Corrosion and stuck screws- Suggestions?

LilRascal · November 08, 2016, 09:50:24 PM

Hey all,

New member here. I've dug around the posts and tried some searches with various different words (stuck screws, Corrosion, frozen, etc). I know there must be a thread discussing the options when you come across frozen screws (salt wtaer corrosion) but I have not been able to find one. If anyone runs across an existing thread discussing it I'd love to get a link to it.

I've seen some discussion about acetone and mineral spirits but just slight mentions and no in depth discussion like you ususally have here.

Many Thanks!

Rascal

Shark Hunter · November 08, 2016, 10:39:34 PM

This is a start.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=16369.0

Swami805 · November 08, 2016, 11:37:38 PM

There was a thread on here comparing several different products for loosening corroded screws but I can't find it. The conclusion was to use a mix of 50% automatic transmission fluid and 50% acetone. I made a batch and it works pretty well, better than PB blaster anyway.

handi2 · November 08, 2016, 11:56:40 PM

Heat is #1 in my trials with corroded in screws. Heat plus Kroil or TSI oil.

JRD · November 09, 2016, 02:37:54 AM

All good suggestions, heat gently after soaking with a penetrating oil or substance like white gas or a mix. Make sure your screw driver is the right size then a little moderate violence. A few taps on yhe screw driver, twist to losses then twist to tighten. Tap a few more times and repeat.

ReelClean · November 09, 2016, 10:50:17 AM

Heat here as well (big soldering iron with ground flat tip, watchout around plastic sideplates), and an attempt to tighten it slightly first will often "crack" the corrosion. This technique is often used in aviation where you can have dissimilar metals that have grown together, eg a SS screw into an alloy rivnut. Also works when someone else has already had a go and cammed out in the unscrewing direction. Oh, and use JIS screwdrivers on Asian reels!
cheers
Steve

LilRascal · November 09, 2016, 01:24:11 PM

Perfect. Thank you all!

thorhammer · November 09, 2016, 04:06:22 PM

Hey just saw your signature; are you in Carolina Beach?

John

LilRascal · November 09, 2016, 06:13:56 PM

John,

Yes. I've seen your name on FPT.com (now saltwatercentral.com). Both great sites. All good people W/O the BS.

Good to meet you,

Chris

thorhammer · November 09, 2016, 06:24:12 PM

This site has the best people on earth...I've had the pleasure of meeting a few. That mahi in my avatar was caught around the Nipple if I recall. I lived in Myrtle Grove 04-11 and still go out of CBI when I get to go. Let's get a beer next time I get down there. If you get by the Pelican have one for me anyway

alantani · November 09, 2016, 09:47:44 PM

corroded bolts are the bane of our existence! penetrating oil, torches, freeze off sprays (usually in that order) have all failed at time. drilling and retapping have sometimes been the only answer. very tough, this one....... $:-\$

handi2 · November 10, 2016, 12:00:00 AM

There is the "nipple" and double "nipple" out of Pensacola pass. There is also a Myrtle Grove subdivision in west Pensacola. Any coincidence?

LilRascal · November 10, 2016, 01:51:04 PM

Thor-
Small world it is. CB Inlet is still a challenge at times and still a long run to the stream. I love living here. The Fat Pelican is one of my favorite winter haunts. Its a bit quieter now as Danny's big black lab AttaBoy passed a few years back. Nothing like a dog that can tend bar! I will happily have a beer there with or without you!

.

The Hoo in my avatar was a "Same-Ole" trip in 2013 with Tim Barefoot (Tim on the left and me on the right), who you might recognize if you were local here. Where are you now? I thought I saw something about CA.

Handi2-

I highly doubt there's a connection other than coincidence. Myrtle Grove is a section of Wilmington, NC also known as Monkey junction. The gas station there back in the days had a few monkeys as an attraction. The Nipple is probably a common name for marine structures and I'd much rather see double nipples any day.

Alan-

I'm learning of what you speak. First screw on the reel I just started working on I fully stripped. I assumed that it was stainless and not chromed brass which I learned after I messed it up. I started with heat and no good. I'm going to try the vinegar-mineral spirits- heat -easy-out route. Fingers crossed! Thanks for all the help!

sdlehr · May 04, 2017, 07:39:21 PM

RE: stuck screws Another thing to try if penetrating oils and cycling hot/cold/hot/cold doesn't work is to get one of those metal engraving gizmos that vibrates like crazy. Wrap a small piece of copper strip around the tip (soft metal) and vibrate the heck out of the screw head. This will assist in spreading the penetrating oil deeper, and after a few minutes of racket, many stuck screws will become unstuck. Learned this trick on the ORCA Cleaning and Restoration Board here http://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewforum.php?f=6 but haven't tried it myself. It's the thing you try right before you either give up or break the screw.

Sid

exp2000 · May 04, 2017, 09:44:46 PM

I rarely work on big game gear but a Penn International that came in had a few screws that defied extraction.

A very experienced friend of mine offered some advice that proved to be correct.

One would naturally assume that corrosion was binding the threads to the casing but this was not the case.

It was a hard calcified layer between the square profile screw head and the casing was actually binding the screw in place.

His solution was to first dissolve this with hydrochloric acid.

I did not believe him till I drilled the heads out and found that the threads could be easily extracted by hand!

Quite amazing really.
~