Mechanical "fix-it" experts needed!

[MJMcMahon]

Hi all -

I did some work on my Private 2 Mechanical and I think I may have made a critical error. The actuator button on the bottom was easily unscrewed and would unscrew far enough to prevent the lockout nut from locking out the actuator. What I did was to apply some loc-tite (blue) to the threads of the actuator button and twist it into place. Two things are now happening:

1.) While the actuator has a much shorter throw, sometimes the connection doesn't fire.
2.) Sometimes when the actuator does fire, the spring doesn't push it back out enough to disconnect it.

Unfortunately, I can no longer adjust the screw because of the loc-tite. I tried loosening the loc-tite by heating it but I'm having difficulty getting a good enough grip on the two ends, especially when it's hot. The negative post is flat, as is the exterior. Any suggestions on another way to break up the loc-tite so I can take another swing at this?

Thx,

Mike

 

[Mr.Bungle]

I'm not familiar with the mod, but what's the chance you can use 2 pairs of needle nose pliers for a better grip? Heat the area and turn like the dickens.

 

[torquejunky]

Lacquer thinner or acetone will remove blue loctite. Gonna have to bathe the part in it so find out if they will affect the finish before you go that route.

 

[Barton]

I would definitely advise against using loctite in the future on your mod, since they all require cleaning from time to time for maximum performance. Another thing I can recommend is once you do get it apart is to polish the connections of your mod with brasso or a buffer.

 

[MJMcMahon]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I tried acetone earlier but I'm not sure there was enough of it in the bottom of the glass to soak the necessary parts. I'm re-filling now

Barton -

any suggestions on addressing the issue with too much adjustment in the actuator without using loc-tite? I understand the necessity of cleaning now, but if the actuator is continually unscrewing to a point where I can't use the lockout nut doesn't that pose other hazards?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Heavyrocker]

You can try using 2 vise grips,use a rubber padding as too get a good grip and not crush the mod.I used this method too ''rethread'' my RSST tank into my Natural.Some RSST`s came with mixed up threads.

 

[MJMcMahon]

unfortunately, the acetone isn't working and I can't get a good enough grip on the two pieces to untwist it. Learning is expensive

 

[bikini_kill]

To go against the grain here, you can (and I do) use Loctite on mods, but there are two very important things to keep in mind:

1. Choose your Loctite flavor wisely:
   I recommend Loctite 222 (purple). Here's the TDS on it.
   Loctite 222 (purple) is their lowest strength metal threadlocker. Loctite 242 (blue) is significantly stronger, and since these parts are so tiny and we do need to remove them fairly often, it's not a good choice as you are experiencing.
   
2. Don't use too much:
   A dab'll do ya'. Seriously.
   If you use too much, disassembly will be more difficult. Also, this stuff isn't electrically conductive, so if you put too much on there you can negatively affect the conductivity of your mod.

Do you have any of those thin gripper pads that help with unscrewing jars? If you place them between the jaws of your pliers and your part, that could give you some additional friction. People also use rubber bands for this.

 

[Heavyrocker]

Is loctite a glue,if not,i cant see any reason why ya cant take apart the Mod.

 

[bikini_kill]

Is loctite a glue,if not,i cant see any reason why ya cant take apart the Mod.

It is a threadlocker, which is a specialty type of adhesive, so yes.

 

[jasl90]

Is loctite a glue,if not,i cant see any reason why ya cant take apart the Mod.

Loctite is indeed a glue specifically designed to lock down metal parts with threaded connections.

Mike - I have no idea what the inside of you switch looks like. If you can post a good clear pic of the switch, we may be able to offer better suggestions on how to apply heat and how to get a grip on the parts.

 

[MJMcMahon]

jasl90 -

here's the pics...any suggestions greatly appreciated, although I have to admit I'm not confident that there's a way to recover from this one.

Exterior of switch. Switch is the button at bottom


Interior of switch. Negative terminal is at center

 

[jasl90]

Just thinking through it...
You used the blue which is made to be broken free mechanically (with out heat) but it sounds like that isn't happening.
The Red formula is the one that is supposed to require heat. That said, I'd assume that that heat will work on the blue too...

Looking into the tube, I don't see any plastic parts. That's good, it means you should be able to apply heat without destroying anything....

I'd say you have a few options depending on what you have available...
#1 I think you're going to need some heat.
#2 You'll need a way of handling the parts while they're hot.

If you have a hot air gun with a nozzle, I'd go with that as a first choice. Failing that, I'd stick it in an oven at 450 degrees F (I think that's the temp for red... Double check the website) until it reaches temperature.

Have good oven mitts or silicone pads and your tools ready. A sink full or water and long sleeves would be a good idea too...

Once the switch is to temp you'll need to be VERY careful. A chunk of metal that size has a lot of thermal mass. At that temperature, I'm guessing it will cause a 3rd degree burn in less than a second and a trip to the ER costs way more than a new mod.

Practice the motions with mitts and tools before you heat anything up. You don't want to be fumbling around while its hot. Get all the fumbling out of the way with a few practice sessions first.

 

[MJMcMahon]

Thanks for the suggestions jasl90, but I think I'm going to just chalk it up to a learning experience and move on. I'd tried loosening it by heating the switch assembly with my butane torch but still came up empty. Even if I were able to separate the two parts, I would wonder about how well it would function now that I've chewed up the button with my failed attempts to separate it using pliers. As you've pointed out, a trip to the ER costs way more than a new mod.

Thanks all for the suggestions,

Mike

 

[jasl90]

No problem. Definitely the smarter move to make.
Not to make light of the loss, but If that's the most expensive mistake you ever make, you'll be a wealthy man.

 

[Heavyrocker]

We all take losses,i loss my top cap of my RSST,have you tried clamping in a vise and taking a money wrench too it,at this point seems like its worth a go.

 

[rogergendron1]

Good god why would u lock tight anything lol

 

[Heavyrocker]

We all should lock tight our wallets.