Don't try this at home.

[RobVG]

I worked alone yesterday finishing up a brake job on a KW. I needed something to round out the day so I went to repack a grapple swivel. It has a tiny bore, about two inches and it's a pain to get the packing down into the grooves. I asked Dave at MEB one time how he deals with stiff seals and he showed me his "fry daddy"- a deep fat fryer he loads with hydraulic oil, adjusts the temp, and places the packing in there to soften it up.

So I put a few inches of clean hydraulic in a Pyrex measuring cup and put it in the gourmet microwave in the office. The cup got pretty hot but not the oil. It was warm enough to do the trick and the seal went in easier.

Well, there's 3 seals to go so I thought I'd try putting the oil in a Styrofoam cup and see what happens. Nothing.The oil was cold. Then I remembered microwaves work on heating moisture so I added a 1/2 inch of water which settled nicely to the bottom of the cup. "This ought to work" I said to myself proudly and set the microwave to 30 seconds- just to be safe. After 20 seconds it exploded. I open the door to find a hot, steaming, dripping mess.

I laughed.

I told them not to build the office attached to the shop...

 

[nowing75]

Thanks for the warning. I have tried putting them seals in warm water but did not notice much difference.

 

[Deeretracks]

I have a old skool hot plate and a cast iron skillet burried in the corner for heating bearings and seals when needed. Works good and I'm into it about $10.

 

[lantraxco]

Deere dealer I worked for had an electric skillet on every work bench with oil in it for heating bearings. Not sure what OSHA thought of it, lol.

In the old days the Bobcat single ring piston seals for the lift and tilt cylinders came with instructions to hang the seal in boiling water to soften it enough to stretch over the aliminum piston.

By the way, microwaves are for heating food, even if you understand the physics of the thing, don't use it for shop work.

 

[clintm]

A toaster oven with a shallow pan works pretty good

 

[pajibson]

Used the wife little counter top convection rotisserie oven (minus the rotisserie part) to heat up a crankshaft gear for a Cummins 4BT to get it on the crank snout. Worked pretty well.

 

[Shimmy1]

Since we're on the subject of heating parts, what temp is acceptable? I've used a pizza oven before, set temp to 290°. I have been told anything under 300° is acceptable for operating temps so that's why I used that temp.

 

[willie59]

Well, there's 3 seals to go so I thought I'd try putting the oil in a Styrofoam cup and see what happens. Nothing.The oil was cold. Then I remembered microwaves work on heating moisture so I added a 1/2 inch of water which settled nicely to the bottom of the cup. "This ought to work" I said to myself proudly and set the microwave to 30 seconds- just to be safe. After 20 seconds it exploded. I open the door to find a hot, steaming, dripping mess.

Who says oil and water don't mix, I wager the kaboom mixed it quite well. Leave it to Rob to defy physics.

 

[FSERVICE]

also a " don't do this at home" put a egg in the microwave to make a hard boiled egg.. without putting a hole in it first!!! don't ask I saw the after effects of this mess!!! I don't mess with the mircowaves per the girlfriends request cause I might know someone that has melted a "microwaveable bowl" I can laugh bout it now!! LOL I have a old hot plate & pot at the shop for heating up the seals..

 

[pajibson]

Well for the crank gear in question I was told 350 for 45 minutes minimum. It was a tad bit funny colored when I pulled it out of the oven. Once it cooled off it looked normal. I will say this if you're going to get a piece that hot and then do something with it you are going to want more than just a prissy little mig welding glove.

 

[Deeretracks]

Last shop had an extra rod oven for heating parts. Unfortunately more than one set of spendy diff bearings came out blue because some jackwagon had cranked the heat up so his soup would get hot faster. :Banghead

 

[lantraxco]

Straw or gold color is okay, blue, not so much, lol

 

[Old Doug]

I worked for a oldtimer that would heat bearings on 2 welding rods on top of a coffe can with some gas in it. He said when the bearing got good and black souty it was the right temp and it seemed to work ok.