Tip for stuck/tight threaded items.

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by The_bluester

Another thing to try would be to gently war things up with a hair dryer. Not hot to touch, just warm.

My experience is that warming threaded parts makes matters worse.
Aluminium (as do most materials) expand when heated.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by MrB

My experience is that warming threaded parts makes matters worse.
Aluminium (as do most materials) expand when heated.

Yep. Especially if you assemble in the cold outside. You never get them out at room temperature.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

A cable tie works well in many situations. Wrap it around the piece you need to undo and then pull the end so as to undo the stuck thread. The harder you pull the tighter the cable tie grips. You actually need to reverse the cable tie so it doesnt lock and you can just slip it off when you get the thing undone. I have carried a cable tie in my camera bag for 20 years to loosen stuck front filters.

Cheers
John B

[lazjen (Chris)]

The cable tie is a good idea - wish I had thought of it.

I used the boa the other night to separate the OAG from the LP filter; and a thin adapter piece from a tube. The latter required using both boas to hold the items and then work against each other. Happy with the results and they're going to stay in the kit always.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

Originally Posted by MrB

My experience is that warming threaded parts makes matters worse.
Aluminium (as do most materials) expand when heated.

Depends on where and how you apply the heat. In the case of the unwisely bought SCT threaded diagonal which tended to lock up depressingly often (Which I have now converted to a refractor style setup as it irritated me nightly) applying a little heat tended to make it easier to unstick as the locking ring would expand and loosen, where the body of the scope having a much greater thermal mass did not heat up nor expand as much.
Show a mechanic a locked up fitting and the first thing they will reach for after penetrating oil (Which is obviously not an option in this context) is some heat.

[RAJAH235]

Hi y'awll,
If anyone wants straight powdered graphite..(WD40 graphite? was mentioned earlier),...try your local locksmith.
Comes in a "puffer pack" & is extremely useful in those "tight" situations, as well
as being a very good lubricant.
Plus, it does not attract dust & grime.