Mainspring Winder from the junk pile

[tq60]

During the week we remembered some big square washers, maybe 3 inches square by maybe 7/16 thick, galvanized, with a 3/4 inch hole in the middle.


Dug them out, and with some clever clamping in the band saw, was able to get a "blank" for the holder.


We determined a cross pin would allow the clamp to pivot to interface with the spring.


After we made this, we were thinking a cross pin via a 1/4 bolt in a jaw plate would work, but jaw plates are plastic so stresses need to be different.


We had the aluminum channel we used before, it is almost wide enough, a little milling and the above mount fits.


So it has 2 cross pins so it can better move to both allow the spring to unwind and not require perfect fit.


Bonus is it folds up for storage.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[tq60]

Past 2 weekends we were trying to figure out how to attach the spring end jaw clamp.


I determined we could use the same rack materiel and some 2-56 screws we had to make a sleeve that fit over the sliding jaws.


First attempt did not go well, drilling too deep to get the screws to work.


Ordered a kit from Amazon that went to1 inch long.


Did not like the rack screw holes so I cut the rack down on that side to create an offset.


This allows the crew to reach and have a very tight sliding fit.


Added a piece of angle to support the clamp bracket..


We still need to do more work on the jaw clamp bracket.


Will use socket screws that recess into the jaw clamp support that pivot in holes in the bracket, it is 1/2 that way now, need to tap to correct size and drill the holes at both ends of the bracket so the clamp can be used on either side, both Clockwise and Counter-clockwise springs can be done by flipping the clamp in the holder.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[tq60]

Primary parts are all finished!

Last weekend and today we worked on the spring clamp.

The first attempt to retain the spring for removing from the sleeve was a failure!

It held well, basically an Allen wrench in a clamp to hold the end of the spring via the hole along with camping force.

The Haller spring had a square end so it ripped.

The new claw shaped clamp has a screw as a pin as well as clamping ability.

We did not repair the spring until done.

We were puzzled with how to hold the assembly, then we got the idea of a sleeve that fits over the sliding jaws.

Testing worked so improved it.

Changed the swivel point so it can be easily be reversed to allow both directions, CW, CCW.

I used our Roper #5 punch to punch the spring and trimmed with snips.

The hole was too small so I opened it up with a step drill, easy to do.

The spring slipped off the hook so we needed to rewind it, just a tiny bit sticking out of the sleeve, the clamp grabbed it perfectly.
Spring is difficult to drill first hole, once hole is there, a STEP drill works well.

Lots of piddly work left, more sleeves and fitting to the case.

We made a universal jaw last week as well, just a pair of V, more to come later.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[tq60]

Past couple days in spare time, we tinkered with fitting to the case we had.

Started with one 1/4 plywood from some battery crates, made base plates for the fixturing, these will be secured into the case when finished, this allows for a few mistakes to be made and only one set of screw holes in the case.

Made some small wood strips, that was easy.

The press we use to assemble the barrels is all round, what to do...?

Started with some wood, we had ordered a boring bar to make the jaws, we had ordered 3 inch unit, it was perfect for this.

The first test part was drawing a line, then with an end mill rough cutting close to the line, then using a boring bar to clean up and get to size.

It fit well, so we started on a better piece of wood, but this time, we came in from the side as the press will slip in this way.

We came in as steps, and as we were doing this, we realized leaving a bit on the bottom would make it better.

Did same for plunger, different size.

While trimming and fitting the wood split, we grabbed another chunk of the 0.75 thick plexiglass and made them from that.

Much better.

Needed 3 stands, one for bottom, plunger, and the neck at the top.

We added a cross strap to act as an end stop. It fits well and does not move.

The sliding jaw units fit in the lid.

Still need to determine how to hold everything in place, maybe velcro or toggle bars, that will come later.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[tq60]

We have been looking for materials to make the sleeves, had no luck.

$69.00 plus shipping is a bit much for this tightwad so we gug out some hole saws.

Someone had mentioned using a set, we pick up things at estate sales and in our drawer of saws we're a couple sets of the "cheap" ones that are suitable for wood.

Our primary ones are bi-metal so these were likely to not be used.

All were made in USA, and for what they were, it was more difficult than you think.

We used the standard mandrel, but we clamped on the nut, that worked very well.

We tried to come from the side with carbide thread cutter, it just skated on the surface.

So we used brazed carbide where the tip was worn out but side okay, wiped out 2 of them but we got it done.

Used a 1/4 carbide end mill to cut the slot, that went okay.

Back in the mandrel to polish in the lathe then boring bar to open the center to fit the arbor.

Not too many photos, but it is safe to assume these will not deform.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk