First, thanks to Jose Villaluz for encouraging me to keep at it.
I took apart my first freewheel! A worn out 5 speed Maillard I think it was. It is 16 degrees out side, so I thought it would be a good use of time. If you have never done this before (and are mechanically inclined), I highly recommend it. I really learned alot about freewheel construction (and why they goes tick tick tick).
But I also feel I have a much better understanding of why freewheel design seemed to not change very quickly. Ofcourse today with CAD and the like, it would be a simple to come up with new designs every few months. But the body mechanism is, in my opinion, a very complex piece. Two bearing surfaces. A ratchet mechanism. Inside and Outside threads, removal teeth (Semantics?). All in a reliable low cost package.
This is how I got it apart. I used a wooden 2x4 as a base. I used four one inch small wood screws to hold the large cog to the wood (randomly screwed in between a few teeth). I then put the 2x4 in my bench woodworking vise. I then used a chain whip (BE VERY CAREFUL HERE, MAKE CERTAIN THAT IF ANYTHING SLIPS OR MOVES YOU WILL NOT CHOP YOUR FINGERS OFF. I HELD THE CHAIN WHIP SO MY HAND WAS FULLY OVER THE WORK BENCH SURFACE SO I WOULD NOT HIT THE EDGE OF THE BENCH) on the small cog (counter clockwise to unscrew). I needed most of my body weight to get to to come loose. The second cog went the same way. 3,4,5 slide on for this freewheel.
I then threaded the body onto a wheel. Used a park pin tool to loosen the lock ring (clockwise to remove). And then took the freewheel body off the wheel in conventional the way.
For all the miles I have done, I am glad to finally see what goes on when I hear that tick tick tick. I hope some of you can chime in and let me know that I am not nuts to have found this interesting (on a very cold night).
Also, are cogs wheels interchangeable between different brands at all?
Thanks Dan Kasha Providence RI (not even enough snow to XC ski, but in NH ...)