Wednesday, February 11, 2026

not "wear and tear", this one was abuse

 To keep busy while broke and unable to push projects, I've been polishing the handles and their cranks, and parts of their dials, on the knee mill.

 In the process, I found this: 

well, shit - also, why are there vise marks?!?
 This is the clutch for the knee elevating crank handle.  I can get a new clutch with a new handle for $16 shipped off ebay or Aliexpress, although the metal on those cranks looks as thin as a prayer. 

 My handle is a little sloppy, but not in need of replacement and a new clutch will help tighten up that interface anyway. So, not the end of the world. But when I first looked at it, I couldn't figure out how it got cracked. It goes inside a close-fitting part and over a close-fitting pin, so it's very well supported, there's no way for a side-load to appear on it.

 Then I looked in the end with a bright light...

 Some ham-handed buffoon didn't line it up with the key and when it wouldn't go in, he forced it.  Probably used a hammer.

😭 O_O I don't... I, I, I can't even.  WHY?? 😱

 This is abuse of a very fine and expensive tool.  The crack made it a bit of a spring fit inside the bearing housing it goes into, but I was able to get it out with skinny 60 year old brute strength and no tools, wooden wedges, etc so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

 Obviously I can't let this go.  Hopefully I can find a replacement that is cheap and also machined from billet, not some HIP / powdered metal BS*.  Mostly what I'm finding so far is handles with the clutch are cheaper than buying a clutch alone.  WTH.  Of course.

New plan: buy the package, sell the handle, now the part I need is "free" minus my time.  »sigh«

_______________________________________________________________
powdered metallurgy from Europe or America I'll buy.
powderered metallurgy from China I will not buy, due to past experience.
But what if they machine it a bit after? Can you tell? I don't know if I can. :(

"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little
worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are
this man’s lawful prey." -- J. A. Richards

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