help! Seatpost stuck in frame!

[coomber]

If you are going down that route I would be very careful and keep reviewing it to make sure your've not drilled excess over the actual seatpost.

 

[Andy R]

OK!

I have found a chap that has a pilar drill in his workshop. I have bought a couple of large drill bits and aim to clamp the bike into the pillar drill and simply drill out the alloy seatpost.

Has anybody tried this? In theory it should be an easy job as the alloy is so soft. I would imagine the drill bit will eat through it.

Fingers crossed!

Dave

If you have a bench grinder (and you know how to sharpen driils) then reduce the clearance angle on the drill bit that you are using to next to nothing (to the smallest possible positive angle), as otherwise the drill will probably self-feed when presented with thin-walled tube (the seatpost).

Also I would suggest not tightening the chuck any more than hand tight so that something can slip if the drill does self-feed before you can prevent it - of course, as the drill will be 26mm or something, it may well be Morse taper shank in which case run the belt slack on the drill to achieve the same "safety" slippage.

Otherwise, if the frame is clamped and the chuck/belt is tight and the drill digs itself in something has to give - I'd proceed very carefully, as a frame isn't an easy thing to clamp effectively and if it lets go while you're drilling damage could easily occur to it or you.

 

[davegt]

Ok, I am 2/3 of the way down and just taking my time.

Looks like its going to work!

Will need to get a file to get rid of excess alloy as the drill bit is a few mm smaller than the seat tube.

Phew!

Off to get painted soon I hope!

Thanks again for help!

Dave

 

[bruce.of.zurich]

no photos?

 

[steelhardtailer]

A good engineering shop should sell adjustable reamers.These are like a straight fluted drill but have a small amount of adjustment in their diameter,they`re originally designed for a perfect fit when zero tolerances are required between hole-dowel/bolt.They also come as either hand or machine reamers and should only ever be rotated clockwise even when removing,might not help you this time but its worth knowing for the future.