Expanding a bushing?

[mhorowit]

There is a bronze bushing on the tailpost. Mine is missing. I located one at the local hardware, but the OD is just the slightest bit too small and it slips in the supporting steel tube.

Anyway to expand the bushing or elsewise hold it in the tube?

- Mike

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

take it to a machine shop and have them "knurl" the outer surface. Knurling actually displaces the outer surface making it rough. Looks like checkering on a gun stock. If they get to much just chuck in a drill and file down to a press fit again. Larry

[mhorowit]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

That's what I was remembering from class!
Is there a way to do it from my workbench (no lathe or special tools)? - Mike

[Pearson]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

In my past experiences I have found it is much easier to go get the correct size bushing than to go off on a quest to re-engineer something so inane as a simple bushing.

[flyguy]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

I agree with Rich. You should be able to get the correct bushing and not do the kludge fix. (Unless the tube ID is too big?)
DC

[N74DV]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

for our control cable pulleys I was able to whack the bronze bushings with a steel drift on the ends which compressed them slightly and expanded the inner and outer diameters by a few thousandths. Worked like a charm. Might work for you if the tolerance is not too great.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

for our control cable pulleys I was able to whack the bronze bushings with a steel drift on the ends which compressed them slightly and expanded the inner and outer diameters by a few thousandths. Worked like a charm. Might work for you if the tolerance is not too great.

Yep, thought of this too but did not want to show just how much of a hammer mechanic I really am!
Larry

[astjp2]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

Heat the steel part of the tail post to a dull red with a rose bud... and it will shrink when it cools...you may find that the bushing will become snug. Tim

[mhorowit]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

Heat the steel part of the tail post to a dull red with a rose bud... and it will shrink when it cools...you may find that the bushing will become snug. Tim

I like this one - Mike

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

Gentleman I do not know much about heat treating but I do know that if you have a very wet rag and apply it to the red steel it will shrink dramatically. We straighten long shafts routinely this way. But that is a localized situation and and has no impact on the entire part. I also know if you heat the part to dull red, just where it will not attract a magnet and then quench it it will get tough but not brittle. That is how we currently heat treat drill bits in the well drilling industry. Larry

[NY86]

Re: Expanding a bushing?

Loctite RC635