Thread: Varnamo EV-3 Shaper Rebuild

Hi Josh,
Between you and Phil we can just sit back and enjoy!

Looking forward to seeing all the geometry tests for "real" rather than just in MTR.

How do you plan on getting automatic oil to the slide block/rocker arm? Mine has a well in the top of the block, and it and the main bull gear bearing are the 2 points i make sure are well oiled at all times.

Cheers,
Ew

Ewan,
I have no real fixed idea for the rocker arm oiling. The varnamo is like the queen; there is a little oil reservoir on top of the slide block. I was thinking maybe some flexible line going to the rocker arm shaft and then solid line up either side to the top of the rocker arm. Suggestion are welcome, but I will not really know the best course to take until I dissemble that section.

Cant wait to see the Varnamo after it's rebuild
Also makes me want to get my Atlas shaper shaping

This is what I like to see Josh
Fantastic stuff

Phil

Originally Posted by Ueee

How do you plan on getting automatic oil to the slide block/rocker arm? Mine has a well in the top of the block, and it and the main bull gear bearing are the 2 points i make sure are well oiled at all times.

it's an oiling point that generally get's overlooked, and on this machine I'd say it might never have been oiled.

I don't think it needs to be oiled while running, just need a system to fill the well every so often when it's stopped.

Does anyone know if you can run kerosene through one of those Karcher or Gerni style pressure washers? Or will it turn into a flame thrower...


Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

Does anyone know if you can run kerosene through one of those Karcher or Gerni style pressure washers? Or will it turn into a flame thrower...

Now that sounds "interesting" be sure to set the video up first.......... well back

I wonder if a mixer of water, Methylated Spirits and kerosene would be safer?
Only thing a quick google came up with was
"Other household cleaning tips: A window cleaner mixture is made using 1 cup of kerosene, 1 cup methylated spirits and 1 cup water. Place in a bottle and shake well before using. To use put a few drops on a cloth and wipe over mirrors and windows. No polishing needed"

Of course the methylated spirits may make things worse for all I know?

Stuart

Some more disassembly

Miscellaneous Parts to be cleaned
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The "foot" of the elevating screw (I don't Know the proper term) It has been pulled out of it housing more than once. My guess it that the cross rail or the table was not unlocked before cranking the elevation screw, it was in a TAFE so that kind of damage is to be expected.
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Nice touch; the T-bolts holding the swivelling table are curved
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The top Saddle guide ways have the most wear.
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Seen easily with the gib taken out
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Some scraping still present on the bottom guide way on the saddle but only just.
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The table Swivel face, it has seen better days. the matching face on the saddle was not much better and it cleaned up alright
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Cross rail guide ways show wear but not as much as I would have thought considering it has no wipers
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Saddle swivel bearing face now all cleaned up
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Saddle vertical guides on the cross rail. These don't look so bad, these two faces will be the first to taste the keen edge of the carbide
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Cross rail's column guide ways, still has all the original milling marks.
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Column guide ways, I can't do much about these until I make a long straight spotting master. but they do not look too bad.
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-Josh

Just some more progress photos.

Still cleaning table parts.

In my mind scraping make cleanliness a priority number one (I have Phil in the back of my mind saying "if it not clean your wasting your time"). I was failing to clean table assembly with a nylon brush an kero/metho to my satisfaction so I have put all the cast iron into a sodium hydroxide solution to get rid of all the dried grease and flaky paint off the table components. Also some of the areas that showed rust are impossible to get to reliably (T slots and swivel slots) and everything will probably go into a molasses solution as well once the grease and oil is all dissolved. I have not used molasses to de-rust so some tips on concentration would be handy.

Some of the other parts that make up the cross feed mechanism have bronze bearings or are made of aluminium and hence cant go into the solution so cleaning then was just plain old elbow grease and a scotch pad. These really did not need to be treated as such but I have made a clean spot now and the rest will seem a little incongruous if they do not get a full treatment. They have had a couple of coats of primer and will get a coat of colour (not that it is much different to the primer before the day is over.

Any way here are some pics.

-Josh

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Originally Posted by Brobdingnagian

I have not used molasses to de-rust so some tips on concentration would be handy.

Never used it my self, but I'm sure I saw the "other Phil" write in the Weir pump thread, that he uses 4 parts water to 1 of Molasses.

The Varnamo that sat here for some months, and was dispatched to Perth recently, is about to get the same treatment. So there's a bit of interest to see how that goes.

Regards Phil.

Josh ;re the molasses

from what I have read 20:1. I have a vat mixed at about 40:1 and that worked fine over about 3 weeks on quite heavy rust. Have another small cherry barrel at about 15:1 sitting in full sun; cleaned car coil springs in 3 days. The microbes like a bit of heat. I found that the brew turns to "vinegar" after 3 or 4 weeks and does stink. The smell does carry.

If you want to use the mixed brews at home you are welcome. Saves setting up and stinking the neighbourhood out.

Ken

Thanks Ken,
Much appreciated. Can we do a batch of home brewed molasses moonshine? A light moonshine with a rusty tang with scrapings of cast iron and slightly oily finish....

The cleaning is coming along pretty well, Josh is doing the hard work, I'm just doing the painting when the need arises. Mostly it's just built up black gunk that the caustic is doing a pretty good job on.
it takes the paint off nicely as well. Rust is no big deal, only a couple of areas had some light rust, the black crud did a good job of protecting the machine.

Phil, I'd like to make contact with the guy in Perth who got that Varnamo, I never did manage to get a picture of the handle...

Regards
Ray

Thanks guys for the molasses tips.

I took the casting out, they had been in there for about 18 hours or so. I gave them a rinse off and then put them back in, as there were some air pockets and they did not get a good soaking.

Here are a couple of pics

A little bit of rust under the paint, but it very light. The table was eye opener, there were parts that i did even know where painted they had so much crude embed in the top layers of paint

Special attention was given to the oiling points as most were full of sludge before the soak.

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Sorry I only took photos of the cross rail as after that I was soaked myself. Full face shield was a must!.

I was looking at the picture where your lifting with a engine crane, you guys really need a full over head crane like I am putting up to cover the workshop.
A 2 ton crane would do you 2 nicely that way you can position any machinery where you want and also dismantle it and move the pieces to where you want a lot easier.
With Rays eleco know how it would be full remote control, LOL

Dave

Originally Posted by Dave J

I was looking at the picture where your lifting with a engine crane, you guys really need a full over head crane like I am putting up to cover the workshop.
A 2 ton crane would do you 2 nicely that way you can position any machinery where you want and also dismantle it and move the pieces to where you want a lot easier.
With Rays eleco know how it would be full remote control, LOL

Dave

Agreed. It would be nice. The workshop is in a state of semi flux at the moment it seems the machinery locations and workstations are drifting a little. It might be a good time to consider a more "useful" system. With an overhead crane I could put the column of the shaper on the surface plate a concept too daunting with an engine crane.

-Josh