Hydraulic Cylinder Rod Eye Removal and Reinstall - Machining and Welding

I have teamed up with a very reputable hydraulics shop in the last few months. This is one of the jobs we got in. After they tried to remove the pistons, they decided to take a different approach. Not something you would usually do, but if you force the piston off you run the risk of damaging the threads. If that happened, the rod or piston or both would need to be replaced.

Instead of risking this costly repair, the decision was made to have me cut them off. Once removed, the seals were replaced and reinstalled on the shaft. Then I went about welding them back on.

A totally unconventional repair, and probably something that Kurtis @CuttingEdgeEngineering will criticize heavily. But it was an option that wouldn't bankrupt the customer, and gets him back to work quickly.

Topper Machine LLC is an entirely manual machine shop located in Spooner, WI. Our videos will highlight some of our shop work as well as the sawmill we built in the shop and our A.D. Baker steam engine, and others we work on.

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[C_HILL_OUT]

This reminds me of my apprenticeship days. The shop I worked for would get all kinds of crazy stuff in for us to repair or fabricate. I’ve always been a manual machinist. Any shop I worked for since my apprenticeship always seemed excited that I could run their manual equipment so I never had much of a chance to learn CNC. I’m a terrible welder though. Great video!!!

[rodneykiemele]

I love where we get to see the whole job, not just a short shot or two in a 8 to 10 minute video. Thank a lot.

[jimpritz]

The size and magnitude of these repairs are really impressive. You must be exhausted at the end of the day hauling all these heavy things around. Although many viewers will never work on such large projects the basic procedures can be applied to smaller items in need of repair. Very instructive video and thank you for the time and effort that goes into making them.

[keithmonarch]

Hi Josh. Keith-MI I might have mentioned this. Dake in Grand Haven. Manufactured this bandsaw, I was contacted, invited for an interview for a new position, and managed this product came from Italy. When we meet. Hopefully, in 2023, I'll discuss this in better detail. Nice job on this rod project!!

[heavenlymachining]

Nice of you to take the time to make a video. When finding the center of a circle with a DRO. Use your edge finder on the first side and zero your axis then go to the other side then touch your 1/2 button then touch your axis again when you return to center your DRO will read zero.
Do the same for your other axis and you will have a perfect center.
Jack, Heavenly Machining.

[johnjohannemann]

This was the first video I watched that you produced. I liked what I saw. I also liked the little shout out to Curtis at cutting edge engineering. I have subscribed, rang the bell and look forward to other videos. Thank you for sharing.

[BruceBoschek]

Thanks for the video. I appreciate how much effort it takes to produce such cinematic quality videos. Those button inserts sure do remove the metal. Good solution to the problem.

[BrucePierson]

This was a very interesting video showing an unconventional way of undertaking a difficult repair. I have a tip for you. I was recently watching a video where the guy was doing plasma cutting, MIG welding, arc gouging and arc welding. He had his camera behind an auto-darkening welding lens and the video really showed up the various processes very well. It showed a first-hand look at the processes, just like the operator would see. It could be something you might want to look into. All the best from Queensland Australia.

[gregeconomeier]

I enjoyed the spliced in "action" shots of the wire feeder and wire spool. Good editing work. I bet you wish it didn't take so much time.

[jackdawg]

Cool video Josh. Finding a work around to preserve older parts to give them a longer life without risking destroying them - nothing wrong with that.

[joepeanut]

I hope you repacked the Glands before you welded those eye's back. Awesome job.

[ValiRossi]

Kurtis tack welds it while its still in the lathe. With that brand new lathe of yours, I'm not sure I would do that. Fun to see the comparison.

[asbcustom]

Nice camera work Josh, I like the cuts especially, they make it very enjoyable. Thanks for all the effort you put into filming and editing.

[bostedtap]

Great procedural repair Josh, new lathe working well 👏.
Great photography as well.
Thanks for sharing.

[mattchewynichols]

First time I heard you call your cutter tool a circle cutter (something like that) I'm that's a button cutter (thanks to Curtis) love the content

[jobkneppers]

Much appreciated. For some additional skills watch Cutting Edge Engineering from Australia. No nagging or promoting here but it's Curtis specialty and I learned a lot from his approach, tooling and knowledge. And fun to watch without association from my side. Just a big fan. Best, Job

[Tahimate]

It is very relaxing to watch the work you do.

[dannygreene]

Good stuff Josh as always interesting greetings from sunny NZ

[davidrichards]

Josh, Great camera resolution. That big spindle bore is

[reinierwelgemoed]

Nice work man. I would like to see a slightly deeper back cut into that weld area just to get more thickness into that weld and a couple of tack welds all the way around before starting the full weld. Almost certainly its pulled to the side a little.