Two adapter rings screwed tightly together (stuck) - how to best remove?

[glowjet]

Running hot water on the parts won`t help as you are expanding both items at the same rate. Put it in the freezer for a short period as suggested, but when you take it out have a very hot cloth, or better, a strip of thickish pliable soft rubber ( microwave is useful here ) apply to one or the other component, the heat should quickly expand the part you are holding, but be gentle with the gripping part, as explained in my previous post.

If all else fails, this just a suggestion mind, you could consider some form of lever, to get a better turning torque. Try two short lengths of wood and two jubilee clips of suitable size. You will need to strongly bind with tape, one to each piece of wood and use rubber strip to protect your components when you tighten the clips, best of luck  

[Uranium235]

Rubber gloves usually do the trick, but I try to prevent it ever happening now by firstly using boot polish - and avioding the overtightening of adaptors in the first place.

The very worst case I had was solved by hacksawing two notches in one of the threads, then using a flat tool (inserted into the slots) to twist it free.

[ollypenrice]

I think I'll try a refinement of the trainer soles technique which has the virtue of not distorting the rings at all. I'll try to find some kind of strong rubber mat and cut out two squares which I'll bond onto plywood sheets. These will replace the trainers. The stuck adapter menace strikes visiting astronomers very regularly and the resident one from time to time as well! A definitive solution would be nice to find.

Olly

[Moonshane]

Good solution Olly. Maybe some handles on the plywood will give more leverage/control

 

[Pompey Monkey]

53 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

I think I'll try a refinement of the trainer soles technique which has the virtue of not distorting the rings at all. I'll try to find some kind of strong rubber mat and cut out two squares which I'll bond onto plywood sheets. These will replace the trainers. The stuck adapter menace strikes visiting astronomers very regularly and the resident one from time to time as well! A definitive solution would be nice to find.

Olly

Patent pending? ;)

[ollypenrice]

33 minutes ago, Pompey Monkey said:

Patent pending?

"Ah, Mr Einstein, I wish to sublmt a patent for a piece of rubber glued to a piece of wood."

Olly

[Physopto]

Maybe worth a try

[swag72]

I'm sure there's a few of us watching this with interest...... What rubber you will use for example.

[Physopto]

You need something a bit soft and sticky. You can get the silicon bottle top opener type flat  stuff sold in many shops, but some insertion rubber is also good.

 

[ollypenrice]

27 minutes ago, swag72 said:

I'm sure there's a few of us watching this with interest...... What rubber you will use for example.

Floor matting of some kind? It will just be a matter of seeing what's around in the hardware stores/supermarkets. It needs not to be too heavily ribbed.

Olly

[ollypenrice]

24 minutes ago, Physopto said:

You need something a bit soft and sticky. You can get the silicon bottle top opener type flat  stuff sold in many shops, but some insertion rubber is also good.

 

I'm slightly wary of asking this - but what's 'insertion rubber?'

How about having one plywood sheet with layers of rubber on both sides and one with a handle as per Shan's suggestion. Place the double sided one on a worktop, lay the offending rings on it and press the other one down turning with the handle.

Come on FLO, this is right up your street!

Olly

[Physopto]

2 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

I'm slightly wary of asking this - but what's 'insertion rubber?'

How about having one plywood sheet with layers of rubber on both sides and one with a handle as per Shan's suggestion. Place the double sided one on a worktop, lay the offending rings on it and press the other one down turning with the handle.

Come on FLO, this is right up your street!

Olly

Hi Olly,

 It is nothing nasty!

It is the rubber in sheet form used to make gaskets. We used to have quite a few different thicknesses at sea to make gaskets when necessary. Some types have a cloth reinforcement  in the middle others are just rubber. used for pipe flange seals and cut to size for oddly shaped items . You get the same sort of thing made out of other materials for steam or oil, say for crank case seals or such items in engineering.

[Alien 13]

A sheet of plywood with rubber stuck on to it with a handle is called a table tennis bat.

Alan

[Physopto]

I wouldn't be surprised if that worked best!

And cheap.

[Alien 13]

You could stick an astro logo on them and make a fortune......must get down to the local pound shop.

Alan

[Physopto]

6 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

You could stick an astro logo on them and make a fortune......must get down to the local pound shop.

Alan

Yer RIGHT Alan and double sided! Kill two birds so to speak..... Added value item charge more for the added use of!

[Herzy]

Just about a year later and I still haven't got these adapters apart. I've literally turned to the point of bleeding. I've tried the shoes approach as well. 

Celestron doesn't make the scope anymore, so they can't really help me. 

[Waldemar]

1 hour ago, Herzy said:

Just about a year later and I still haven't got these adapters apart. I've literally turned to the point of bleeding. I've tried the shoes approach as well. 

Celestron doesn't make the scope anymore, so they can't really help me. 

If it does not matter to you if you ruin the adapter and save the scope, you could use a small chisel and a nylon hammer. place the chisel in a 45°  angle on the edge of the adapter and hit it cautiously with the hammer in the direction to loosen it.

While doing that have somebody hold your unmounted scope

[skybadger]

Nose grease , just a smidgen is required. And it's free.

 

[Waldemar]

2 minutes ago, skybadger said:

Nose grease , just a smidgen is required. And it's free.

 

No organic stuff near optics...!!!

Things may grow a lot faster than you expect....

[Davey-T]

4 hours ago, Herzy said:

Just about a year later and I still haven't got these adapters apart. I've literally turned to the point of bleeding. I've tried the shoes approach as well. 

Celestron doesn't make the scope anymore, so they can't really help me. 

Can you post a picture ?

Dave

[Physopto]

I have not seen these parts but if they are not actually on the sope and not attached to any expensive optics or focuser then you could as a last resort put them in a bath of wd40 and leave them there for a day or two, then clean and try again. BUT only if not attached to lenses or expensive scope parts.!!!!!

One method that often can work is putting parts into an oven then cooling down a bit  then putting into a freezer. Do this several times as it can cause small expansion and ccontractions of the parts so as to eventually allow a small free movement, enough to let the parts seperate. 

Derek

[Herzy]

I think there may be some confusion. The adapters are not connected to the telescope. The adapters screw in to the telescope extension tube like the picture shows.

17 hours ago, Waldemar said:

If it does not matter to you if you ruin the adapter and save the scope, you could use a small chisel and a nylon hammer. place the chisel in a 45°  angle on the edge of the adapter and hit it cautiously with the hammer in the direction to loosen it.

While doing that have somebody hold your unmounted scope

Could you elaborate? I don't think I fully understand. They screw together, so if anything, that method should make it worse. It could mess the threads up and make it impossible to unscrew. Unless I'm missing something?

I hope the pics help.

Hayden

Edited March 19, 2017 by Herzy

[Herzy]

13 hours ago, Physopto said:

I have not seen these parts but if they are not actually on the sope and not attached to any expensive optics or focuser then you could as a last resort put them in a bath of wd40 and leave them there for a day or two, then clean and try again. BUT only if not attached to lenses or expensive scope parts.!!!!!

One method that often can work is putting parts into an oven then cooling down a bit  then putting into a freezer. Do this several times as it can cause small expansion and ccontractions of the parts so as to eventually allow a small free movement, enough to let the parts seperate. 

Derek

I've already tried the WD40, but that oven and freezer thing might be a possibility. I've tried freezing them, but they are both made out of the same metal so they will contract at the same rate. Would that method still work if they are made of the same metal?
 

[Waldemar]

7 hours ago, Herzy said:

I think there may be some confusion. The adapters are not connected to the telescope. The adapters screw in to the telescope extension tube like the picture shows.

Could you elaborate? I don't think I fully understand. They screw together, so if anything, that method should make it worse. It could mess the threads up and make it impossible to unscrew. Unless I'm missing something?

I hope the pics help.

Hayden

Hi Hayden,

First of all I would remove the little screw(s) that are visible between your thumb and index finger. Probably there is more than one. That will probably allow you to remove the larger ring to get a better grip on the thread part. 
If you cannot remove it, than use a vice with two pieces of wood to hold the knurled ring of the T-ring without damaging. Then use a small chisel and put that in one of the grooves of the threaded T-adapter that screws into the focuser tube. Hold it in ± 45° pointing left for unscrew and hit the chisel carefully with the nylon hammer to loosen the ring. Once it moves you can separate the two it by hand.
If you act carefully, you will not damage a lot and still be able to use both. The tiniest bit of PTFE grease will prevent these situations.