Gallery, Projects and General > How do I??
Pillar drill return spring
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MadNick:
Afternoon,

Would anyone have an idea on how to repair this -



The spring popped out of its housing and I cant put it back it! Its impossible to put the tension back into the damn thing.

Any suggestions or comments would be very welcome.

Nick
75Plus:
Hi Nick,

You can use a lathe to rewind the spring so it can be put in the housing. Start with a piece of suitable round stock and saw a slot in one end, chuck it up in the lathe,. Make another bit to hold the other end and place it in the tool post. slowly, by hand, using the chuck key, wind the spring, advancing the cross slide as necessary, until the cover will slip over it. Now release the spring slowly until it is captured inside the holder.

Joe
MadNick:
Love it!

Many Thanks :)

Nick
sparky961:
I had pretty much the same thing happen when I was exploring my new mill/drill/lathe purchase many years ago now.  I made up a slotted piece pretty much like Joe has described here but I went a different route and drilled a hole through a plate that the slotted piece fits through, and drilled another hole for a pin in the same plate.  With the plate held in a bench vice, I used two wrenches to carefully wind the spring until it was tight enough to fit back into the case.

I still have the slotted piece still but the plate has long since been used in another project or scrapped.  From what I recall, I turned the shoulder on my lathe but cut the flats and slot with an angle grinder.





-Sparky
MadNick:
Thanks Sparky,

All sorted now. I used the actual slotted pin from the drill after taking the 3 arms off and putting it in the 4 jaw chuck.

Wound it up beautifully with the toolpost wedged against the end to keep its shape - I held the end with a pair of molegrips until it was small enough to slide the retainer over it.

I wore protective glasses and thick, leather welding gloves all the way through through - It gave me the willies to think about what could happen if it came undone suddenly.

Nick
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