E clip tool

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E clip tool

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Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
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  • #464023
    Steve Crow
    Participant
      @stevecrow46066

      I need to retain a compression spring on a 1.2mm shaft using a small e-clip.

      And boy, are they small.

      eclip1.jpg

      I need my finest point watchmakers tweezers to handle them. They are 2mm od, 0.2mm thick and fit a 0.8mm dia groove. Despite their size, they need a fair bit of pressure to engage.

      I made a tool to both depress the spring and fit the clip. It was milled from 3mm silver steel, hardened, tempered and polished. Works a treat.

      The photos are self explanatory.

      eclip2.jpg

      eclip3.jpg

      eclip4.jpg

      eclip5.jpg

      Now I need to make a tool for removing them without the "ping"!

      Steve

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      #19701
      Steve Crow
      Participant
        @stevecrow46066
        #464024
        Ian Parkin
        Participant
          @ianparkin39383

          Very good I’ll remember this when i next need to install the baby ones

          #464046
          Emgee
          Participant
            @emgee

            Best to use a clear plastic bag when removing those small clips, have the bag big enough to get both hands inside and do the job, saves searching for the clips when they ping out.

            Emgee

            #464048
            Steviegtr
            Participant
              @steviegtr

              I must have dozens of various small springy object somewhere lost within my garage. Great tool. Best of luck with a removal tool

              Steve.

              #464083
              old mart
              Participant
                @oldmart

                You will make those engines tiny!laugh

                #464090
                Clive Hartland
                Participant
                  @clivehartland94829

                  Used many of them in my work time, my method was to set the clip in the slot and using a pair of smooth jawed pliers squeeze them in place. there was no pressure from one side and they pop on.

                  The pliers were microscope pliers, I am sure one could make a pair easily

                  #464092
                  Steviegtr
                  Participant
                    @steviegtr
                    Posted by Clive Hartland on 11/04/2020 22:13:04:

                    Used many of them in my work time, my method was to set the clip in the slot and using a pair of smooth jawed pliers squeeze them in place. there was no pressure from one side and they pop on.

                    The pliers were microscope pliers, I am sure one could make a pair easily

                    I think he wanted a tool to remove them.

                    Steve

                    #464109
                    Hopper
                    Participant
                      @hopper

                      In a critical application like IC valve spring retention you might be best to fit a new E clip every time the old one is removed anyhow. Common practice on full sized gudgeon pin circlips and valve sspring retainer circlips. Each time they are stretched to fit the metal is stressed and one step closer to failure.

                      #464121
                      David George 1
                      Participant
                        @davidgeorge1

                        Steve we had a pair of pliers parallel jaw type from Maun industries with a slot spark eroded in one side to allow the clip to be retained when the jaws were closed to push on the clip. These were for disembleing a wire drive on a wire cut machine.

                        David

                        #464122
                        Clive Hartland
                        Participant
                          @clivehartland94829

                          Steve, taking the small ones off, I used my thumbnail under one edge and a scredriver under the other and popped them off.

                          Bigger ones have two holes in the ends to use a circlip plier to remove or expand onto the location.

                          #464139
                          Circlip
                          Participant
                            @circlip

                            The tool you have made Steve is similar to the factory made insertion tool. Main difference is :-

                            A. cross section of slot was a dovetail shape so clip could not ride up.

                            B. Blade was slit behind the recess to allow sideways spring opening of clip lips.

                            Spent many hours in the toolroom at Andertons milling the b****y things, a different insert tool for each "e" clip.

                             

                            Regards Ian.

                            Edited By Circlip on 12/04/2020 10:10:13

                            #464167
                            Steve Crow
                            Participant
                              @stevecrow46066

                              Cheers Ian, with a forum name like that I know where to go to for info!

                              I'm not sure I want to try to mill a dovetail that size. Did you make them as small as this?

                              Steve

                              #464178
                              donkey
                              Participant
                                @donkey

                                why can't you use the same tool to remove them by pushing at 180 degrees to the installation direction

                                brian

                                #464181
                                Kiwi Bloke
                                Participant
                                  @kiwibloke62605

                                  Steve – beautiful little tool! Thanks for sharing it. Hope I can remember your design when I next have a similar job. This forum's a goldmine!

                                  #464192
                                  Circlip
                                  Participant
                                    @circlip

                                    " Did you make them as small as this?"

                                     

                                    Yep, and the smallest sizes were once deleted from catalogue. The guy that ground the carbide punches for that size press tool left and it was hells own game finding his replacement. Punches ground on an OPG (Optical Profile Grinder), Tricky machine to operate, bit like trying to control a model helicopter.

                                    "why can't you use the same tool to remove them by pushing at 180 degrees to the installation direction"

                                    Needs a slot grinding behind where the back (closed end) of the clip is to allow the valve stem clearance.

                                     

                                    Regards Ian.

                                    Similar >- https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=781DE51B4C628AE5193B90B27C1EC98118E6291D&thid=OIP.4x0yGvvAAS3jRaY93aDZIAAAAA&exph=300&expw=300&q=circlip+insertion+tool&selectedindex=16&qpvt=circlip+insertion+tool&ajaxhist=0&vt=0

                                    Edited By Circlip on 12/04/2020 12:59:14

                                    #464207
                                    old mart
                                    Participant
                                      @oldmart

                                      I'm sure you are aware that these circlips are stamped out of sheet metal and have a square edge on one side and a radiused edge on the other. The sharp edge should be on the loaded side for greater security. All of the circlips that are fitted to aircraft seem to have been ground on both sides for sharp edges to make them murphy proof.

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