Need help 2 aluminum parts stuck together- can't get loose! prop ruined?

[Anakin Starkiller]

So I bought an Anakin AOTC lightsaber recently. It arrived today and I took it apart because I wanted to upgrade the shroud. I tried my new shroud on the saber and found it was too tight, so I tried to take it off and now it wont budge. I've tried everything and the two parts feel like their weilded together. I think that the biggest problem is that the main body was warm when I tried to put the shroud on and then cooled and now the two parts might as well be a single piece. Can anyone help, the saber is essentially ruined as is. Is anyone here excpetionally strong with a grip of iron?

Please:cry

Dan Stokes
DDStokes@aol.com

 

[Darth Detroit]

Get some dry ice... and you should be able to lightly tap off the shroud.

 

[Zombie_61]

Get some dry ice... and you should be able to lightly tap off the shroud.

Just don't breathe the fumes from the evaporating dry ice or you'll pass out. If you try this, be sure to do it in a well-ventilated area.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

So 2 minutes after I posted the last message, our X-mas tree fell down and broke alot of ornaments. Not a good night.

Get some dry ice... and you should be able to lightly tap off the shroud.

Thanks for the advice. Can you tell me know this works? Does the aluminum shrink with the cold or something? The reason I ask is because I want to be prepared before I try this. Also, can I handel the parts exposed to dry ice? And will the dry ice harm the pieces themselves?

Thanks a bunch

Dan

 

[ShackMan]

Don't touch the cold metal with bare skin ... wear thick gloves.

Before investing in dry ice, try putting it in a freezer ... might be enough to do the trick.

The reason it works is that metal shrinks (contracts) when cold. I work in a large shop, and we have some assemblies with friction fit; a bored hole acepts a part with a larger diameter ... the only way they fit together is by warming the body (at LEAST room temp) and freezing the inner part (we use liquid nitrogen). Freeze the inner part, and they go together. A few seconds later, the part is IN ... if it didn't go in right, there's a lot of time and money in rework required.

Good luck,


ATM
ShackMan

 

[exoray]

As shackman said try the freezer freeze it for a few hours, and if possible once removed hit the outer piece only with hot water warming it faster then the inner stuck piece... The expansion and contraction should allow you to separate them...

Dry ice is better but I would try the freezer first...

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Don't touch the cold metal with bare skin ... wear thick gloves.

Before investing in dry ice, try putting it in a freezer ... might be enough to do the trick.

The reason it works is that metal shrinks (contracts) when cold. I work in a large shop, and we have some assemblies with friction fit; a bored hole acepts a part with a larger diameter ... the only way they fit together is by warming the body (at LEAST room temp) and freezing the inner part (we use liquid nitrogen). Freeze the inner part, and they go together. A few seconds later, the part is IN ... if it didn't go in right, there's a lot of time and money in rework required.

Good luck,


ATM
ShackMan

It sounds like that is essentially what I did with my two parts. Except I don't have "a lot of time and money" to rework it.:unsure


exoray. Thanks for the info. I'll try that approach.

Dan

 

[Zombie_61]

And will the dry ice harm the pieces themselves?

No, it shouldn't. Dry ice is used regularly when processing aluminum for the aerospace industry.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

So, I tried the freezer and I tried a mizture of freezer and hot water, and neither seem to work. This thing is really on there and I don't know how I will go about getting it off w/o ruining the parts.

I'll try dry ice, but my fear is that as I freeze one part I'll freeze the other and so as the aluminum in both parts shrinks they will remain locked together.

Dan

 

[dropshipbob]

How about adding a little 3 in 1 oil to the spot where they meet?
Let it sit for a few minutes and then try oulling them apart? Be carefull not to get the oil on any part you might need to grip.

 

[terryr]

If it's alll metal try boiling water.

 

[SmilingOtter]

Occasionally I've used aluminum tubing as a stunt saber blade. If I'm having trouble removing the tube from the hilt by pulling straight out, I've been able to remove it by twisting while pulling. Perhaps putting the shroud in a padded vise and try turning it out?

 

[Ti-el_terall]

Or a boa wrench?

Here is a thread about pieces being stuck together, dont know how much it will help since it was made about screw together parts

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2977

 

[JOATRASH FX]

Have you tried tapping lightly with a rubber mallet? Or... if there's little space for the mallet to make contact, you can use a piece of wood between the saber and a regular hammer.

 

[Tetmatek]

Have you tried a heat gun on the outer piece to expand the molecules to loosen it up. I have a similar problem with 2 pieces are polycarbonite so that method is a no; but with metal it should work. Just wear some good gloves.