats pretty quick.....Just don't overheat it.  This has been my first thing to try whenever I run into a fastener which isn't rusted yet it's on like a bear. And...FWIW...my Bostar imported copy QCTP has a very, very bad habbit of that exact fastener constantly loosening up on me. It's like every other day I have to retighten it. I have been just snugging it down as I'm really not sure if it should be securely tightened with a lot of torque...or should it just be snugged. 

  I'd appreciate any opinions on the tightening of it. Once I find that out...I will be putting a dab of loctite on it. It can't be good for it when it loosens like that. Everytime I go to reposition the pivot nut on the toolpost stud...I can tell it has loosened because there is a spring feel to it when I torque it down.


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## middle.road (Apr 3, 2018)

I just today _finally_ mounted it on the lathe. (After how many weeks...? -too many.)
With all the oiling soaking and sitting, it's moving very smoothly, so I believe I let sleeping dogs nap for now an get to using it.
I will be making up one of those 'bolts' for sure.


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