Hi, all-
Bottom line up front: If I grind my Norton clutch pushrod end to reshape it, does it need to be heat-treated again?
If so, how? I made an initial attempt with a plumber's torch, heating to just above a dull red glow, quenched in vegetable oil, and tempered till it just turned a light blue.
Context:
I installed a Newby clutch on my Matchless G15-CS. (I can cross-post a thread I have on Access Norton if anyone's interested...) Was a little more than an easy drop-in, but not too complicated.
The arrangement requires a rounded pushrod end. I had been using a ball bearing in the position originally, but after shortening the transmission mainshaft for some wear clearance, that arrangement looked sketchy as the ball wasn't really captive in the pushrod tunnel anymore.
So lacking machinists' tools and skills, I put the pushrod segment into my cordless drill chuck, clamped it to a bench, and spun it against a counter-rotating Dremel flap wheel until I got the right shape.
Figured I'd re-heat treat it, and gave that a try, but now I need to remake the whole arrangement due to the length changes in the mainshaft anyhow.
Appreciate any insight you can give someone new to anything metallurgy-related.
-Mike
Edit: Link to the Newby installation thread on Accessnorton:
Bottom line up front: If I grind my Norton clutch pushrod end to reshape it, does it need to be heat-treated again?
If so, how? I made an initial attempt with a plumber's torch, heating to just above a dull red glow, quenched in vegetable oil, and tempered till it just turned a light blue.
Context:
I installed a Newby clutch on my Matchless G15-CS. (I can cross-post a thread I have on Access Norton if anyone's interested...) Was a little more than an easy drop-in, but not too complicated.
The arrangement requires a rounded pushrod end. I had been using a ball bearing in the position originally, but after shortening the transmission mainshaft for some wear clearance, that arrangement looked sketchy as the ball wasn't really captive in the pushrod tunnel anymore.
So lacking machinists' tools and skills, I put the pushrod segment into my cordless drill chuck, clamped it to a bench, and spun it against a counter-rotating Dremel flap wheel until I got the right shape.
Figured I'd re-heat treat it, and gave that a try, but now I need to remake the whole arrangement due to the length changes in the mainshaft anyhow.
Appreciate any insight you can give someone new to anything metallurgy-related.
-Mike
Edit: Link to the Newby installation thread on Accessnorton: