Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
Well, I about got it back together.
I should have given more info... This is on a $60,000 CNC automatic band saw. Everything was manufactured
as an integral part of the saw, nothing off the shelf, all metric, so no substituting off the shelf parts!
The worm gear, I was able to machine the front to a flat surface and turn it over. Saved $860.
The steel worm, I used a piece of 3/8 aluminum, ground the edge to match the angle of the gear flites, used
it as a sanding block. Started out with 80 grit to knock the big deposits of bronze galling off, worked my
way down to 280 grit. I finished it in the lathe, running it at 240 RPM, as fast as I could and still
follow the gear with the sanding block. Not perfect, but a heck of a lot better than it looked this
morning! LOL Saved $880.
Also, I took teddy52food's idea about the copper remover, did some research. I tried to find the gun barrel
cleaner, but no one stocked it. Found out it was ammonia based. All I could find was some 10% ammonia, so I
gave it a try. Let it soak overnight, it turned the ammonia blue and appeared to have loosened some of the
surface. If I had more time and stronger ammonia, I think it would have worked! (BTW, ammonia reacts with
copper, brass, and bronze. It does not attack steel or iron. In theory it would have dissolved the bronze
deposits if left long enough.)
I should get it back together Thursday, all looks good so far! Thanks everyone!
I should have given more info... This is on a $60,000 CNC automatic band saw. Everything was manufactured
as an integral part of the saw, nothing off the shelf, all metric, so no substituting off the shelf parts!
The worm gear, I was able to machine the front to a flat surface and turn it over. Saved $860.
The steel worm, I used a piece of 3/8 aluminum, ground the edge to match the angle of the gear flites, used
it as a sanding block. Started out with 80 grit to knock the big deposits of bronze galling off, worked my
way down to 280 grit. I finished it in the lathe, running it at 240 RPM, as fast as I could and still
follow the gear with the sanding block. Not perfect, but a heck of a lot better than it looked this
morning! LOL Saved $880.
Also, I took teddy52food's idea about the copper remover, did some research. I tried to find the gun barrel
cleaner, but no one stocked it. Found out it was ammonia based. All I could find was some 10% ammonia, so I
gave it a try. Let it soak overnight, it turned the ammonia blue and appeared to have loosened some of the
surface. If I had more time and stronger ammonia, I think it would have worked! (BTW, ammonia reacts with
copper, brass, and bronze. It does not attack steel or iron. In theory it would have dissolved the bronze
deposits if left long enough.)
I should get it back together Thursday, all looks good so far! Thanks everyone!
