Quick Motor Shaft Question

[Spirator]

Hello,

I've recently been wondering how you'd remove a motor which was epoxied to, say, an aluminium roller. For example, an RS550 to a simple, aluminium roller, held in via epoxy. Will the process damage the motor or shaft in any way?

It takes a while for new motors to reach Australia.

Thanks in advance.

[msimon785]

If you don't mind my asking, how on earth did it end up epoxied anyhow?

[MattC9]

Well someone Who would think about this might want to look into acetone. *disclaimer* I'm suggesting looking into it not going ahead and doing it I have herd acetone works on epoxy but I would do a small test and look into it more befor going todo the real thing

[Jeffy]

I always use a lighter to heat the motor shaft up.

[Kevin Sevcik]

You're probably going to need more heat than a lighter will provide.

Something like a propane torch would probably work better. If you can heat the wheel/shaft up from the side opposite the motor and hit the motor with freeze spray or a continuous jet of compressed air then you should be able to keep the motor cool enough to avoid damage while you're getting the shaft off.

On the other hand, it sounds like you don't care about the motor that much. In which case flame on till you loosen up the epoxy enough to extract the motor. Just make sure to do it in a well ventilated area.

[nighterfighter]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

On the other hand, it sounds like you don't care about the motor that much. In which case flame on till you loosen up the epoxy enough to extract the motor. Just make sure to do it in a well ventilated area.

I think they DO care, because they don't want to damage the motor.

The best way is going to be by heat, but lots of it. Either a heat gun or torch (even better) might work.

Also, acetone apparently "loosens" the epoxy a little bit, but not very much.

Of course, the other way to do remove the shaft and epoxy is with a lathe!

Name a problem a lathe can't fix!

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by nighterfighter

Name a problem a lathe can't fix!

Off hand, I'd say a lathe wouldn't be great for welding two pieces of plate together.



Bet you thought I'd say milling a slot in something, right? But I'm just nerdy enough to know that you can, in fact, mill with a lathe. And you could probably abuse it into acting as an arbor press and half a dozen other things. Welding seemed my safest bet.

[EricH]

Depending on the lathe, I think you could weld with one. Of course, that would be totally abusing it... And the weld wouldn't hold real well unless you ramped up the force a lathe can exert--and I mean REALLY ramped it up--but in the land of theory, it might be possible.

Now, arc welding, yeah, I can agree with you on. (Friction Stir welding is the type a lathe might possibly be capable of.)

[rsisk]

Originally Posted by nighterfighter

Name a problem a lathe can't fix!

Doughnut holes.

[Trent B]

We removed a press fit shaft that was glued on with red loctite threadlocker (one of the uses is press fitting) using a propane torch, the motor raised our forklift all of 10,000 Lakes regional without issues.

[DonRotolo]

First, the original problem: Heat softens all epoxy. Eventually.

Then, The Lathe: There is no problem a lathe cannot fix.

[Retired Starman]

Just a word of caution: I've heard suggestions for the use of flame and acetone on this problem. Please don't use them together! Any flame in a room with open acetone is begging for a visit from the fire department.

Dr. Bob

[Spirator]

I've attached a picture of what we've done. Oh and we'd like to save the motor and have it fully functional after we're done. The motor shaft is epoxied to the rod.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Spirator

I've recently been wondering how you'd remove a motor which was epoxied to, say, an aluminium roller. For example, an RS550 to a simple, aluminium roller, held in via epoxy. Will the process damage the motor or shaft in any way?

It depends on the glass transition temperature of the particular epoxy which was used.

If you can heat the epoxy above its glass transition temperature without exceeding the temperature which would damage the motor that would allow you to separate the parts.

Once separated, you could use xylene or acetone to soften and remove the epoxy. Use chemical gloves and adequate ventilation.