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Replacing bearings in an automatic machine is a rather laborious process, because in order to replace them, you have to disassemble the plastic tank. But a serious problem that may arise already at the first stage of the procedure lies in the non-separable design of the latter. Today, owners of modern SMA brands such as Zanussi, Samsung, Ariston, and Siemens are increasingly faced with a similar situation. Therefore, in order to replace the bearing, you have to cut the tank of the washing machine. How to disassemble a non-separable part and the best way to do it, says the author of the video on the MasterPlus channel.
Requirements for a tank dismantling tool
According to the AGR repairman, a working device for this procedure should:
- leave the thinnest possible seam (no more than 2 mm);
- be easily controlled (that is, so that it is convenient for them to saw the structure).
Why this is so important, the master explains in a schematic sectional representation of the washing machine design. In the photo, the tank is marked with a black marker, the drum is marked with blue, and the rubber of the hatch cuff is green.
After cutting, the original design of the SMA is violated, since the inner wall of the cut tank is displaced towards the drum, thereby increasing the gap between the latter and the cuff.
Such a situation is “not fatal” for the SMA, but extraneous noises (“squeaks” from the contact of the cuff with the drum) may appear during washing. This often occurs after replacing bearings in Indesit brand washers.
Therefore, the thinner the split seam, the less likely this situation will occur.
Selection of tools
The author of the video picked up seven experimental working devices, which, in principle, can be used to cut a plastic non-separable part of a washing machine. Their list looks like this:
- Hacksaw with metal work.
- Hacksaw “butt”.
- Bulgarian with a disc diameter of 125 mm.
- A drill.
- Renovator.
- Electric jigsaw.
- Chain Saw.
Which of these devices will cope with the task better than others, and which one to use is not only useless, but sometimes not even safe, the master tested in practice.
Practical application of tools
The first device tested is a hacksaw for working with metal, which the master uses in 90% of cases.
She coped with the task: the cut turned out to be even, neat, and also as thin as possible.
The only disadvantage of its use is physical labor.
The disassembly option using a grinder turned out to be fast, but not practical and far from safe.
Plastic for the most part did not cut, but melted, scattering around. The seam itself is thick.
The circular saw turned out to be inconvenient in terms of use, since the screwdriver itself (in the process of testing it was used instead of a drill) had to be constantly held so that it would not fly off to the side.
And the cut itself, left by the saw, turned out to be torn.
The results of testing the renovator turned out to be almost the same as in the case of the grinder.
With an increase in speed, the power tool melted plastic more than cut it. There is only one conclusion – it is inconvenient and inefficient, and the cut itself turned out to be of poor quality.
It was possible to cut the plastic construction with an electric jigsaw without much effort.
It was convenient and easy to manage. But the author notes that lowering the jigsaw deep down is dangerous, since there is a risk of damaging the drum. Therefore, the main thing here is not to overdo it and control this process as much as possible. The seam turned out more or less normal.
Hacksaw “back” (with a wide blade and a small tooth) coped well with the task.
But, as in the case of the first test tool, for this the master had to make a lot of physical effort.
The author of the video replaced the chain saw with a Bosch EasyCut 12 cordless mini saw.
The power tool made the cut quickly and efficiently. The seam is even but wide.
Conclusion
The final results of testing the tools are shown in the photo below.
“Prize places” played among themselves a chain mini-saw and two hacksaws. It is with the help of one of these three devices, according to the author, that one can effectively cut a non-separable tank of a washing machine and, most importantly, do it safely both for others and for the device.