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Topic: removing roller nut axle |
Dave Campbell
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 9:17 am |
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i did search but couldn't find an answer.
i'm refurbishing my sho bud, and i want to remove the roller nut axle to clean and lube it. do i just whack it out of there using a pry or is there a tried and true method? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 9:54 am
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| I forget how the Sho~Bud axle is mounted but if it is open above the axle, just get underneath the axle with something and lift it out. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 11:16 am
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If the axle is exposed on the ends, using a rod of the same diameter, or slightly smaller, drive the axle from the treble side to the bass side for the E9 neck and bass side to the treble side of the C6 neck. Remove the rollers as they are freed and KEEP THEM IN ORDER SO YOU CAN REPLACE THEM IN ORDER.
If the axles are not exposed, use a small flat blade screw driver and carefully walk the roller/axle assembly out a slot at a time. You do not want to rush it out as this will put sideways pressure on the slots and rollers and axle.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 12:32 pm
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I've always just carefully lifted the axle out with the rollers on it, by grabbing a couple of rollers with my fingers, then slid them off one by one and laid them down in order.
After cleaning and lubing I slide them all back on in order, spread them out, get them lined up in their slots and drop the whole thing into place.
The "in order" thing may not matter much, as the stock Sho-Bud rollers are not gauged differently for different strings, but I figure it doesn't hurt to put everything back the same way it was. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 12:40 pm
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They may be gauged the same, but you may find different thicknesses, or widths, so why take a chance?
I have never had a roller assembly that I could simply lift out with my fingers. They have always been a tight fit.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Dave Campbell
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 12:45 pm
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| so far it's not coming out by any method. i was able to pry it on one end, and then the other, but the middle stayed put! |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 12:47 pm
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That is why you drive the axle out from one side.
You have bent the axle and likely slightly bent some of the cast web supports between the rollers.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 1:21 pm
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Pry it up in the middle. 
You can straighten the axle when you get it out, if necessary. |
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Dave Campbell
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 3:12 pm
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| i tried driving it out as well, with no luck. i'm tempted to leave it until the next string change when i have another axle in hand. this one is not going to come out in great shape i don't think, and it's my only steel. a bit disappointing, though, after removing and cleaning every other part of the guitar. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 3:47 pm
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Wow
We have the entire spectrum here.
Brint has had axle assemblies he can lift our with his fingers, and you have one with an axle that cannot be driven out with a rod and a hammer.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2017 6:07 pm Removing roller nut axle
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Be careful and go slow. A soak with Liquid
Wrench or Kano Kroil may help.If someone has spilt a drink over the nut with some Cola soft drink in it. It may be rusted tight in the slot. Many makers use drill rod as the axle, Being High Carbon Steel it will rust bad. I had a hard time getting the nut roller shaft out of an old MSA to clean it. There was a brown gummy goo on the shaft with the rust.
Took a lot of work with 0000 steel wool to smooth the shaft up.
As a police armor for 15 years I have had to replace springs in pistols because of soft drink spills turned the springs into a rusty gob.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin |
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Butch Mullen
From:
North Carolina, USA 28681
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Posted 15 Apr 2017 6:35 am
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| If it won't come out just clean it up with a tooth brush. Make sure the rollers are rolling with your finger. Very small drop of oil on each side of the roller.Butch in NC |
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2017 11:36 am Re: removing roller nut axle
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Dave,
If the axle end is not exposed, here's a tip for gently prying the axle out that may help.
1. Get five bamboo skewers for cooking shish-kebab and break them in half.
2. Insert the sharp tip of each half-skewer under each of the the 10 roller-nuts.
3. Gently tap once the blunt end of each half-skewer in turn; the roller-axle should lift up by 1 mm or so.
Now gently push down on the blunt end of each each half-skewer in turn; the roller-axle should lift up by another 1 mm or so.
4. Repeat the above very gradual process of a gentle tap and a gentle prying until the axle is free; it might take a minute or two.
5. Once the axle is out, clean the sides of the slots in the nut with very fine emery cloth to remove and dirt or burrs. (I wrapped a small piece of emery cloth around a popsicle stick to keep the slot square.)
Clean the axle with very fine emery cloth until it is smooth and clean.
Do the same with the sides of each roller-nut.
6. Before reinstalling the axle and roller-nuts, lightly lubricate it with TriFlow or whatever light oil you use.
-Dave |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 16 Apr 2017 1:48 am
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I personally have never had any issue prying them out slowly, from the end, the mid and the other end, a tad of movement at a time, slowly, repeating the process until it becomes free. I have done this with several Sho Buds, several Emmons, MSA's, Carters, whatever Steel it was. Just be careful and work slow. Don't pry it out on one quick swoop !
It's not a bad idea to pull them every other string change to clean and lube.
When it's removed, remove the rollers in order, line them up as they came off the axle. Clean them, including the hole for the axle. Check the edges for burrs. Then clean and burnish the axle , lube the axle, I use a very lite 3 in 1 then reassemble the rollers to the axle in the same order they came out, even if they are not gauged.
Make sure they ALL turn freely, if not, repeat the entire process. More often than not if they are not turning freely, the axle still has grit or the surface is still not smooth . Also be sure there is no grit in the ROLLER hole.
Thats all I got.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Dave Campbell
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 16 Apr 2017 3:32 am
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thanks guys. i gave the area a good soak and clean and lubed the rollers. they turn smoothly. i ordered a new axle from michael yahl for under $3, so i'll change it out next string change. i guess i should have kept on prying, but i wasn't 100% sure at the time that prying was the way to go. i'm a long way from any pedal steel repair help and having my guitar out of action for more than a few days isn't a very good option.
i cleaned 40 years of nicotine and motor oil off of every part of the guitar, replaced 7 fingers with low mileage ones i bought off the forum, installed a new telonics 409 and beefed up my string gauges ala ricky davis. now that it's lubed up with tri flow and reassembled, it feels and sounds great.
hopefully this will hold my constant feelings of wanting to buy another pedal steel at bay for a while! |
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