The new guy with a Columbia basket case

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Adam_G
Victor O
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 12:11 am
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Adam_G »

Been tinkering away at it the last few days. I have some rusty parts sitting in Evapo-Rust to clean em up. If you look a few posts up and see the one picture of the rusty spindle end, you'll see how well it cleaned up with this stuff in the pic below. The bed plate was also rusty on top and is still soaking in the solution as 24 hours wasn't enough.

I was going to pull the springs out of the barrels but wanted to double check something with you guys. I took a pic of how the springs are currently oriented in the barrels. The good looking spring I'm going to assume is the original and untouched. The broken brazed spring (that I'm also going to assume was removed) I think may be installed backwards. If the two spring barrels face each other, then shouldn't one spring be going clockwise and the other be going counter-clockwise? The idea is to double the spring power right? Hence having two springs instead of one? Have a look at the picture showing how they're wound. In my mind, it looks incorrect if the open end of the barrels face each other.
Attachments
A close-up of that one gear's teeth
A close-up of that one gear's teeth
The rusty plate
The rusty plate
Bed plate soaking away
Bed plate soaking away
The spindle and some other parts in Evapo-Rust
The spindle and some other parts in Evapo-Rust
Spindle de-rusted and shined up a bit with scotch-brite pad
Spindle de-rusted and shined up a bit with scotch-brite pad
comparison of good and bad spring
comparison of good and bad spring
Both spring wind counter-clockwise
Both spring wind counter-clockwise
This is how it came out of the machine. Both spring face each other and are separated by that divider plate that has the little screws holding the two spring barrels together
This is how it came out of the machine. Both spring face each other and are separated by that divider plate that has the little screws holding the two spring barrels together
Adam G.

Schlick
Victor II
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Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Schlick »

(I like the Dippity Do jar!!!)

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alang
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Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by alang »

Adam_G wrote: I was going to pull the springs out of the barrels but wanted to double check something with you guys. I took a pic of how the springs are currently oriented in the barrels. The good looking spring I'm going to assume is the original and untouched. The broken brazed spring (that I'm also going to assume was removed) I think may be installed backwards. If the two spring barrels face each other, then shouldn't one spring be going clockwise and the other be going counter-clockwise? The idea is to double the spring power right? Hence having two springs instead of one? Have a look at the picture showing how they're wound. In my mind, it looks incorrect if the open end of the barrels face each other.
In essence you have to think of multiple springs as one long spring. They don't double the power, but rather extend the running time. In your mind you have to follow the pull of a spring from the shaft through the first spring, through the connected barrels, through the second spring, to the gear. From a center shaft perspective one spring needs to be wound clockwise and the next counter-clockwise. But since in your case both barrels face each other they both go into the barrels the same way. So your two springs are installed correctly as is. Hope that makes sense? Believe me, it would not have worked at all if one was installed the wrong way, because then it would have to push instead of pull and become immediately unhooked from the center shaft. Been there, done that.

Good luck!
Andreas

Adam_G
Victor O
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Adam_G »

Thanks Andreas!

That was an excellent description of how this is supposed to work. I had to draw some spirals on two pieces of paper and hold them up and mimic the actions, and I can now see that you are correct. I can now start ripping those darn things apart and hopefully not lose an eye in the process.
Adam G.

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alang
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Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by alang »

Glad to be able to help. Use good gloves and make sure you keep a good grip.

Good luck!
Andreas

Adam_G
Victor O
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Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 12:11 am
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Adam_G »

Yup, gloves are on the list of things needed for that job.

Thought I'd toss up some pictures of the de-rusting process and general clean up.
Attachments
I painted the lead weights from the govenor so that they can't oxidize again.
I painted the lead weights from the govenor so that they can't oxidize again.
Derusted plate
Derusted plate
Govenor is cleaned up.
Govenor is cleaned up.
the switch has the rust removed, but now it's a little pitted.
the switch has the rust removed, but now it's a little pitted.
Machine kinda together. Just test fitting some things.
Machine kinda together. Just test fitting some things.
Adam G.

Adam_G
Victor O
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Adam_G »

Took the springs out of the barrels the other day and discovered a few new issues.

The one spring that's been brazed back together attached to the barrel with a screw and nut. Both items looked like a 'fix' because the end of the spring with the original hole looked to be broken off and a new hole was drilled (and the spring has cracked beside this new hole).

The other spring that I'm calling "the good one", didn't have the proper attachment either. At least I don't think it was the original attachment. There was a nut on the outside of the barrel which looked normal, but at the end of the spring wasn't actually attached to anything. After taking the spring out, it still has it's original hole in the end, but the nut I saw on the outside of the barrel looked like it should be screwed onto a screw (like the other spring). But what I found was the remains of another nut, that looked ground down due to the spring slipping off it and just spinning around in the barrel. You'll see what I mean when you look at the pictures.

Anybody know what the original way of attaching the springs to the barrels was? I thought it was supposed to be a stud that the spring just hooks onto...


Also, did some cleaning up on the wood box today. I wanted to get most of the dirt and old oil off it before stripping down the finish. Turns out brake cleaner is great for this task! Though it does tend to take the shellac off as well, but that's ok in my case.
Attachments
springs removed
springs removed
how the brazed spring was attached to the barrel
how the brazed spring was attached to the barrel
end of the brazed spring. Has a new hole and it's cracked.
end of the brazed spring. Has a new hole and it's cracked.
the hole in the end of "the good spring"
the hole in the end of "the good spring"
&quot;the good spring&quot; barrel:<br />normal looking nut on the outside
"the good spring" barrel:
normal looking nut on the outside
&quot;the good spring&quot; barrel:<br />worn away nut inside
"the good spring" barrel:
worn away nut inside
the before
the before
guess which part I cleaned.
guess which part I cleaned.
cleaned up
cleaned up
Adam G.

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Lucius1958
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Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Lucius1958 »

The "good spring" also appears to have broken in the center, and a new hole added.

Bill

Adam_G
Victor O
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Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 12:11 am
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Adam_G »

Yup, definitely need new springs. Anybody have a picture of what the attachment inside the barrel is supposed to be? I'm hearing it should be something like the head of a nail, but riveted on.
Adam G.

Adam_G
Victor O
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 12:11 am
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: The new guy with a Columbia basket case

Post by Adam_G »

I've been slowly starting to gather parts. Ron Sitko had quite a few parts that would have been tricky to find. I neglected to ask him about this one part however and was wondering if anyone knew where to find a suitable replacement.

It's the little pads on the ends of the fork for the govenor that functions as the speed control and brake. I think mine are pretty worn out since my speed control knob has to be turned in almost all the way to make contact when the on/off switch is flicked. I'm not entirely sure what material it is though; rubber? Some sort of fiber?

Any help is appreciated as always.
Attachments
IMG_0840.JPG
IMG_0842.JPG
Adam G.

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