Removing Spindle Gears Diagram

[Hobby-Machinist]

 

[SLK001]

I recently had to remove the special spindle gear (at the tail end of the spindle) for a hand lever collet closer. Whoever installed the gear pushed it on too far (I believe that it was factory installed) - too far to be able to get a puller on the gear. I tried to use the take-up nut to push the gear off far enough to be able to get a puller on it, right up to the point where the take-up nut broke (I didn't realize that the nut was made out of cast iron). I ended up drilling the nut in the back and breaking it in halves to remove it. NOW I am able to get a puller on the gear and safely removed it. I had the nut and the standard gear, so losing the nut wasn't catastophic. I pressed the gear on using a 5/8" threaded rod, two 5/8" washers, two pieces of wood and a plastic pipe fitting (to push on the gear). When you push on the gear, it has to engage a Woodriff key about 1-1/2" from the end of the spindle, so alignment HAS to be close to perfect. Since the gear is also cast iron, DO NOT TRY to rotate it on the spindle once it is engaged. It took me two tries to hit the key, but once on target, it pressed on without any problem. Oh well, lessons learned.

I am perplexed on how ANYONE could remove this gear without damaging other components.