Worn drive shaft

[alice]

Hi everyone, im after some advice

I am having trouble with the tormek at work.
We have a 2000 model, the drive shaft is worn where it passes through the nylon bearing at the grindstone end, so its not a tight fit, and thus causing the grind stone to be able move up and down radially about 1 to 2 mm, which i wonder is why the stone edge (as in the radial side) is not at a right angle to the tool rest and results in my problem that i can never get the stone to be true with the tool rest when using the diamond truing jig.

Does this all make sense to you?

And I guess the logical thing to do would be to buy a new drive shaft?

Any thoughts greatly appriciated

Cheers,

Alice

[Ken S]

Welcome to the forum, Alice.

You may have a worn shaft, or you may have a worn nylon bushing. My first guess would be the bushing. If you remove the grinding wheel, you should be able to remove the shaft. When the shaft is removed, wipe it clean. Place a straight edge along the shaft. If you see a gap, you have a worn shaft.

If the shaft is OK, you have a choice. New nylon bushings are inexpensive, and may solve your problem. Like the grinding wheel, bushings are designed to wear. They wear very slowly, but they do wear. Your choice is whether to replace just the bushings or to replace the shaft. The replacement shaft kit costs considerably more and includes a new set of bushings. The new shafts ((which are completely compatable with your model) are stainless steel, eliminating rust problems. They also have the new EZYlock feature. Check out the new shaft on the website.

If the old shaft is not worn or rusted, and your are on a tight budget, replacing just the bushings wiill give you many more years of service. Either way, make sure you regrease the bushings annually.

Be sure to register your Tormek on the new website. Registering will also let you download the latest edition of the handbook at no charge.

Keep us posted.

Ken

[SharpenADullWitt]

I agree that the bushings are the most likely culprit.  Is there play on both ends of the shaft?  The bushings are supposed to be lubed (which helps wear), approximately once a year.  Here is a video which shows the new shaft, and the replacement procedure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX96a9WoAJE

I am thinking the stone has more weight (going from wet to dry, etc), then the consistent weight of the drive wheel (and the less pressure we put on it).  So for testing purposes, you might be able to compare and swap the bushings, to let you know what you need/verses want to order.
If there is wear on the shaft, I expect it would be from losing chrome and being polished/cleaned to get rust off of it from over the years, rather then the bushings causing it.  I upgraded my shaft (no noticeable wear on the old bushings) and found the quick release one, to make the maintenance so much more convenient.

[alice]

Thanks for the tips and indepth answers!  the shaft is definatly worn where it passes trhough the nylon bushings, i dont think it has been maintained ever.... so i have ordered a new shaft and hope that that fixes the problem.

Thanks,

Alice

[Ken S]

Alice,

You will not be disappointed with your new shaft. It is a substantial improvement in two ways:

1) It is stainless steel. Rusty shafts and even shafts frozen to the stone were a problem with older Tormeks with regular steel shafts. The situation worsened with poor (negligent) maintenance and failing to dump the water trough after use. Stainless steel eliminates that problem, especially when combined with goid housekeeping.

2) The left hand thread design of the EZYlock makes changing the wheel a dream.

I changed shafts in my first Tormek. I was impressed with the quality of the machining.

The kit comes with new bushings and the EZYlock nut. It does not come with replacement hardware for the dry side (leather honing wheel side).

Keep posting!

Ken

[peterpig]

Hi - Brand new member here - out of desperation - just got a new T8 - no problems there BUT my old Green Supergrind needs a new shaft and guess what ? The big stone is baked - welded - rusted together with the shaft ! I took the holding nut off and the big washer - used gentle tapping on the stone - try hitting the shaft with a small 2pound hammer - soaked the threaded part with penetrating oil (have no KROIL here in Sydney) even drilled a full length hole (50mm) just on the tread line and injected with penetrating oil - THE BUGGER IS STILL STUCK !
Is it possible to pull that shaft out - with a wheel still attached
Or does anybody knows some dirty tricks about it
Any help is appreciated - 

[Stickan]

Hi,
You are doing the right things. But you need to repeat this over some days. Let the oil work over night, give the shaft a light knock a cuople times each day and repeat untill it loosen. Patience is the key to get this to work.

Best,
Stig

[Herman Trivilino]

Is it possible to pull that shaft out - with a wheel still attached

Yes, it is. Just remove the honing wheel, locking pin, and drive wheel from the other end of the shaft. There's a nylon bearing resting in the housing at each end of the shaft, and likely the one on the grindstone end is trapping the shaft with accumulations of rust, so you may have to wrestle with getting that out, too.

Good luck! Hopefully you'll not break your grindstone. You can read about how I did exactly that when I had the same problem you're having:

https://forum.tormek.com/index.php?topic=929.msg2133#msg2133

[justonething]

my old Green Supergrind needs a new shaft and guess what ? The big stone is baked - welded - rusted together with the shaft ! I took the holding nut off and the big washer - used gentle tapping on the stone - try hitting the shaft with a small 2pound hammer - soaked the threaded part with penetrating oil (have no KROIL here in Sydney) even drilled a full length hole (50mm) just on the tread line and injected with penetrating oil - THE BUGGER IS STILL STUCK !
Is it possible to pull that shaft out - with a wheel still attached
Or does anybody knows some dirty tricks about it

Have you tried the lighter and candle trick? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFdFsfSAuyc

[Ken S]

For the record, I agree with Stig. Be patient; let the penetrating oil work over a few days if necessary.

When questions like this are posted, I often go into my shop and try the procedure or a possible solution. In this case, I removed the leather honing wheel and drive wheel. I tried unsuccessfully to push the shaft out the grinding wheel end. (My shaft is an EZYlock. I don't think there is any difference on the dry end and middle between the stainless EZYlock and the older steel shafts, however, I don't have a regular steel shaft for comparison.)

I then removed the grinding wheel and removed the shaft through the dry end. I noticed a very small shoulder near the grinding wheel end of shaft. Herman, did you actually remove your shaft this way? it looked like I might have been able to pound it out, but was reluctant to try with a working shaft.

Justonething, I hope you intend to replace your shaft. The replacement EZYlock shaft kit includes the EZYlock nut and new replacement bushings. You will need to reuse the dry end hardware. I really like the stainless steel EZYlock shaft. At this point, your shaft needs replacement. With much patience, you may be able to save your grinding wheel. If so, you have postponed a $184 US expenditure.

Be patient, and do let us know the outcome.

Ken

ps As my T7 is now disassembled, now seems a logical time for my "annual" regreasing.

[Ken S]

Update:

Curiosity got the better of me. I gave the shaft one good rap with a hammer from the dry side. The shaft flew off. Unfortunately, I lost the small retaining washer.

I would suggest giving the shaft one hammer rap to remove it from your Tormek. At that point, your Tormek is clear. Keep up the penetrating oil routine. Order a new shaft.

Now, to find my missing washer........

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Herman, did you actually remove your shaft this way?

I did just now, yes, just to make sure that it is indeed possible. I removed the drive wheel. Then the main shaft, with grindstone attached, slipped right out of the housing.

I have the SuperGrind 2000 (purchased 2002) with the MSK-250 stainless steel shaft with EzyLock (purchased 2009).

[peterpig]

Victory to persevering people !
The shaft is out with a stone BONDED to it - actually the rear washer bonded-rusted to that Lead (Pb) that fills the center of the stone  and even the plastic bushing was rusted on the shaft - once out I placed the shaft trough the hole on the anvil and gently hammered the shaft out - it resisted up to the last mm !
The stone is unbroken and smiling and waiting for the new SS Shaft !
Thanks for the tips !
Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill ! ( And seized shafts !)

[Ken S]

Bravo!

Ken