Bobbin Sander Sleeves

[Giff]

Has anyone got a trick for putting sleeves on a bobbin sander. It's 2" solid rubber and I can only get it on half way and that was after lubricating with fairy liquid. It's stuck 1/2 way now. Anyone had the same problem ? Geoff

 

[Chrispy]

Lets start at the begining, have you loosened the nut on the end of the shaft? and if so when? if its like mine and it been left tight for sometime the rubber can take quite a while to return to its original size i.e. a loose fit.

 

[Giff]

Yes I have taken undone the nut and slid the shaft completely out so am just looking at the rubber bobbin and new sleeve. Here's a quick picture of where I am up to.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've not had that problem with mine. But could you put the bobbin in the freezer for a couple of hours (without the sleeve, obviously)? Would that make enough difference?
S

 

[Giff]

Believe it or not Steve I did that. A trick a friend of mine who worked in the aerospace industry showed me some years ago. I also tried the the sleeve in the microwave. They all helped a bit but now stuck here ! Geoff

 

[Steve Maskery]

The Grand Old Duke of York, eh? I know the feeling.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
S

 

[Giff]

Thanks Steve...looks like the hammer then ! G

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I have a cheap set of drum sanders that I have similar problems with, and I find if I roll it hard between the bench and a plank of wood it reduces the diameter of the rubber and I can slide the sleeve on. You can do it with the sleeve on if its stuck.

Pete

 

[Bluekingfisher]

I had similar problems with mine, so I used talcum powder to "lube" the inside of the sleeve and drum. Although if the sleeve is wedged on you may have to cut that one off or risk damaging the drum!

 

[Eric The Viking]

+1 for talc, but only when it's clean and dry to start with.

The washing up liquid will probably have swelled the card backing, making matters a bit worse. I'd write that one off, cut it off carefully and start again with talc.

You might try spray silicone mould release agent, used in the plastics industry, but baby powder is a lot cheaper.

The trouble with freezing it is that it will get damp immediately it comes out of the freezer, with condensation. If you can avoid that problem it ought to work, as it does actually make the rubber bit smaller, which Talc doesn't.

 

[Giff]

Thanks for all the advice. I had managed to get it on except for the last 20mm so I cut a strip off and now have a 120mm sleeve, with a bit of rubber bobbin sticking up, instead of a 140mm sleeve. I think I had messed it up with the fairy liquid and the talc seems the way to go. When this one has had it I will change it and start with the talc. Another option I thought of is that as nut on the top compresses as the rubber is tightened down with the washer it maybe possible to sand the rubber bobbin down a bit with some abrasive stuck to a piece of timber. Does that sound feasible ? Geoff

 

[Giff]

An Update. I emailed Axminster as the sander is a Jet that I bought from them about 18 months ago. Apparently they changed the bobbin size from Imperial to Metric so I could well have a 2" sleeve and my bobbin is 50.8. It looks ok but 0.8mm is hard (impossible for me) to see but probably the problem. I am waiting for correct part numbers but will use my short version for now. I'll ask next time when I buy them ! Geoff

 

[Chrispy]

That would explain alot. interesting to know about the size change I'll have to watch out next time I need some sleeves.