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Post new topic How do you remove a pedal cross shaft on a Legrande 3?
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Author Topic:  How do you remove a pedal cross shaft on a Legrande 3?
Wiz Feinberg


From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 12:57 pm    
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I am modifying an Emmons Legrande III and have to remove one square cross shaft from the front and back body aprons. But, I am stumped! The shafts are a tight fit in brass cups on the ends with no appreciable clearance.

This seems like it requires a special tool or process to free the shaft from the brass bearings on the ends. If anybody among you has successfully removed a pedal cross shaft would you please outline the easiest process? Photos would help.


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Mike Vallandigham

 

From:
Martinez, CA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 1:15 pm    
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Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, I hope.

The bad option is to drill a hole in the mica so you can push the spring loaded pin back to clear the bushing.

Don't do that.

The better option - so I hear - is to cut the shaft and find a new one.

There was a thread about this some time back, I believe.
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Ray Mangrum

 

From:
Nashville, TN.
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 2:45 pm     Shaft Removal
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Billy Knowles can tell you how to do this, and did have replacement parts. Good guy to deal with also. Good Luck.
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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 5:10 pm    
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bOb talked about watching Ron at Emmons, remove one by using a knife to push the inner shaft in, pulling the cross shaft to th side, hard, then repeating until the spring loaded inner pin is pushed in far enough to pull out the crossshaft. I know on my LeGrande, that would be impossible. No gap. Poor design. Drilling a tiny hole to push the shaft in would be something I would consider if I couldn't live with out the change. Putting a new laminate piece on the back wouldn't be that hard. Keep it removable like a Zum, after drilling holes to all the cross shafts, for future removal of any cross shaft.RP
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Wiz Feinberg


From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 6:25 pm    
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There is zero clearance between the shaft and the bushing. I read the previous topic about removing the Legrande cross shafts and I think the only safe solution for me is to get it cut off at or near the back end. That pedal will not be going back on.
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Bob Cox


From:
Buckeye State
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 7:21 pm    
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cut it in half remove the two pieces. You can find a new cross shaft or have the old one welded back together
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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 7:26 pm    
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Wiz. The way I would do it is to get a dremel with a disk grinding wheel or probably 2 or 3 wheels and grind the shaft about 2 inches away from that brass bushing. You want to make sure you don't hit that inner shaft and it starts spinning while you're trying to grind thru it. Of course, with the guitar upside down, and back legs off to give you room, take a big plastic bag and with masking tape, mask the whole under side of the guitar to keep the dust out. Please take a picture and show us the end of the cross shaft when you're done so we all know what the depth of the hole and the length of the shaft and spring is. Good luck. Ron
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Ian Worley


From:
Sacramento, CA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 8:49 pm    
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I removed one on my LLII using a "multi-tool" with an oscillating blade, it took about 30 seconds to make the cut. I stuck the shop vac hose in there while I cut and there was almost no mess, certainly much less messy (and less dangerous) than a spinning blade, and easily cuts perpendicular to the cross shaft. A Dremel-type rotary tool would certainly work, but you would really need a cutter bigger in diameter than the Dremel body to keep the blade perpendicular to the shaft, otherwise the cut will be angled. Mine had enough of a gap to slip the blade down in so I only had to cut the little spring-loaded insert between the shaft and the rear apron bushing, but if you had to cut the actual shaft itself for lack of clearance, just cut as close as possible to the back apron, the shaft will still be usable after some minor cleanup with a file. An added nylon washer will fill the gap created by the cut when you go to re-install the shaft. Use a putty knife between the blade and the back apron and bushing to protect the flocking etc.


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Wiz Feinberg


From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jan 2022 10:19 pm    
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To be clear, once I remove this cross shaft it is not going back in. I am making room for another knee lever.
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Dick Sexton


From:
Greenville, Ohio
Post  Posted 20 Jan 2022 8:00 am     Cross shaft craziness?
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I may be odd man out on this because I could never afford an Emmons. If what I am reading is true, I thank my lucky stars for being a poor slob and never having one. The truth is, I met the Emmons folks at their factory once and they really didn't seem to be this stupid, to build something that was unserviceable. Billy Knowles and others know how to do this and I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve any heavy machinery. Call him!
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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 20 Jan 2022 12:56 pm    
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BTW, I've been listening to him playing. Wiz is an awesome player!
Ian, great idea. I may do that on mine. Shaft is so tight it is binding.
Wiz, if you talk to Billy, please let us know what he says😁 RP
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Wiz Feinberg


From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 20 Jan 2022 2:20 pm    
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Ron Pruter wrote:
BTW, I've been listening to him playing. Wiz is an awesome player!
Ian, great idea. I may do that on mine. Shaft is so tight it is binding.
Wiz, if you talk to Billy, please let us know what he says😁 RP


Thanks Ron! I didn't think anybody outside my gig locations was listening to the noise I make on my steel guitars. Lol. I'm not a conventional steel player as I take all kinds of music gigs, including duos and trios where I am the only lead instrument.

I had asked Billy about this a few months ago and he suggested cutting off the end pin on the shaft with a rotary disk. Kelcey gave me the same recommendation. The problem is there is no clearance between the square shaft and the round brass collar. I am still thinking about drilling a 1/16 inch hole inline with the shaft and pushing the pin in as I pull the shaft to the right. It is the only direction that has free space for the shaft to move.

I am going through all this hassle to save maybe 15 pounds on one setters and New Country gigs that don't need the bottom neck. The double neck has been getting heavier every time I pick it up.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 20 Jan 2022 3:08 pm    
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Quote:
I am still thinking about drilling a 1/16 inch hole inline with the shaft and pushing the pin in as I pull the shaft to the right.


I made a post about that a few years ago. You just don't want to drill into the pin and create a burr. I use a small pick to push back the pin.

I was going to suggest that as that is the method I use on the similar Derby shafts. I didn't, as you stated you weren't going to re-use the shaft and saving it was of no consequence. Best of luck.
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Frank Freniere


From:
The First Coast
Post  Posted 20 Jan 2022 4:38 pm    
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Wiz Feinberg wrote:

I am going through all this hassle to save maybe 15 pounds on one setters and New Country gigs that don't need the bottom neck. The double neck has been getting heavier every time I pick it up.


You just answered the larger question here, Wiz.
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2022 9:15 am    
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I would leave the 4 pedal cross shafts in the conversion too a sd 10 for the option of returning the steel back too a double ten.
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2022 3:23 pm    
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If it were mine, I'd just drill a small hole in the back apron where the pin is (#55 drill) so I could push the pin back to remove the rod. That tiny hole would in no way affect the value, and would enhance the future serviceability of the guitar. And while I had the drill out, I'd drill a similar hole for all the other crossroads. Winking

It's a guitar, not the Mona Lisa.

And while I'm at it, what ever leads builders to do stupid stuff like installing parts that aren't easy to remove? Muttering
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Wiz Feinberg


From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jan 2022 4:18 pm    
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Johnie King wrote:
I would leave the 4 pedal cross shafts in the conversion too a sd 10 for the option of returning the steel back too a double ten.


The guitar is an sd10. It had 5 and 5 when I got it last year. I am adding another LKR and the P5 cross shaft is in the way of the staggered knee lever and its mounting bracket. I have no use for a 5th pedal on the E9 neck. I experimented with some changes, but they didn't pan out.

My primary steel is a 1983 D10 Emmons push pull with 8p and 9k. There are 7 ks on the E9 neck. I am trying to equalize the sd10 so I have the same changes available on it as on the double neck. I use 4 pedals on the E9 neck on this guitar.
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