Attic Find - Found in a Real Attic

[FellowCollector]

The mandrel bearing is a nightmare. I have tried almost all the tricks except for acid and freezing. So the upper works is in the freezer now. I managed to carefully chip away at some of the exposed bearing with a small screwdriver. This worked for me once, but not this time. The mandrel shaft will not budge. A parts of the mandrel shaft has wrench marks, so I suspect that the prior owner was trying to free the bearing as well.

The mandrel is pressed on. Put some lubricant around the pot metal bearing and around the mandrel shaft where the mandrel is seated. Secure the casting so it will not move (since you have removed it from the bed plate).

Here's where I will get some flak but this method has worked perfectly for me on many of my later Edison Homes and Triumphs to remove the pot metal bearing:

Get a small section of wood (like a 1x1 or 1x2) and gently and repeatedly tap on the end of the mandrel NEAREST the pot metal bearing. Rotate the mandrel (if possible) by hand after each series of tapping. Eventually the mandrel WILL come off the end of the shaft.

Now, take some digital stills (if needed for reference later on re-install) of the rest of the shaft.

Loosen and remove all of the screws and other parts that are removable that you can from either side of the feed screw including the screw on the upper belt pulley with its internal pin. REMEMBER (make note of!) which screw goes where.

Grab your largest vice grips and clamp on to the section of the mandrel shaft where the mandrel WAS. Don't worry about "grab marks" on it as you can polish those out later before re-installing. The mandrel will cover them up anyway.

Now TURN and PULL and TURN and PULL on that shaft using the vice grips. The shaft WILL begin moving eventually if you have the vice grips tight enough. DO NOT bend the shaft. You are turning and pulling out away from the casting. As parts become loosened on the belt pulley side begin removing them from the shaft.

When the shaft is completely removed you can CHEER. Get a punch and carefully remove the remains of the pot metal bearing without injuring the casting boss that secures it. Put a new brass bearing in and reassemble and you're done.

Again this has worked for me many times without fail. Good luck.

Doug