Crisis Avoided!

zm634: crisis avoided!
mrb4rkz0r: what crisis
zm634: with my motor
zm634: do you know how an electric motor works?
mrb4rkz0r: no
zm634: care for an explanation?
zm634: it will help my story
mrb4rkz0r: sure
zm634: well, you got this thing in the middle called the armature
zm634: it's basically a cylinder of steel, iron... some magentic material
zm634: magentic
zm634: anyway
zm634: it's cut into sections
mrb4rkz0r: ok
zm634: equal sections
zm634: angularly
zm634: then wire is wrapped around said sections, so that when current goes through them, a magnetic field is created
zm634: then you got magnets (or more coils) around the armature
zm634: and the coils in the armature go up to this thing called a commutator
zm634: the commutator is a very smooth smaller cylinder that is also sectioned off to the same number of sections the armature has
zm634: this is where the coils of wire go
zm634: to get power to these wires, metal blocks called brushes rub against the commutator
zm634: and the way they are angled and sectioned off creates magnetic fields in such a way that the thing rotates
mrb4rkz0r: ah
zm634: i wont get into magnetics, but you get the idea
zm634: anyway, these brushes here are on springs, pressed against the commutator, because they wear down over time
zm634: this motor here though, is really.... REALLY heavy
zm634: so i thought i'd try and remove the whole starter solenoid part
zm634: which weighed a ton
zm634: so i unbolt it, and go to pull it off
zm634: and the armature kinda slides forward a bit and i hear this "chlick, chlick"
zm634: and ima like... crap
zm634: the commutator had slid forward and all the brushes had slid in behind it
mrb4rkz0r: mmhmm
zm634: like, imagine two people pushing two blocks perpendicularly against something in the middle
zm634: then pull that thing out and try and get it back in
mrb4rkz0r: ooh
mrb4rkz0r: bad
zm634: so now... normal motors have 3 sides to the armature and two brushes, one on each side
zm634: so i know i have to pull the brushes apart to slide the thing back in
zm634: and i see these two big holes on the side with a fancy cover thing... right about where the brushes would be
zm634: i unscrew one and, success! i find a brush!
mrb4rkz0r: lo!
zm634: on the other side too! happy day, this will be easy
zm634: i got lucas and maddie to get needle nose pliers and pull the brushes out while i slide the armature in
zm634: remember, brushes on springs
zm634: i try pushing it in... no dice
zm634: lucas tries... still no dice
zm634: i gramble, come up here and read some digg, while trying to figure out how to get this thing back on
zm634: i decide i've gotta take the back plate off that has the brushes in it, and stick the armature in it while they're pulled back
zm634: i get all the screws off, and what do I see?
zm634: EIGHT brushes
mrb4rkz0r: haha
zm634: now if i were some hindu god, this would be easy
zm634: unfortunately, i'm not
zm634: and all these damn things are on springs
zm634: STRONG springs
mrb4rkz0r: so what did you do?
zm634: well... first failed attempt, i tried to wedge the springs open with long nails long enough to slide the thing in,
zm634: then take the nails out and it clamps down
zm634: that didnt work at all
zm634: then i came here and watched those GI joe psas
zm634: then i asked, myself... why not just take the brushes out?
zm634: GENIUS!
zm634: i pulled back the springs... slid the brushes out
mrb4rkz0r: ah ha!
zm634: stuffed the armature in the bearing on the end, pulled the springs back... stick brushes back in!
mrb4rkz0r: yay!
zm634: and that's what i've been doing since I got home [4pm to 9pm]
zm634: :/
zm634: I did get the starter assembly off though
zm634: and tomorrow I get to use my special metal saw blade
zm634: metal-cutting
zm634: saw blade
mrb4rkz0r: cool
zm634: it appears to be just like... sand or something
zm634: but anyway
zm634: my fingers are still black from the grease...
zm634: and i still smell like a steam engine operator
mrb4rkz0r: haha
zm634: it's quite a distinct smell
zm634: i should have just used a steam engine
zm634: it would have looked so cool
mrb4rkz0r: haha

Unfortunately I didn't have the mind to snap some pictures of the MASSIVE armature inside the motor before I got it all together, but it's unlike any I've ever seen. I did manage to get the solenoid garbage off though. Here are some more pics:

www.flickr.com

What I've learned from this? Keep a calm head and don't rush things, or you WILL make a mistake. Also, if something's really hard, you're probably doing it wrong.