Baader Clicklock is stuck in Lock Position

[cajen2]

On 15/09/2021 at 16:30, Rick73 said:

Thanks so much for this post!  Mine stuck in the locked position and I tried like the dickens to get it unlocked to no avail.  The suggestion of using a hair dryer and tapping with the rubberized screwdriver handle did the trick!  I only used the Clicklock a few times and I'm concerned that it locked up already.  I'm thinking I pushed it too hard to the lock position.  Will this be a recurring problem?   I guess I'll see as I use it more.

Mine certainly doesn't need tightening dramatically when it's gripping an EP. I just tighten till I feel resistance and that's enough.

[carastro]

I have two of these on my dual rig and find them invaluable for gripping my imaging cameras and not only avoiding tilt from just two bolts to hold the camera and filterwheel on but l feel my cameras are safer from sliding out than with two bolts.   Up until now l have had no problems with them getting stuck, but the newer M54 (l think) one is much stiffer at rotating.  
 

I was wondering whether there was a way to lubricate it somehow to make it smoother. 
 

Carole

Edited December 13, 2022 by carastro

[Louis D]

I'm curious why Baader hasn't seen fit to put their mechanical engineers to task to find out what is causing the lock-up and fix it once and for all.

[Bigwings]

Well I have just looked up this thread as I have a ClickLock that won't release.

Its new, well 6 months old but has only been installed for a few months as I have not been out with my kit due to knee surgery. It literally has not been used. 

It is clamped onto a Baader Aspheric EP which it won't let go off. It just unscrews the end of the focuser. 

The supplier has asked me to return it so that they can have a go. 

ClickLock... Yep sure can't call it Click and release. 

Previous contributors remark on not leaving them locked on an EP. Wish I had read it earlier. 

[bemak187]

I have these on as visual backs on all my SCTs and even have one of their clicklock diagonals.  Never had an issue with any of them myself and used in both cold and hot weather.  I do I have quite an expensive EP sitting in the diagonal right now, I am off to check I can get it out 😁

[Ricochet]

Try buying a pair of grip gloves from somewhere like Screwfix so you can hold the lower part of the Clicklock more tightly, then you might be able to unlock it. 

[cajen2]

I'm convinced this is all a product of people trying to tighten the CL too much for the understandable fear of it letting a valuable EP or camera slip. Mine honestly will not let go of my EPs however heavy they are and I only tighten them slightly. As a result, the lock undoes with finger and thumb.

Edited March 29, 2023 by cajen2

[markse68]

From what I understand they work with rollers and can have issues where the rollers twist out of parallel and can jam when there is an undercut or worse the tapered barrels on some eps. But I've never had a close look at one though might do soon although they are rather pricey!

Mark

[Franklin]

18 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

I'm convinced this is all a product of people trying to tighten the CL too much

Yep. When tightened too much, the force the Clicklock exerts whilst gripping the eyepiece is greater than the force holding the threads of the Clicklock and drawtube together and so instead of the Clicklock releasing the eyepiece, as it should, instead the whole thing unscrews from the drawtube. And then there's not much to get hold of to create enough resistance to unlock the Clicklock, you can't hold the eyepiece, you must hold the non-rotating lower end of the Clicklock. I've found two things you can do to prevent this a) Don't over-tighten the thing in the first place and b) Make sure the Clicklock is very tight when threading to the drawtube. When doing this you will tighten up the Clicklock mechanism at the same time but it will release easily as there is no eyepiece barrel engaged.

If this does happen to you, the best way to release the Clicklock is to sink the threaded end into a rubber mat and with downward pressure twist to the left.

[Louis D]

Okay, then the ability to overtighten is a design flaw that needs fixed in a future release.  They could design it to use a torque sensing release that just clicks and rotates once it reaches the proper tension.  The gas caps on my cars have worked this way for years without any problems.

[Louis D]

16 hours ago, markse68 said:

From what I understand they work with rollers and can have issues where the rollers twist out of parallel and can jam when there is an undercut or worse the tapered barrels on some eps. But I've never had a close look at one though might do soon although they are rather pricey!

Mark

I've had this problem with brass compression rings becoming distorted on undercuts and then coming up and out of their groove and jamming the eyepiece in the holder when trying to pull it up and out.  It took a lot of coaxing to get the ring to drop back down in the groove so the eyepiece would release.

[JeremyS]

Well I’ve experienced the dreaded Baader Clicklock seizure for the first time this evening.

Really put a spanner in the works. I was eventually able to release it after taking the Baader BBHS + itsstuck eyepiece in the seized clicklock inside. 

I must say it’s knocked my confidence in the clicklock. At least I was at home so was able to work on it inside under proper lighting.

[Louis D]

Given that cordless electric drill chucks have a really reliable, centering action that releases every time, why can't that same mechanical action be scaled up for eyepiece holders?