Dismantling a old style Whitehill block

[Trevanion]

It's a bit of an odd question but, has anyone here ever dismantled one of these?

Not my picture, but I've got a block with really worn, marred clamping faces from I presume cutters coming loose twice since both sides are bad. (Some nutter has just gone and ground off the worst of the marring and put it back to use after that :shock I'm not particularly comfortable using one that's worn like that but the nuts and threads are in very good condition, at least they had a good spanner but shame they didn't use it to tighten the block :lol: . I've got another block which has pretty good clamping faces but the nuts aren't great and someone has drilled a hole in the end of one of the threads.

I've got as far as drifting a pin out and trying to get a thread loose but for the life of me cannot figure it out... Is it also threaded into the locking face which is threaded in along with the nut and then they grind off the end so you can't get it back out? There's guys here with 30-40+ years of experience over me and will have used these pretty extensively so I thought I'd ask the hive mind.

Yes, I already know I'm daft for using them. :wink:

 

[Nick.]

Hi Trevanion - If you don't get any answers here, and sorry but I can't help either - then I'd give Whitehill themselves a call - I worked alongside one of their guys a few weeks ago, a top man and he was telling me about some of the calls they get on older products, they are a long established company with a lot of employees who have many years of experience - I'm sure from what he said they would be happy to help you out on the phone, and likely someone there would know the answer to your problem.
Cheers

 

[Trevanion]

I worked alongside one of their guys a few weeks ago, a top man and he was telling me about some of the calls they get on older products, they are a long established company with a lot of employees who have many years of experience - I'm sure from what he said they would be happy to help you out on the phone, and likely someone there would know the answer to your problem.

I would've thought they'd want nowt to do with them anymore since they've been illegal to use commercially for 20 years. There might be that one bloke who knows how left in the factory but I doubt I'd be able to get through to them. I've tried calling Whitehill for rudimentary stuff before and it's always left me quite annoyed by how little the telephone operator knew, It's almost like they've got a specific Q&A sheet and if you divert from that they have no clue. I've even tried ordering something out of the catalogue over the phone and had a "Sorry, can't do that" "What do you mean you can't do that? it's in your bleeding catalogue for crying out loud" "Computer says no." :x I have since avoided trying to phone them and just order through their site.

In their Frequently Asked Questions on their site they have this:

- I have an old Whitehill (nut & bolt type) cutterhead can this be serviced and blades supplied?
- Sorry No. These blocks are illegal and should not be used.

 

[toolsntat]

When you manage to get them apart rebuilding may be an issue. Wil parts line up satisfactorily as they look to all be machined as a single assembled block?
Try a quick call to Jeremy at Appleby.
https://www.applebywoodturnings.co.uk/? ... gLxsfD_BwE

 

[Trevanion]

When you manage to get them apart rebuilding may be an issue. Wil parts line up satisfactorily as they look to all be machined as a single assembled block?

I'm hoping it should all line up OK since I'm aiming to just replace the threads and nuts and not the clamp face, but it's the getting apart bit I'm not sure of. Being able to look up the Patent would be a good start but I can't find it anywhere, I know it's Patent no: 631652 but I cannot find a single thing about it.

Try a quick call to Jeremy at Appleby.

Might be a good idea, If nothing else he could possibly point me in the right direction so long as it isn't back to Whitehill :lol: