Reel Repair by Alan Tani

General Maintenance Tips => Tools and Lubricants => Topic started by: mike1010 on November 15, 2020, 04:48:34 PM

Title: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: mike1010 on November 15, 2020, 04:48:34 PM
A badly neglected Avet SX came to me.  The guts are practically fused together with corrosion and hardened grease.  At least I think it's hardened grease; never saw anything like it.  So far, WD-40 and heat and cold haven't freed the pinion from the bearing, let alone the bearing from the head plate.  For the next step, I was going to try a stronger penetrant, PB Blaster, Kroil, or ATF/acetone, but I don't want to ruin the anodizing on the plate.

Can anybody recommend a strong, but anodizing-safe penetrant?  Thanks.

Mike
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: alantani on November 15, 2020, 04:59:04 PM
if a propane torch won't get it apart, nothing will.......   :-\
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: mike1010 on November 15, 2020, 05:11:30 PM
Anything short of that nuclear option?
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: oc1 on November 15, 2020, 08:51:33 PM
Quote from: mike1010 on November 15, 2020, 04:48:34 PM
I was going to try a stronger penetrant, PB Blaster, Kroil, or ATF/acetone, but I don't want to ruin the anodizing on the plate.
Can anybody recommend a strong, but anodizing-safe penetrant?  Thanks.
Mike

Man, I sure don't want to be responsible for ruining your reel Mike, but I think all those things are safe to use on anodizing.  Blaster is safe for sure.  You shouldn't use anything acidic though.

Maybe the other Mike (Mike MHC, the anodizing guru) will come along and set it straight
https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=28230.0 (https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=28230.0)

-steve
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: Donnyboat on November 16, 2020, 12:42:03 AM
Some times if you freeze it then heat it as Alan said, may do it, ATF/acatone mix would help, just dip a skewer, into the mix, then place it right were you need it, do that for 3 or 4 days, it has worked for me before, good luck, cheers Don.
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: Tiddlerbasher on November 16, 2020, 10:56:41 AM
My starting point is always ATF/Acetone 50/50 mix - then heat then freeze. Repeat a couple of times.
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: philaroman on November 16, 2020, 02:51:29 PM
I do OK w/ acetone soak in a sealed jar, if I can stay away from plastic/paint (even fumes)
would like a stronger, nastier -ketone that works faster & available in smaller quantities
how does ATF help acetone, other than slow down evaporation?
what's "MEK Substitute" & is it as aggressive a solvent as real MEK?

thanks
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: Tiddlerbasher on November 16, 2020, 03:52:04 PM
Don't know about 'Mek substitute', never seem it, but regular Mek is readily available (at least in the UK). As a solvent it can work on different materials to acetone. I haven't tried it with ATF, haven't needed to yet. But it is a 'nasty' chemical.
IIRC Mek was the solvent used in the original Hammerite hammer finish paint. I know they changed the formula some time ago and stopped using Mek - the paint suffered for it :(
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: mike1010 on November 20, 2020, 10:55:29 PM
Got the head plate apart.  Moderate (450 F) heat took moved the bearings and pinion.  The "male cam" was stubborn, but a five-day acetone soak got enough of the gunk out from under it to let me carefully pry it off.

It seems like the main problem with this reel is not corrosion or electrolysis (though there is plenty of both).  It is that someone "lubricated" it by sluicing the head plate with an oil that has hardened into a red varnish that is difficult even for acetone to dissolve.  It would be interesting to know what that oil was.

Mike
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: Cuttyhunker on November 21, 2020, 01:40:00 PM
Back in the day the old timers thought the red Mystery Oil had everything but sex.
Title: Re: Anodizing-Safe Penetrant
Post by: philaroman on November 21, 2020, 02:45:34 PM
always wondered about that red licorice
did it start out as an old Valvoline product?