Spline cutting in hardened freewheels.

[Thud]

Kfong asked:

Todd I'm interested in how you are doing internal splines, I have a keyway I need to do on a project and trying different ideas without having to resort to a broach.

I don't know if this is applicable but I though i would share it here & not polute the other sprocket thread.

Any one who follows my threads knows my distain for over priced bicycle parts & my afliction to serial right side drive systems...
Enter the ASC crossfire: a $25 doallar part that has 3 pawles & is one tough hombre. Reason? cause I can't justify spending 80+ dollars on White industries freewheel. Don't get me wrong, they are top of the line for the purpouse. they have limitations in other applications also but thats another discusion.
Tonight i succeded in cutting the splines in a hardend chromoly standard freewheel. like this


& some stills of the tool & the parts:
version 1 almost worked...

version 4 after working out all the kinks:


And the end results:

[etard]

Dibs! How cool is this?! Absolutely brilliant my man, I can't wait for my package to arrive.

[liveforphysics]

You manage to impress me time after time Thud. Brilliant grinding fixture. Brilliant DIY grinder. Brilliant indexing. I love it!

Can I ask how long it took and if you're willing to make more of them for the community?

[amberwolf]

Needs a little snap-lock light up chevron over the index point...but if it had that then your grinder wheel would vanish as it went thru the glittery center, wouldn't it?


Very nice and very simple setup!

[Miles]

Nice one!

[Thud]

LFP asks:

"Can I ask how long it took and if you're willing to make more of them for the community?"

it takes a bit of time worrying the id open & then I made a total of 4 passes on 9 splines to make the cuts..& used a full sleeve of cut off wheels in the proccess
http://compare.ebay.com/like/2509660093 ... s&var=sbar

Need to time study the proccess a little more but it will be close to an hour of monkey busniess.

To answer the question: Of course.
Just send me freewhel & a package of dremel #426b (bulk cut off wheels) & return postage & i'll cut em out for ya'll & ship em back. For the same price Luke has established.
Also, luke I have a long stroke hydro press fabbed up & if your father isn't broaching much these days, I could continue the service for the board here if that guide we made found its way back here. (making a new one is on the projects list but this would save a bit of time) Just an offer to keep the projects rolling.

Of course a gratuity would never be refused to help aid funding for the Thud projects Lab.

I also have a new bolt on reduction unit coming very soon......I'll prolly post it in this thread for feedback.
thanks for the encouragment guy's.

[bigmoose]

Todd, great use of wooden fixtures for metal working! It is amazing what your creativity can accomplish. The only twist here would be the wifey would not be preparing me dinner again after I showered her beloved washer and dryer with metal filings!

[bobc]

Superb solution for RH drive enthusiasts - love it!
Any concerns about heating effects? Obviously, if there were a worry you'd just have to grind a little slower ;^) - I guess the ratchet is on the outside part.

[kfong]

Thanks for the post Todd, I knew you would come up with something unique and brilliant. It gives me lots of ideas on making my own. Was wondering how you found the right size grind wheel. Stacks of dremel wheels, damn that's resourceful!

[Thud]

Kfong,
I remember where I saw this groove cutting set up on the board: page 2 about 1/2 way down:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=13532&start=15

Also I have seen a clapper head built & set up on a drill press quill for plunging small trunions into gun recievers (gunsmiths have all sorts of goodies) this can be scaled to any size to cut metal befor its heat treated to hardnes & tempered. (once its hardend you only option is grinding )
hope that helps.
T

[kfong]

Another great find, I keep thinking I need the mill to spin. Forget how soft metal can be if you take light cuts and leverage. I'll have to try these methods. With a CNC it makes the repetitive stuff easy.

Kfong,
I remember where I saw this groove cutting set up on the board: page 2 about 1/2 way down:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewto ... 2&start=15

Also I have seen a clapper head built & set up on a drill press quill for plunging small trunions into gun recievers (gunsmiths have all sorts of goodies) this can be scaled to any size to cut metal befor its heat treated to hardnes & tempered. (once its hardend you only option is grinding )
hope that helps.
T

[nicobie]

That's pretty damn clever.

Amazing what can be done if one puts their mind to it.

[Byte]

Awesome! I was reading that topic a few weeks ago and I was also thinking about something like this. But this is just awesome, so well-thought! You're a genius

[drewjet]

Nice job Thud. I love back yard engineering.

[etard]

Thud, 2 comments:

1. The washing machine is supposed to be on the left
2. You have a couple packages coming this week (I hope 19t is what you wanted).

[spinningmagnets]

I love it! Great job Thud.

Freehubs are cheap and common, and can be easily adapted to be used as a jackshaft. A small track-cog on the left-side disk-brake flange could drive a chainring on the left-side rear-wheel axle. The two jackshaft freewheels isolate the motor input and the pedal input from each other without having to add a freewheeling Bottom-Bracket.

More options are a good thing....

[RWP]

So cool man!
Love your ingenuity and creativity.

[mat h physics]

Very nice set up!

People need to be aware of how hard metals are, as conventional cutting is not practical when hardened. The allotopic properties are what make steel so versatile.
As a rule of thumb, if you can't cut it with a file, grinding is the way to go. Unless of course you have access to an EDM machine.

[etard]

Thud, you get those cutting wheels and freewheel?

I gotta say guys, this is a brilliant setup to go broached freewheels on the freehub! Mine slipped on like a glove and worked perfect from the get go. The only problem is the freehub blew chunks so if you go this route go ahead and lace a nice hub on your setup. Granted, I was pulling power launches using the low gear on the jr brute so that's 5kw with gearing that tops out at 20 mph, you do the math on that. Of course this means that now I'm wanting to lace my Hadley hub into a Jetset rim with spokes that are all the same color...

thud, can I order another one?

[Thud]

your stuff arived & 100 thanks for the pp.

I have a couple more I was training on (& actually much nicer than the prototype you have in hand)....I''ll ship you one tomorrow bud. sounds like its time to employ the cush drive sprockets to ease the impact on the free hub now...man its allways sump'n

[Miles]

sounds like its time to employ the cush drive sprockets to ease the impact on the free hub now...man its allways sump'n

If the freewheel in the freehub is redundant. Maybe you could make something like the Surly Fixxer, to lock it? There are a few fixed cassette hubs but they're all 6 speed, I think. eg: http://www.tartybikes.co.uk/135mm_fixed ... 10561.html

[Thud]

Thanks Miles,
Yes, the freehub is redundant....I was thinkin of just cleaning all the grease out & locking the freehub with some hi grade epoxy.
Not a fan of skewers either at these power levels, a solid axel will worke better with proper chain adjusters