If you can't buy it, or its too expensive ---make it!

[Giles]

I have repaired small engines for over fifty years.
Now I mainly work on small two stroke equipment.
Some time back, I bought a Tanaka chainsaw that would not oil the chain. I discovered the plastic drive gear was damaged and only available with complete pump assembly and was over $140.00 !
Upon inspection, I decided to try an repair plastic worm gear. I had other photos but can't find them. Only photo shows specially ground bit picking up thread profile and pitch.
I made an aluminum gear and pressed it onto the plastic assembly after removing damaged outer thread.
Still working beautifully!
It took a lot of figuring and close machining, but it worked beautifully.

 

[talvare]

This is probably the most use my machinery sees......fixing my other stuff. A few days ago I made a little part for one of my motorcycles that took about 20 minutes (a good machinist would have done it in 10) and about $.05 worth of aluminum. Saved me having to spend $40 for the replacement part. So now I can amortize the ridiculous amount of money I've spent on machinery and tooling by another $39.95

Ted

 

[Giles]

This is probably the most use my machinery sees......fixing my other stuff. A few days ago I made a little part for one of my motorcycles that took about 20 minutes (a good machinist would have done it in 10) and about $.05 worth of aluminum. Saved me having to spend $40 for the replacement part. So now I can amortize the ridiculous amount of money I've spent on machinery and tooling by another $39.95

Ted

I repair a lot of chainsaws and I can test ignition coil on lathe. With some bad coils, they can be "revived" by spinning flywheel @ 2K RPM. With a revivable coil, you can watch the spark go from dull red to intense blue/white. Some can be revived and some can't. I have no idea why? ?

 

[KBeitz]

Bake your coil... When your wife is not home....

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

Bake your coil... When your wife is not home....

Why would he bake the coil? I understand why the need to get it done while the wife is not home but I have no clue as to why one would bake their chainsaw coil in the first place and your comment left me very curious as to why!

 

[007]

Years ago before the internet I needed stainless steel hardware for my truck that I was restoring. I tried several stores for the hardware needed then decided to just make it all myself. So most my machines do now is fix stuff I can't find parts for. Sometimes I just spend an extra $$ because I don't want to work 2 hrs for that $10 part needed. I guess times are changing.

 

[hman]

Why would he bake the coil? I understand why the need to get it done while the wife is not home but I have no clue as to why one would bake their chainsaw coil in the first place and your comment left me very curious as to why!

Wild-a$$ guess: If moisture has seeped/diffused into the coil, baking it will drive the water out (?)

 

[John281]

I agree, it's really satisfying to be able to fix something. What really motivates me to make a replacement part is that I don't like replacing a poorly-designed part with an identical replacement of the poorly-designed part from the manufacturer - and usually at a high cost.
A colleague of mine had the handle of his sliding glass door break and could not get a replacement (die-cast aluminum). He was faced with replacing the entire door. I made a replacement part for him from solid aluminum and he was absolutely thrilled. The new one won't break.

 

[GunsOfNavarone]

I have been able to save all sorts of things from the trash heap by MacGyver-ing since i was single digits old. The whole building a machine shop was to do this on a whole new level (if i can learn the skills) i watch many people here and on YouTube and im just fascinated. I can watch this stuff for hours. Diagnosing, buying and installing a magneto on a lawnmower is a great skill, but building instead of buying? Priceless!

 

[KBeitz]

Do a google search on baking small engine coils.