While making a set of bearing press tools for Brian Cane I had an idea (I think it's my second idea in my life ) Brian travels to a lot of people to build motors for them. Sometimes he has to track down a shop to press the bearings because he does not have press tools or a press.
Hauling a press is not real practical but locating, paying, and waiting for a shop is not very practical as well.
So I decided to try to make press tools that would remove and install bearings with or without a press.
After I turned the press tools on my lathe I bored a 21/32" hole and tapped a 3/4" 10 tpi thread in the "REMOVAL" end.
That is because you can install from that end as well and you just keep an eye for when it is flush
Using one from a "INSTALL" side you have a "STOP" that is too big to pass through the bore. That is somewhat import when using a press if you are not careful.

The series of pictures show both tools but only the rotor bearing removal and install. Use your imagination and you should be able to figure out how the main bearing tool works
Before anyone asks I would not make these for less than $150 because it is time-consuming and the materials add up.
This is more a heads up way to make you some handy tools if you have access to a lathe. I hope this is useful to you.
The link is to all the pics for those who can figure it out from there and the rest is an explanation.

http://scalliwag.com/press/press.html

 

This picture shows from left 1) aluminum sleeve- rotor 2) rotor tool 3) aluminum press plate and washers 4) main tool 5) aluminum sleeve main

 

This is how the rotor bearing would sit on the tool for install. Note position of key stop.

 

Don't try to sit the rotor on top of the bearing because you need to make sure the key is lined up. That last pic was for reference. Lay the rotor flat with the key stop side up. Carefully position the rotor bearing on the rotor being sure that the key on the bearing is aligned with the key slot on the rotor.
Press it snug with the palm of your hand enough to keep it in place while you put it on the tool like in the pic here.

 

Lay the press plate, spacers, and nut over the threaded rod and torque the **** out of it with an impact.

 

This is what it is looking like from the bottom as to are pressing in the bearing.

 

hmmmm, a pressed bearing.

 

To remove we put the rotor on the bearing tool with the key stop side up.

 

Since we are trying to pull the bearing out we have to have a collar so the bearing can come up above the surface of the side of the rotor.

 

Put the press plate on the collar. The collar was just a little too tall or the threaded rod too short but since the rod and nut are hardened I was able to do it anyway.

 

Note the kind of gnarly looking pice of pipe next to the rotor. If your impact does not have enough ***** you can tighten as tight as it will get and then put the pipe over the press plate and whack the hall out of it. That will create slack and you can torque more. It adds a step but makes it to where you can do this.

 

This is what it looks like as the bearing is coming out.

 

And this is what it looks like when the bearing extracts. Note it is still on the tool. This was a fun project and very simple once you have the materials and access to a lathe.
Have fun guys!

 

not sure if i like the idea of pressing against the gear
like that, i think a plate to cover the side of the rotor
might be a better plan.

matt

 

The side of the gear is the hardest surface. The collar and the press plate are pretty grungy so they look like steel but both are aluminum. The pieces that Brian picked up I turned on the lathe and cleaned them up.
I also trued the top and bottom of the collar so it fits perfectly flush against the gear.

 

That's slick!

 

Very slick. I'll be using these on a pair of engines down in New Orleans. We'll see how they field test themselves on the real deal!

B

 

Brian, I was hoping you would see how they worked with your compressor. My pancake does well for most jobs but for my blast cabinet and high volume jobs like this I need to breakdown and get a big compressor.
But we installed/removed with the little compressor while you were there so a big one will just be faster.

Oh, the reason my compressor kept tripping was because my motor on my bandsaw went out. Remember I was cutting that 4" aluminum tube when you got there? We could not hear because of the other noise but that motor was just sitting there humming
I unplugged that hot mamma jamma and now my compressor does not trip the circuit
Looks like I have to get a replacement motor for my bandsaw now though.
Oh, have your buddy there in La take pics while you are doing the bearing work (as though you were not going to take pictures of that )

 

I'm actually getting a compressor today. So it's not a good idea to get a pancake style then? Hmm, I'm thinking a 30 to 50 gallon or PSI (or however they rate them) ought to do it.

 

They are rated at CFM. The higher that number the better.
Also avoid any compressor that says "oil-less". They are trash. I won't go into detail but the main thing is that You see a oil filler and drain on the compressor.
So remember that it is not so much the size of the tank as it is the CFM rating. A low CFM rating on a large tank takes longer to build pressure but maintains more pressure longer.
If you have gobs of CFM then the larger the tank the better.

 

nice!

 

Hmm, it says 150PSI max. I guess that's like 90 to be more realistic. Either way, I'm sure it'll be good enough to do those 54mm nuts we all love. Now to get a lathe (heh, I wish).

 

Man, your always thinking. Good job.

 

The PSI and CFM ratings are two completely different things. The PSI rating just shows how high of pressure it will go.
Think of one of those dinky *** 12v compressors would get to keep in your trunk. Those will actually pump to a very high pressure but you better grab a Snickers because it's gonna be a long day for most of those.
But if you take a regular type compressor and it will pump it up faster because of the increased volume of air traveling through it.

 

Do you have any dimensions for this stuff? No biggie if you dont, would just save some time.