AV Able sat unused for 4 years-copper so tarnished I can not unscrew the fire button section from the mod.

[conanthewarrior]

Hello everyone, I have been away from building my own coils and both regulated and mechanical mods for about 4 years due to mental illness, but am recovering now and building my own coils and doing my own eliquid again.

During this time my collection of 52 mods just sat untouched, and I am going through them all to get them working again.

I am now trying to get the AV Able back to its former glory, but I can not fully disassemble the mod. I can unscrew the bottom of the fire button and remove the magnets, but the section of the fire button that actually connects to the tube is so corroded it is stuck fast.

I have tried using rubber gloves for extra grip, but it just won't budge. I am currently soaking the mod in boiling water to see if this makes it expand and with rubber gloves I will be able to get it apart?

Does anyone have any tips that I can try to get this mod apart, so I can properly clean the copper parts of the mod internally and get it working?

I have included a photo of the inside of the firing button so you can have an idea how dirty it has became, I really want to save this mod so thank you for the help!

 

[DavidOck]

Good that you're on the mend, Conan!

Is this a copper version of the mech? And, if so, can you get the top open? Maybe dump some white vinegar down and let it set for a while. That MAY dissolve some of the corrosion and let you take it apart. Do be aware that it will also discolor the copper, although on the inside probably not much of an issue.

If you can't take off the top and dump some in, set it upright, base down of course, in the vinegar for a while, and hope that it can seep it's way in. Polishing after success will be needed

Good luck!

 

[conanthewarrior]

God that you're on the mend, Conan!

Is this a copper version of the mech? And, if so, can you get the top open? Maybe dump some white vinegar down and let it set for a while. That MAY dissolve some of the corrosion and let you take it apart. Do be aware that it will also discolor the copper, although on the inside probably not much of an issue.

If you can't take off the top and dump some in, set it upright, base down of course, in the vinegar for a while, and hope that it can seep it's way in. Polishing after success will be needed

Good luck!

Thank you, that means a lot to me!

Yes, it is the copper version of the AV Able. The top hybrid cap unscrews easily yes, and I will try dumping some vinegar inside of the mod like you recommended as the boiling water has not worked.
I am not bothered about it discolouring the inside of the mod, but thank you for letting me know it will do this.

I think I will pour some in and also set it upright, base down in a bowl of vinegar to soak and see if this allows me to open it.

I know it will need a lot of polishing- the main copper body of the mod underneath the Avyd Lyfe sleeve, all of the threading will need a go over with brasso and a toothbrush to get into the threads properly, and also the firing pin is copper so will need a good polish as well.

I just want to get it working as well as my current favourite mod, out of thousands of pounds on mods, RTA's and RDA's my favourite current mod is a Council of Vapor Kindred V2 Mech mod, it is authentic and I got the SS version for £4.99 on clearance.
It is actually copper finished in SS, so I get the performance of copper but the durability of SS.
It has a fantastic magnetic firing switch, the fire button is silver plated copper, the threads are like butter, the 510 connection is also silver plated copper, and paired with an SLS Vector 22 RDA with a 22G, 5 Wrap 2MM ID Kanthal coil coming in at 0.25 Ohms gives a fantastic vape.

I liked the mod so much I bought another one for £4.99 in copper so I have both, and it made me appreciate a mech again hence the reason I am trying to clean up all the others in my collection, so far 3 down and cleaned and 9 more to go.

 

[DavidOck]

I think I will pour some in and also set it upright, base down in a bowl of vinegar to soak and see if this allows me to open it.

Sounds like a good plan, work both ends at the same time. Do give it some time, as the corrosion is pretty thick!

I got the SS version for £4.99 on clearance.

Yep, how I got a lot of my mods as well (although I'm in the regulated camp ), last month's models that got out-dated Good score!

These guys do NOT ship out of the US, but maybe something similar over there can be found?

CORROSION BE GONE BATTERY CONTACT CLEANER

Works on all of them except the ones stuck to your eyeballs. Corrosion-Be-Gone is a gel made to remove the schmutz from all types of battery terminals, circuit boards and contacts, on everything from cars to computer boards. Our each is a 0.3 oz jar.

sciplus.com

Corrosion-Be-Gone is a gel made to remove the schmutz from all types of battery terminals, circuit boards and contacts, on everything from cars to computer boards.

Of course, you do have to get it apart first! LOL

 

[conanthewarrior]

Sounds like a good plan, work both ends at the same time. Do give it some time, as the corrosion is pretty thick!



Yep, how I got a lot of my mods as well (although I'm in the regulated camp ), last month's models that got out-dated Good score!

These guys do NOT ship out of the US, but maybe something similar over there can be found?

CORROSION BE GONE BATTERY CONTACT CLEANER

Works on all of them except the ones stuck to your eyeballs. Corrosion-Be-Gone is a gel made to remove the schmutz from all types of battery terminals, circuit boards and contacts, on everything from cars to computer boards. Our each is a 0.3 oz jar.

sciplus.com

Corrosion-Be-Gone is a gel made to remove the schmutz from all types of battery terminals, circuit boards and contacts, on everything from cars to computer boards.

Of course, you do have to get it apart first! LOL

Yes the corrosion must be thick for it to be so jammed, I will let it sit for some time in the vinegar, probably over night.

I am also a regulated mod user, out of 52 of my mods I believe 12 are mechs, the rest are things ranging from the OG Sigelei 150W, 4 DNA200's, lots of Wismec/Eleaf/Joyetech mods that I have installed Arctic fox custom firmware for good temperature control with something similar to Evolv's Escribe, and plenty of Yihi powered mods.

I will see if the vinegar doesn't work if I can get hold of that battery contact cleaner to try. After all it isn't a cheap mod and I don't want it to go to waste.

And yes, I do need to get it apart first, it is a nightmare! All of my Brass and Copper mech mods are a right state, I have cleaned the broadside up with some Brasso wadding polish but it needs more as I want it back to a mirror finish, but the tarnish is really thick!

 

[Infinium]

To make vinegar more effective, especially for polishing (but it also removes and "softens" dirt), I usually add table salt. With bronze and brass, I’ve had better luck using lemon—either the juice or placing a squeezed wedge directly on the surface.

There’s also regular WD-40 or a specific one for loosening stuck parts, but I’d use it as a last resort since getting rid of the smell, even if it’s just a tube, is very difficult.
For regulated box mods, use isopropyl alcohol (which you could also try on the tube itself) as it won’t damage the circuits.

 

[DavidOck]

I will let it sit for some time in the vinegar, probably over night.

Good call, patience is (well, can be!) a virtue

Also an option, do a search for "soft grip pliers", padded jaws to NOT mar the stuck object. Would need 2 pair, of course...

I've found this to be more effective than the Brasso version:

Nevr Dull magic polishing wadding

Nevr Dull magic polishing wadding from Nippy Normans, specialist Supplier of BMW motorcycle accessories

www.nippynormans.com

Although ymmv, of course. And, of course, elbow grease needed for either!

 

[puffon]

a couple of these might help:

Amazon.com

 

[DavidOck]

Nice find!

Most strap wrenches won't go that small, those claim down to 1/2"!

 

[conanthewarrior]

To make vinegar more effective, especially for polishing (but it also removes and "softens" dirt), I usually add table salt. With bronze and brass, I’ve had better luck using lemon—either the juice or placing a squeezed wedge directly on the surface.

There’s also regular WD-40 or a specific one for loosening stuck parts, but I’d use it as a last resort since getting rid of the smell, even if it’s just a tube, is very difficult.
For regulated box mods, use isopropyl alcohol (which you could also try on the tube itself) as it won’t damage the circuits.

I will try vinegar as my next move, thanks for the tip of adding table salt, at the moment I am trying WD40.

I have been trying WD40, spraying it in from the hybrid topcap end directly into the mod, and also from the outside trying to get it to spread onto the threads.

So far no luck, it is still stuck fast- I really need to get it apart to give it a good clean and be able to add it back into rotation for use!

Good call, patience is (well, can be!) a virtue

Also an option, do a search for "soft grip pliers", padded jaws to NOT mar the stuck object. Would need 2 pair, of course...

I've found this to be more effective than the Brasso version:

Nevr Dull magic polishing wadding

Nevr Dull magic polishing wadding from Nippy Normans, specialist Supplier of BMW motorcycle accessories

www.nippynormans.com

Although ymmv, of course. And, of course, elbow grease needed for either!

I may need those soft grip pliers, as even with two soakings of WD40 last night, and more this morning, it is still stuck together, it is so tight it might as well be superglue lol!

I will check out that wadding as I am running low on Brasso and need some more, so thanks for the recommendation!

a couple of these might help:

Amazon.com

I might need something like this, or the soft grip pliers, as even with rubber gloves and a solid grip it is stuck so tight I am just ripping the rubber gloves in my hands.

I am wondering if I got a mallet and tapped the side of the mod a few times firmly around the threading area could crack the corrosion letting me get the mod apart?

 

[DavidOck]

Dang.

Yeah, the soft grip pliers or strap wrench (as long as it goes small enough!) might be needed...

You say you've tried heat, but maybe try the freezer?

Mallet... hmm. Need to be very careful with that, too hard a tap and you'll deform the tube and then it will never come apart. Maybe a rubber mallet if you really want to risk it.

 

[conanthewarrior]

Dang.

Yeah, the soft grip pliers or strap wrench (as long as it goes small enough!) might be needed...

You say you've tried heat, but maybe try the freezer?

Mallet... hmm. Need to be very careful with that, too hard a tap and you'll deform the tube and then it will never come apart. Maybe a rubber mallet if you really want to risk it.

I think I will try the soft grip pliers then, I will ask my friends if they have any I can borrow.

I tried heat by pouring boiling water into a bowl, then putting the mod in the boiling water.
I let it sit for around about 5 minutes, took the mod out, then tried to open the mod with rubber gloves on.
Maybe a bit longer heat will be needed?

I didn't think about that, possibly deforming the tube. There is no way that the tube is currently deformed is there and that is the reason I can't get it apart?
It has literally sat in the same spot for around about 4 years so I don't believe it has been dropped to become deformed stopping me from opening it.

I will try a rubber mallet as a last resort, it really is stuck though, with maximum grip and rubber gloves on the mod doesn't slip, what happens is the rubber gloves tear where it has so much grip but it won't move it damages the gloves.

 

[DavidOck]

No, I wouldn't expect the tube to be deformed just sitting for years, it would take some serious dropping or similar to do that.

Put it in a plastic bag (since it's likely a mess now from the WD-40!) and stick it in the freezer for an hour. Worth a shot.

And once you do get some soft grip pliers, if those don't do the trick, try the freezer and then the heat again...

 

[conanthewarrior]

No, I wouldn't expect the tube to be deformed just sitting for years, it would take some serious dropping or similar to do that.

Put it in a plastic bag (since it's likely a mess now from the WD-40!) and stick it in the freezer for an hour. Worth a shot.

And once you do get some soft grip pliers, if those don't do the trick, try the freezer and then the heat again...

I've managed to get it apart!

I tapped it very firmly on the side of the table, turning the mod around so I fully tapped everywhere on the threads, and then it very stiffly came apart!

It is really tarnished on the threads, so now it is time to give it a good clean!

Thank you for your help and advice

 

[DavidOck]

Great to hear!!

I suspect that all you've done finally had an impact.

Yep, now for a LOT of elbow grease

 

[conanthewarrior]

Great to hear!!

I suspect that all you've done finally had an impact.

Yep, now for a LOT of elbow grease

I gather the WD40 soak did help, but you did make me lol when you said "Finally had an impact"- I literally did, in the form of whacking the side of the mod against the table to try and crack apart the layer holding it together.

I only have Brasso wadding polish, and a stiff toothbrush. First I will use some warm soapy water and brush the copper threads with this, I am hoping it is stiff enough to remove most of the crud that has built up over time.

Then I will finish with the brasso, this should bring the threads up shiny again, but I always remember to then use some plain water with the toothbrush as I notice the Brasso leaves behind some residue, and I want the threads to make as much contact as they can so will scrub this residue off.