When I got home tonight, my "new" wheelset had arrived from France. It is a very wonderful set of Ambrosio rims laced to Normandy high-flange hubs. I bought the wheels for the Ambrosio rims, a very early model, probably early 50s. They are nearly NOS condition, just wonderful.
The Normandy hubs are nice too, also probably early 50s, great condition with solid axles and bronze wing nuts. But the rims are destined for some FB hubs and the Normandies are headed for ebay.
The problem is the freewheel. It's a generic 4-speed hub that is also in great condition EXCEPT the slot (a 2-prong like Regina or Suntour) for removing the freewheel is completely stripped.
So I need to cut that freewheel off. I have done it before with a cut off wheel with OK results. Are there any other techniques I should be aware of?
Well, the freewheel might have some value to the CR crowd or collectors a la Francais, so maybe you shouldnt' get quite so destructive!
I could see unscrewing the freewheel lock ring and removing the cog assembly, taking care not to lose the balls, pawls, or pawl springs (this in itself has always been a challenge for me!). Then use "ingenuity" (I say it this way because I'd have to see how to cross this bridge when I get there!) to latch onto the remainign core freewheel hub, and before you cut off the rim, turn it off the threads of the wheel hub. You'd have access to the threads to be able to apply Liquid Wrench and possibly heat. If it doesn't work you can still slice pieces off it until you can use other instruments of destruction for the final separation.
Road Fan