Making the Benjamin/Sheridan Valve Removeal Tool

[SpiralGroove]

Hey Guys,
Since I went the cheap route and made my Benjamin 342 valve tool, I'd thought I post it for anyone who might want to do the same.  My first recommendation is don't do it as it's really a pain in the butt.  But if you do some of things I did, it will go easier.

Here's what I did:
1) I used 1/2" Steel rod about 5" long; in hindsight, make it 6" or a little more.
2) I ended up drilling out the square end to 9/32" and the threaded end 7/32".
3) Drilled a 3/16" hole through the rod about 1/2" from each end of the tool - for screwdriver to go through to unscrew nut.
4) Tapped the 7/32" end with a 9/32" 32.
5) Another member gave me the dimensions (Thanks Limbshaker) of the square nut end to be .350.  I ground the 1/2" rod into a square and filed it down to .35".
6) Heated up the nut end and hardened it.

I was surprised how exact the fit of the nut end of the tool must be, to break the NUT loose from the valve.
I believe a trial & error fit on the nut is a waste of time, so get the .35" dimension and hardened the tip as it will bend otherwise.

The valve came out easier as the 9/32" 32 thread was perfect.







Good Luck

[TerryM]

  Nice work.  I made a tool to pull valves from my Crosman 180s, it wasn't nearly as involved as that.

[SpiralGroove]

  Nice work.  I made a tool to pull valves from my Crosman 180s, it wasn't nearly as involved as that.

Who knows Terry,
I may have made the process more difficult than it needed to be .
If you could find the right size pipe to start with, it would be much simpler .

[JoeV]

Very nice work. I ended up making two tools, because the smooth tool would not pull the valve out due to its age...1953 Benjamin 312. The jack screw tool was someone else's design, I just copied it. Worked like a champ, because it's self centering, and pulls the valve apart inline with the tube.



I couldn't get the check valve out, so I turned down the end of a 3/8" aluminum rod and pushed the valve out. It was fused to the valve body.



To clean the residual rubber from the mating surface of the check valve, I trimmed and hot glued a piece of scotchpad to the end of a 3/8" steel rod, and lightly rotated it from the backside of the valve. It conformed to the shape of the valve seat without changing its profile. I also made a guide bushing that fits in the back of the tube, in order to keep the polishing surface perpendicular to the valve surface.





Hope this helps others undertaking the resurrection of the vintage guns. Here's my baby after a refinish of the furniture and a paint job...

[SpiralGroove]

Hey Joe,
Very Helpful ... Thanks.
I will likely keep my barrel brass colored, but what did you use to paint the barrel of the 312?
Kirk

[JoeV]

Hey Joe,
Very Helpful ... Thanks.
I will likely keep my barrel brass colored, but what did you use to paint the barrel of the 312?
Kirk

This takes seven days to fully harden, but the finish is well worth it, IMHO.

[SpiralGroove]

Yeah Joe,
I've used the (flat) silver before and it dries with a perfectly level powered "like" finish. 
Yours is probably very similar to OEM because you used satin.
Nice alternative .

[one_shot]

All great ideas.....i use 3/8th key stock,needed slight trimming to fit the square,drill hole in the center a....ect.
But i really like the bolt/puller setup.
Thanx

[Hoosier Daddy]

Here is mine...
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=123617

[SpiralGroove]

All great ideas.....i use 3/8th key stock,needed slight trimming to fit the square,drill hole in the center a....ect.
But i really like the bolt/puller setup.
Thanx

If I had to do it again, I'd use 3/8" round stock and do as you say - then just harden the square, nut end.

Good work -> Hoosier .............