its me again - reversing gear disassembly

I've got my reversing gear partially disassemble. The ILION books says that taking off the rear keyed gear should be done with an arbor press. What if you don't have one? I thought a gear puller might work but there's no clearance between the gear and the back plate. Any suggestions gratefully received. Ditto with pressing the shaft out. All of which has to be done to replace felts(I think).

A lot of South Bend shafts are somewhat soft. The metal can mushroom, or ding pretty easy. I'd recommend screwing the nut flush on threads whichever way you go, atleast until you get the gear moved enough.

A press is dead useful for so many tasks. Really, I'd say you got to have one. I'm not a huge Harbor freight kind of guy, but they have suitable presses that will cover many future tasks pretty cheap. They have some larger presses, but a 12 ton-er will do the grand majority of your needs and not eat floor space for $140:
12 Ton Shop Press

Wouldn't a c-clamp and a socket work?

if you just stick it back in the headstock casting in the condition you have it now you can tap the end of the shaft with a plastic hammer and at least gain the clearance you need to pull it....might even be enough to knock it loose enough to get it without the puller

texasgunsmith said:

A lot of South Bend shafts are somewhat soft. The metal can mushroom, or ding pretty easy. I'd recommend screwing the nut flush on threads whichever way you go, atleast until you get the gear moved enough.

A press is dead useful for so many tasks. Really, I'd say you got to have one. I'm not a huge Harbor freight kind of guy, but they have suitable presses that will cover many future tasks pretty cheap. They have some larger presses, but a 12 ton-er will do the grand majority of your needs and not eat floor space for $140:
12 Ton Shop Press

Click to expand...

point taken about soft shaft and threads, I NEVER hit the top of a thread with a hammer. And I've got a full range of soft head types - rawhide, plastic, brass, rubber and wood mallets.

"Really, I'd say you got to have one" Dude, I know you're out there the wide open spaces of Texas and probably have a lovely 2000sqft shop, but here in LA real estate is at a premium. I've got too much stuff and I'm trying to downsize into retirement, ie: 'how nay of these drill presses do I really need? (Either that or move). 12 ton is too big for the kind of stuff I imagine doing but I get it, I may have to get me a smaller benchtop model I can shove on a shelf.

I do shop at HF, with some discretion. My rule is - if I need it for a once a year job, ok. If it'll be in my hands weekly, get the good stuff.

Process - as I understand it, the gear (obviously) comes off the front, and the shaft pushed out the back. So if I knock the nut on the thread with a soft hammer, I will push the shaft 'back' which will push the gear 'forward' along the shaft and key? If the gear doesn't come off right away, I could then push the shaft back in, opening a space between gear and backplate, so I could get a gear puller in there?

thanks for your time (all)
A

iwananew10K said:

if you just stick it back in the headstock casting in the condition you have it now you can tap the end of the shaft with a plastic hammer and at least gain the clearance you need to pull it....might even be enough to knock it loose enough to get it without the puller

Click to expand...

ok, nice idea, I was going to sit it between vise jaws - but the casting is a readymade setup.
thx

tommy1010 said:

Wouldn't a c-clamp and a socket work?

Click to expand...

I can't see it.
But you remind me, somewhere I have a 6" C clamp with a V shaped foot - dunno, it just seemed useful. I need to go find it. Those feet might sit either side of the back of the back plate, and the screw will push the thread end of the shaft. Clamp the C in a vise and I've got a horizontal screw press.