Anyone have any suggestions how to remove one of these aluminum shaft couplers when the bolts are rusted and the socket heads are stripped? I want to replace the M8 threaded rod I’m using as a leadscrew, but the nuts on this coupler won’t budge. I considered Dremeling it off but I don’t want the heat to affect the surrounding plastic.
It’s headaches like this that keep my printer out of commission for a good part of the year… Just want to get back in, and a headache like this kicks me back out for a few more months until I try again.
If you dont want to cut it, old hit it with some wd40, the whack the head a few times to break it loose, and Try to get a bolt extractor on it. Honestly though, ild just cut the coupler off.
Dremeling shouldn’t be a problem. You could make a heat shield with some cardboard if you are worried. Shrapnel in the electronics or inside the motor are much worse though, so make sure you seal those off if you can’t move the whole z coupler and motor off and away.
What are you replacing the m8 with?
I would drill off the nut by gradually increasing the diameter of the drill bit. Depending on what material the bolt is maybe use Cobalt (expensive) or TiN coated drill bits.
A tool called an EZ-Out And some penetrating oil? Hint of blue on the threads looks like blue locktite. Then when all fails drill cut etc. Good luck. I feel your pain on decommissioned printers. 3 out of service 3D printers here. But I love printing…Small moves…
If you have applied Loctite some tips from this thread http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/solvent-loctite-186460/ suggest acetone or super glue dissolver, or applying a soldering iron to the cap screws to loosen them, at a guess I would say the screws are grade 5 or 8 so they will be hard to cut through, it may be easier to cut a section from the top and bottom parts of the coupling so it no longer clamps the shafts.
One thing to note: If you use Loctite then use the pink stuff for retaining threads (222) not the green stuff. Nothing short of fire removes the green Loctite.
Easy out but grind the end of one that fits to it fits tight, size it to where if must be tapped into the head… also turn by hand and tap lightly to keep the tap in as deep as possible (sound like I know what I’m doing? yeah had to do it myself
