E clip tool

I need to retain a compression spring on a 1.2mm shaft using a small e-clip.

And boy, are they small.

I need my finest point watchmakers tweezers to handle them. They are 2mm od, 0.2mm thick and fit a 0.8mm dia groove. Despite their size, they need a fair bit of pressure to engage.

I made a tool to both depress the spring and fit the clip. It was milled from 3mm silver steel, hardened, tempered and polished. Works a treat.

The photos are self explanatory.

Now I need to make a tool for removing them without the "ping"!

Steve

Very good I’ll remember this when i next need to install the baby ones

Best to use a clear plastic bag when removing those small clips, have the bag big enough to get both hands inside and do the job, saves searching for the clips when they ping out.

Emgee

I must have dozens of various small springy object somewhere lost within my garage. Great tool. Best of luck with a removal tool

Steve.

You will make those engines tiny!

Used many of them in my work time, my method was to set the clip in the slot and using a pair of smooth jawed pliers squeeze them in place. there was no pressure from one side and they pop on.

The pliers were microscope pliers, I am sure one could make a pair easily

I think he wanted a tool to remove them.

Steve

In a critical application like IC valve spring retention you might be best to fit a new E clip every time the old one is removed anyhow. Common practice on full sized gudgeon pin circlips and valve sspring retainer circlips. Each time they are stretched to fit the metal is stressed and one step closer to failure.

Steve we had a pair of pliers parallel jaw type from Maun industries with a slot spark eroded in one side to allow the clip to be retained when the jaws were closed to push on the clip. These were for disembleing a wire drive on a wire cut machine.

David

Steve, taking the small ones off, I used my thumbnail under one edge and a scredriver under the other and popped them off.

Bigger ones have two holes in the ends to use a circlip plier to remove or expand onto the location.

The tool you have made Steve is similar to the factory made insertion tool. Main difference is :-

A. cross section of slot was a dovetail shape so clip could not ride up.

B. Blade was slit behind the recess to allow sideways spring opening of clip lips.

Spent many hours in the toolroom at Andertons milling the b****y things, a different insert tool for each "e" clip.

Regards Ian.

Edited By Circlip on 12/04/2020 10:10:13

Cheers Ian, with a forum name like that I know where to go to for info!

I'm not sure I want to try to mill a dovetail that size. Did you make them as small as this?

Steve

why can't you use the same tool to remove them by pushing at 180 degrees to the installation direction

brian

Steve - beautiful little tool! Thanks for sharing it. Hope I can remember your design when I next have a similar job. This forum's a goldmine!

" Did you make them as small as this?"

Yep, and the smallest sizes were once deleted from catalogue. The guy that ground the carbide punches for that size press tool left and it was hells own game finding his replacement. Punches ground on an OPG (Optical Profile Grinder), Tricky machine to operate, bit like trying to control a model helicopter.

"why can't you use the same tool to remove them by pushing at 180 degrees to the installation direction"

Needs a slot grinding behind where the back (closed end) of the clip is to allow the valve stem clearance.

Regards Ian.

Similar >- https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=781DE51B4C628AE5193B90B27C1EC98118E6291D&thid=OIP.4x0yGvvAAS3jRaY93aDZIAAAAA&exph=300&expw=300&q=circlip+insertion+tool&selectedindex=16&qpvt=circlip+insertion+tool&ajaxhist=0&vt=0

Edited By Circlip on 12/04/2020 12:59:14

I'm sure you are aware that these circlips are stamped out of sheet metal and have a square edge on one side and a radiused edge on the other. The sharp edge should be on the loaded side for greater security. All of the circlips that are fitted to aircraft seem to have been ground on both sides for sharp edges to make them murphy proof.