Bent/mangled QA 36 Rotor

[charlie105]

the rotor on our qa-36 thrower was attacked by an enraged branch (hiding under the snow) last winter. Question; What is the best way to make the rotor blade straight again ? Been looking for a replacement rotor with no success. Thanks.

[Berwil]

Is it the main center tube of the rotor that is bent or the spiral fins or the center paddles? If it is the center tube I think you would need a press and a lathe and a lot of patience to get it to spin true. I would just look for a replacement.
If it is the spiral fins, you can use a hammer to bring them back straight. You can also make a "tool" out of 2x4's and 1/4" plywood. Take 2 2x4's 24" long, cut a spacer 16" long from the plywood and screw it in between the 2x4's. This will leave an 8" long gap you can slide over the fin and leverage the fin to straighten it back out. Start from one end and work your way around to the othe end.
To straighten the center paddles, I think the rotor needs to come out so you can put blocking behind where you are hitting with a heavy hammer. If you try to straighten them in place you could damage something else.

Bill

[J-Mech]

Charlie,

How about posting some pics of the damage. They can be repaired, but depending on if the center tube is bent, it may be best to just replace it.

[Yosemite Sam]

I refurbished a QA 42A a year or so ago, the flutes on the auger weren't bent too bad but they were bent pretty-much from one side to the other. I just used a hammer and dolly (a 2 pound hammer head that I had laying around). It came out pretty good (good enough for me anyway).

IIRC, I spent two or three hours on the flutes, but I wasn't really working hard at it.

[charlie105]

The blades are bent,not the center tube. The damage is aery similar to Yosemite Sam"s pictures. So as I understand...Bend it back into shape per advice...No heat required? Will send before and after pictures.Thanks Steve

[Yosemite Sam]

No heat 8, 9, 10

[charlie105]

Thanks ! Project underway.