Where to find/how to make extra-extra deep sockets?

Just a Sparky · Mar 2, 2021

I'm working on restoring a 100+ year old Century repulsion start motor and I find myself in need of a 1-7/16" socket with at least 7 inches of bolt clearance.

The armature shaft has a badly worn front journal (90 thou) and the PTO portion of it is chewed up severely as if it spun a pulley at one point. Unlike modern motors, the shaft appears to be keyed to the rotor and held in place by way of a nut on one end. This leads me to believe it's probably not an extraordinarily tight press fit. I'm hoping to press out the tired old shaft, turn a new one and press the replacement back in. But to do that... I, uh...

Well, see for yourself.

Anyone got any tricks up their sleeve for making one-off sockets like this or know where a guy might be able to find such a beast?

Could I get away with just grinding a sacrificial socket in half and TIG welding a length of pipe in the middle? Or is there a simpler and easier solution I'm not seeing?

Thanks.

dstig · Mar 3, 2021

I've seen them on websites before, but can't put my mouse on it right now. But yeah, they are basically steel tube welded to a socket and a drive end at the other end. Might be very hard to find that in such a big size too, so rolling your own may be the only option. So you could zip a socket in half as you suggested and put a length of some beefy tube in between the parts and TIG away. Probably a job best suited for 309 or 312 filler.

Rob F. · Mar 3, 2021

These guys have them and can also make longer than 12"
A 1/2 drive 1 7/16 looks like about $60. Scroll down past custom order form for a list of sizes & prices:
Extra Deep Impact Sockets - HR Manufacturing
Up to 4 1/2" nut and options of any drive size from 3/8 to 1 1/2 or spline.

72bwhite · Mar 3, 2021

Yes you can make one by cutting and welding a section of tube.

Limy Sami · Mar 3, 2021

72bwhite said:
Yes you can make one by cutting and welding a section of tube.

+ 1 on what he said, and it is that simple - this was covered a few weeks back on PM

DDoug · Mar 3, 2021

Just a Sparky said:
I'm working on restoring a 100+ year old Century repulsion start motor and I find myself in need of a 1-7/16" socket with at least 7 inches of bolt clearance.

The armature shaft has a badly worn front journal (90 thou) and the PTO portion of it is chewed up severely as if it spun a pulley at one point. Unlike modern motors, the shaft appears to be keyed to the rotor and held in place by way of a nut on one end. This leads me to believe it's probably not an extraordinarily tight press fit. I'm hoping to press out the tired old shaft, turn a new one and press the replacement back in. But to do that... I, uh...

Well, see for yourself.

View attachment 315510 View attachment 315511 View attachment 315512

Anyone got any tricks up their sleeve for making one-off sockets like this or know where a guy might be able to find such a beast?

Could I get away with just grinding a sacrificial socket in half and TIG welding a length of pipe in the middle? Or is there a simpler and easier solution I'm not seeing?

Thanks.

Are really sure you want to doo that ?

Tony Quiring · Mar 3, 2021

Take it to an old school auto machine shop that did crankshaft.

They can weld that up and grind to size blindfolded.

Do not mess with trying to press out the shaft unless no other way.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

crossthread · Mar 3, 2021

One thing you might consider if this does not require something like an impact wrench is to make a crowfoot out of an old open or box end wrench. Saw it off and weld on an offset shaft and you are done. Ten minutes. A heck of a lot faster and easier then making an actual deep socket.

DDoug · Mar 3, 2021

crossthread said:
One thing you might consider if this does not require something like an impact wrench is to make a crowfoot out of an old open or box end wrench. Saw it off and weld on an offset shaft and you are done. Ten minutes. A heck of a lot faster and easier then making an actual deep socket.

I think it's gonna need all that socket can give.

crossthread · Mar 3, 2021

Yeah maybe so. I was just suggesting an "offset" wrench that you could actually glomp down on if need be even with an impact wrench. An extension welded to a box wrench. A hefty crow foot may do the job. I agree with you however that it may not be enough, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Just a Sparky · Mar 3, 2021

The issue with a crow's foot is clearance. I've got 1/4" tops. The centrifugal mechanisms would interfere with it. Shaft's got to come out before I can reach the cotter pins to pull them off. Chicken and egg.

DDoug · Mar 3, 2021

Just a Sparky said:
The issue with a crow's foot is clearance. I've got 1/4" tops. The centrifugal mechanisms would interfere with it. Shaft's got to come out before I can reach the cotter pins to pull them off. Chicken and egg.

Are you really sure you want to remove the shaft ?

SIP6A · Mar 3, 2021

digger doug said:
Are you really sure you want to remove the shaft ?

Ah Doug let him fuck it up. he'll learn a lot.

nc5a · Mar 3, 2021

Check out this post. It's a deep socket I made. Shop Made 1 1/2" X 7" Deep Socket

Just a Sparky · Mar 3, 2021

Any particular reasons I should be made aware of to *not* remove the shaft beyond Statler and Waldorf here going "Are you sure about that?"

If you're going to be smartasses then at least prove the smartness behind your assery by providing useful rationale that I can consider and benefit from. Otherwise your words have no real value beyond wasting electricity and satisfying your own smug senses of self-worth.

Mike1974 · Mar 3, 2021

Just a Sparky said:
Any particular reasons I should be made aware of to *not* remove the shaft beyond Statler and Waldorf here going "Are you sure about that?"

If you're going to be smartasses then at least demonstrate the smartness of your assery by providing useful rationale so I can benefit from it. Otherwise your words have no real value beyond wasting electricity and satisfying your own senses of smug self-worth.

Doug is known to do that. But what he is getting at I *think* is -

1) 'restoring' vintage items usually brings value down unless you are an expert at it.

2) getting a 100 year old shaft out might be more trouble than it's worth, and there is a good chance you'll beat up some surrounding areas trying

edit: and since you've already gone the "shut up unless you are offering the advice I want" you'll likely not get anymore help here :nono:

DDoug · Mar 3, 2021

Just a Sparky said:
Any particular reasons I should be made aware of to *not* remove the shaft beyond Statler and Waldorf here going "Are you sure about that?"

If you're going to be smartasses then at least prove the smartness behind your assery by providing useful rationale that I can consider and benefit from. Otherwise your words have no real value beyond wasting electricity and satisfying your own smug senses of self-worth.

Because you won't listen to repairing the shaft, in place, the way allot of these jobs are done.
Search member "john Stevenson" long deceased, but he wrote it up with pix, how he did these jobs, and he did a bunch of them.

SIP6A · Mar 3, 2021

Just a Sparky said:
If you're going to be smartasses then at least prove the smartness behind your assery by providing useful rationale that I can consider and benefit from. Otherwise your words have no real value beyond wasting electricity and satisfying your own smug senses of self-worth.

The way that armature was probably made was all the lamentations were put on the shaft then the nut was put on torqued down then it was wound. When you take the shaft out all the lamentations will become misaligned and you will never get it put back together. The reason I made the comment "Just let him fuck it up, he will learn a lot" is because you won't listen to people like Doug who told you the correct way to fix it. The problem of doing it the right way is your a Harry home shop and to do the job correctly would involve parting with some money.

dstig · Mar 4, 2021

SIP6A said:
The way that armature was probably made was all the lamentations were put on the shaft then the nut was put on torqued down then it was wound. When you take the shaft out all the lamentations will become misaligned and you will never get it put back together. The reason I made the comment "Just let him fuck it up, he will learn a lot" is because you won't listen to people like Doug who told you the correct way to fix it. The problem of doing it the right way is your a Harry home shop and to do the job correctly would involve parting with some money.

I looked back up the thread and nobody said anything close to what you said here. All Doug said was "are you sure you want to do that?" You gave good reasons, but that did not appear earlier in the thread... So why do you say the OP won't listen, if nobody told him anything close to the reason why?

72bwhite · Mar 4, 2021

And you notice only 5 of us answered his question.

With out eyeballing it can’t say what the right approach to the repair job is
More then one way to fix a chewed up shaft

Where to find/how to make extra-extra deep sockets?

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