Fire button getting stuck

[RobinBanks]

I just learned the button mashing lesson this week. Broke the firing pin on REO #1

Thankfully, I not only have a repair kit on hand but I just got REO #2 last week. Haven't had the chance to fix it yet, but I figure I'll fix 'er up and give her a bath this weekend.

 

[Rourke]

Button mashing is a natural reaction to a mod that fires weakly or intermittently. The solution is to clean and noalox or deoxit the mod rather than to press the button harder and harder.

It's a lesson that took me quite a few buttons (i think i melted about 4 or 5!) to realise - also, button covers make it easy to do. I don't use them at all anymore. But if you do - make sure they are fitted properly and you are gentler with them.

T

I only had my Reo for a few weeks so I don't think it was firing weak, I was just unaware about mashing. I had a button cover on and mashed everytime thinking that was the way to use the device. Don't know how I have not heard of mashing until now with all the reading and youtube watching I've done. I think I get blinders on when I am looking for something. Any way I got the deoxit pen and I will use it when I get my Reo back. Thank you all.

 

[HgA1C]

I only had my Reo for a few weeks so I don't think it was firing weak, I was just unaware about mashing. I had a button cover on and mashed everytime thinking that was the way to use the device. Don't know how I have not heard of mashing until now with all the reading and youtube watching I've done. I think I get blinders on when I am looking for something. Any way I got the deoxit pen and I will use it when I get my Reo back. Thank you all.

Yes I was having a lot of problems with arcing. This is due to the amperage these batteries put out. The amps are pretty insane on these little batteries. They are at the level of EDM machining, and air can act as a weak dialectic fluid allowing for sparking. If you curious about EDM's and what is happening to you battery and pin without noalax or deoxit gold here is a video explaining EDM machining in action. Pretty cool stuff, it was one of my specialties in my old life.

 

[ed101z]

Great thread. I've not had any problems, but you can't ever tell. So, I took my button cover off; pulled the fire pin upwards, and slide the push-button completely out. Just wanted to check for signs of wear. Didn't see anything abnormal.

Before reassembling, I decided to stick Q-Tip in some Castrol ball bearing grease. Had a big blob of grease on the Q-Tip. Used a paper towel to smooth it out. Stuck the Q-Tip down in the hole on the Reo, and swirled it around the sides to lightly grease it. Then rubbed a little bit on the black derlin push button. Re-inserted the push button, and put the firing pin back in place. Put the button cover back on top.

Seems to be smoother to push now. I'll certainly be more more aware of firing... so I don't have any future problems.

Btw,... I'm loving my Reo Grand. There are things we buy in life that we just don't need. Before long, we eventually don't use it as mush as we thought. It happens. It's life. But I can honestly say this... the Reo Grand is NOT one of them. I wouldn't take $500 for Chewbacca (Copper Vein). Using 29g Kanthal @ 1.3ohm. 5/64 drill bit @ 6/7 wraps + CelluCotton. Reo Grand is the life!!

 

[Quigsworth]

Yes I was having a lot of problems with arcing. This is due to the amperage these batteries put out. The amps are pretty insane on these little batteries. They are at the level of EDM machining, and air can act as a weak dialectic fluid allowing for sparking. If you curious about EDM's and what is happening to you battery and pin without noalax or deoxit gold here is a video explaining EDM machining in action. Pretty cool stuff, it was one of my specialties in my old life.

Excellent YT link Hg...first, I had no idea such a method to mill metal even existed but secondly...someone should dl this vid and clip the 1st part and make it a stand alone vid called "The anatomy of a spark...it's effect, and most importantly, how it's almost impossible to avoid".

I took a core electronics course in tech collage before deciding to become an industrial electrician over a robotics/automation tech (I preferred the big build over the fiddly work, yet now I love building mods)...my instructor spend days explaining why there's arching between closing, and more specifically opening contacts carrying a DC current, what's happening and why...and how to mitigate.

There are a number of posts/threads here in Reo Mods by peeps that have observed "sparking" (mostly by those running low ohms and flat tops batts) and are understandably concerned...sometimes by taking the "voodoo" out of it goes a long way to quell angst.

Good post.