The torch (fresh from the victory over the flange bearing) comes back for another round. I heated the steering head and then used the rubber mallet to try to whack the fork out. But this is where I didn't have the technique quite right yet.
I tried just holding the entire assembly with one hand while whacking the fork with the other. But it was heavy, and I couldn't get very strong whacks that way.
Then I tried laying it down and whacking it on its side. That just led to scratches in the concrete and didn't seem to be that effective.
I could see that the fork was moving, but it was only going a millimeter at a time. I'd reheat very often, do a few hammer blows, heat again and repeat.
Finally, I started closing in on the better way. I turned it upside down and started hammering the fork on my little wooden stool. But then I planted one shot right in the middle of the stool and it exploded.
I then switched to a big square firewood log. With the steering head properly heated, I whacked it out in just a few shots. Magic.
(And the stool went back together with just some duct tape)
In the meantime, I was also painting half the tank in Ivory. Think I got 4 coats, 15-20 mins between each.
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