Subject: Re: Lathe work needed

From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 19 Mar 1995 06:12:33 GMT

Philippe Habib ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I need a small part made on a lathe.  It needs to be a steel rod, either 7/8
: or on inch in diameter (It doesn't matter which, but it must be fairly
: precise)  with one end turned down and threaded with a 5/16" fine thread and
: the other end being either ground into two or four parallel faces, or made
: into a 6 sided hex cap so that it can be tightened.

: It would replace a 5/16 grade 8 bolt that holds the rotor onto a garden chipper.
: The round part would be in a pillow block to provide extra support for the 
: rotor and maybe help the engine last a bit longer.  I just had to replace a
: crankshaft that broke after 33 hours of use.

: Since it would be replacing a grade 8 bolt, it would have to be made of 
: something of similar strength.

: If you think you'd like to make this for me, please send me mail and we can
: work out the details in private mail.

Is this an "MTD" chipper?  This is also sold under the Craftsman brand at
Sears, and probably others?  Essentially a 5 or 8 HP Briggs & Stratton engine
directly bolted to a disc with two chipping blades, and a structure with
hammer-knives on the other side?  You need to use a bag to catch the chips?
I have one of these, too, and I was wondering how the engine could take
the forces applied to the shaft.  It seems that most of these things continue
to work without failure, so you might just have had a flawed crank from the
factory.  My pet peeve about the thing is the need to constantly sharpen the
chipper knives, which are not too easy to get out.  They really need a
sharpening after just two short sessions.  I have a lathe, but the part
you want probably needs heat treating after initial turning, and then a final
grind to dimension on the bearing surface.  I'm no expert on the heat 
treating.