Thursday, July 1, 2010

How to install a Tornado rod

A group of us at ITA Software chipped-in to buy a Tornado Elite. It has been a tremendous improvement over our old Harvard table, but it hasn't been without its own issues. In particular, we've had a recurring problem of bent rods and flaking chrome. We're still under the 1-year warranty, so Valley-Dynamo has been sending us replacement rods. As a result, I've installed and replaced quite a number of rods at this point. See below for my installation instructions.

Removing the old rod

  1. Bang out the man roll pins using the punch; abut the square wood block with the man you're working on for support
  2. If the punch gets stuck, hammer one of the roll pins on the flat side of the punch enough so the punch loosens a bit (e.g. 1/4"); use pliers or the claw part of a hammer to help you yank the punch out
  3. Remove the men and bumpers
  4. Remove the old rod
  5. Lie the handle of the old rod on a solid counter surface so that the hole is just hanging over the edge; use the punch to remove the roll pin

Installing the new rod

  1. If installing a 3-man or goalie rod, make sure you have the right one---the goalie rod is shorter than the offense 3-man
  2. If necessary, take apart, clean and reinstall the bearings; when reinstalling, place the smoother of the two inside half-bearings on bottom
  3. Stand the new rod up vertically; align the handle hole with the rod holes
  4. Use the hammer to gently tap the handle onto the rod; make sure the handle hole stays aligned with the rod holes; use the old rod to determine how far you need to bang the handle
  5. Once you can see the rod hole through the handle hold, place the rod flat on a solid surface and bang the roll pin through
  6. Lubricate the rod, then slide it through the bearings
  7. Install the bumpers and men; make sure the bumper holes face outward; make sure the men face forward; line up the men with the rod holes
  8. Use the wood block and punch to bang the roll pins into place
  9. Lubricate the rod again