Does anyone have any tips to undo a stuck 2" clamp?

[LoveFromGallifrey]

So, I went away travelling for a year and left my Altair 102ED-R refractor in its case with a 2" dessicant cap replacing the 2" focuser end cap on the advice of several people on FB. 

I've just gone to use it for the first time since I returned home, and neither the original end cap or my star diagonal fit anymore. In fact, the original end cap has actually gotten stuck when I tried to test it and I can't get the darned thing out again. Does anyone know how to fix it? Really frustrating, since I can't get the clamping mechanism to undo at all, there is just no way of unscrewing it that I can see. Tried everything I know.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by LoveFromGallifrey

[Ricochet]

15 minutes ago, LoveFromGallifrey said:

The metal must have contracted/shrunk somehow

There is absolutely no way that could have happened. You must have not undone the 2" clamp fully. 

[LoveFromGallifrey]

On 20/11/2022 at 21:00, Ricochet said:

There is absolutely no way that could have happened. You must have not undone the 2" clamp fully. 

Hey! Logically, I know that. I was half-joking, half sleep deprived when I originally posted. It's just stuck, but ita well stuck. I've tried everything I know to try and undo it without damaging it, and nothing has worked. Camera wrenches, a variety of different textures to help grip, WD40, heating it up slightly etc. It's stuck fast. Ah well.

[drjolo]

You may try to use heating or cooling the cap before unscrewing. If that is metal it will shrink while cooling and expand while heating. 

Does that end cap has male or female thread? If male, then cooling should help - put some ice or dry ice on it for a moment (so the cap will be cooled, but not the focuser tube) and then try to unscrew. If female, then you may try to heat it with hair dryer or some hot air gun and then try to move. 

Edited November 29, 2022 by drjolo

[Ratlet]

If there's no glass near to it you could try tapping the thread.  And I do mean two as in gently hit.  Not battering like a ginger stepchild.  We used to get stuck threads on equipment where you would need a cheater Barton open it.  However tapping around the thread with a small adjustable spanner would get the bins to release.

[Louis D]

I've had jamming issues when the focuser compression ring rises out of its channel and gets jammed against the undercut on an eyepiece.  I've only ever used smooth sided focuser plugs in storage, so no issues there.  In fact, they've always been made of flexible plastic.

Perhaps posting a picture of what's jammed where might help.

[bosun21]

Photograph would be a big help.

[Guest]

When in doubt.... Get a bigger hammer.  Break or bleed this thing is coming apart... May not apply to this situation though.