Need suggestions to remove 116 year old screw.

[bosterr]

I removed the tang sight from my Great Uncle Clem's Winchester '94 30-30 so I can put it on my Great Grandfather's Winchester '94 32-40 which I shoot a lot. The rear tang screw came out just fine. It's the large one that threads into the bottom tang and has a pretty large head and slot. The front screw is the problem. Apparently this gun was drilled and tapped back when it was built for a tang site. However it's pretty small, the head is about 1/8 inch in diameter and has a pretty thin slot. I have a screwdrive bit that fits perfectly, but the screw won't budge. I really don't want to bugger up an old screw, I want to put the screws back in the other rifle. I don't know enough about complete disassembly, and remove the stock to soak the screw from the underside. Other than "take it to a gunsmith" are there any suggestions?

[RickinTN]

If you have the rear tang screw out the stock is ready to come off. Pull it gently in line with the upper and lower tang. Soaking the screw from the top and bottom with Kroil is what I would do. Give it a day or so and gently try your screwdriver.
Good Luck,
Rick

[BCgunworks]

I would start with soaking the screw in oil.

If that doesn't work a little heat may help. You will need to take the stock off for that.

Also tapping the screw driver as you try and turn it can help.

[bosterr]

Rick, thanks for your quick reply. When I saw 2 other screw heads in the bottom tang along with the lever disconnect stud and what looks like it could be the rounded thread end of another screw, I thought there might be a lot of other stuff in there to worry about. It sounds like you've done this before, so I'll attempt to take the stock off tomorrow. Bob

[Bullshop Junior]

I wouldn't use heat. Too much and you can mess up the bluing. I would pull the stock, and then soak the screw with Kroil or MMO for a few hours or so.

[Outpost75]

ATF and acetone mixed 50-50 by volume actually works better than Kroil or Liquid Wrench, but it raises hell with stock finishes, so just apply a drop with an eye dropper and wipe any spillage off the wood immediately.

[bosterr]

I don't have any Kroil, but I do have acetone and ATF. I'll try that first. Thanks!

[bob208]

lyman is making those sights again. why not get a new one and have a tag sight on both rifles?

[bosterr]

bob208, thanks for the suggestion. I already have the vintage lyman tang sight off the 30-30 and don't really have plans to shoot it. I had Tom at Accurate Molds make me an excellent mold for the 32-40 and it's exceptionally accurate. The screws weren't that tight on the 30-30, it's the front tang screw on the 32-40 that's giving me trouble. Bob

[MtGun44]

50-50 ATF and acetone. Soak for several days. Spend the time and effort to either
find a real gunsmith blade that exactly fits the slot, or grind one to an exact fit with
precisely parallel sides, no angle. Then the gun needs to go into a padded vise or
workmate to hold it dead solid. Smack the screwdriver with a hammer a few times
to help loosen it, then use a wrench on the screwdriver and put your body weight
into it to hold it into place. It should give up.

Bill

[DRNurse1]

@ MtGun44: The advice to have an exact fitting tool for these old fasteners is spot on. Thanks for that timely reminder.

I like the Kroil replacement recipe, too

[Lead Fred]

Kroil and an impact driver has removed every rusted screw Ive ever come across. I bought my impact driver in the 70s, so its removed a lot of stuck screws. Make sure you have the proper fitting bit for the screw head.

and they cost a bunch too

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-reversible-impact-driver-set-93481.html

[35 Whelen]

+1 on this:

91265

I recently was cleaning up a 1901 Colt Bisley and couldn't get the ejector rod housing screw to budge from its place of 112 years. After literally running a really sharp screwdriver bit into the palm of my hand, I remembered the little impact driver. A proper fitting screwdriver tip and a few light whacks later, and the screw was out.

35W

[AkMike]

Make sure that if you decide to use the impact drivers that you fit the bit to the screw! I'd fit a good screwdriver to it then cut off the handle and chuck the shank up in a drill press. With the wood removed and tang in a press vice, give it firm pressure down on the screw and hand turn the chuck to back it out.

[Wots]

Or as MtGunn44 has suggested but put that vise under a drill press, chuck up the proper fitting blade. Lower the spindle and hand turn the chuck.

[scb]

To apply heat.
Find a steel rod about the same diameter as the screw head.
Heat the end of the rod red hot with a torch.
Place the end of the rod on the screw head and leave it there until it turns black.
Immediately attempt to remove screw.
May require repeated attempts.

The problem with an impact driver on this particular screw is that the screw head is fairly thin and you very well may only end up splitting the screw head in half.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Removal of stuck screws should proceed in incremental levels of seriousness.

1. Screwdriver.
2. Kroil and screw driver.
3. Kroil, Screwdriver, and Crescent Wrench to turn screw driver.
4. Heat, with Kroil, and screwdriver.
5. Kroil with Impact Driver after heat is applied
6. Last but not least,,,,Drill it out. If you don't know exactly what you are doing here then find someone who does cuz this is about the easiest way to screw something up badly that there is.

The reason I didn't use the impact driver sooner is because they are easy to tools to ruin finishes with. You have to hold them just right and then hit them smartly with a hammer, and the potential is there to screw up and hit something else. They are more appropriate for working on Motorcycles and the like.

When you heat stuff like this the hot tip is a "Crackpipe Torch," (one of the small butane torches) they have a nice pointed flame which is easy to direct onto a spot. You don't have to heat the parts up very much to get the screw to release, maybe to 200-250F(same with Red Loctite) which won't hurt the blue or change any heat treat that might be present.

You only change heat treating when you exceed about 450 F and the part turns blue. Now it is soft unless it is Hi Speed Steel or above like a tool bit or drill bit.

A really good set of screwdrivers like Brownell's kit is going to take care of 99% of the screw removal you will ever have to do.

The other techniques are for the remaining 1%.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Hey Randy! When I asked my friendly ACE Hardware man for a "crack pipe torch" he gave me a funny look!

Something to remember about rust is that it needs water to form and when you apply heat you are getting rid of the water and creating space for the screw so it turns! After heating supplying a lube just makes it slicker,when force is supplied,hopefully by a proper fitting tool. Also like has been suggested the better you can secure the object the better it is! Can we say a GOOD bench vise!

[KCSO]

The old standby is to put the tang into the vise of a drill press after heating and kroiling and then use the press to push down on the screwdriver as you turn the drive with a handle or a wrench. I have a special driver made up with a t handle just for these situations. By pressing down you don't ruin the slot and you can put maximum pressure on the screw.

[seaboltm]

+1 on the impact driver. However, I would try the other methods first.

[Janoosh]

Allt of good advice here. As there may be rust build up on the bottom of the screw, and you are trying to bring the screw out, see if the screw will drive in deeper, first. Then, if you have access to the bottom of the screw, remove whatever rust you can see. Then, oil, and try to back the screw out.

[Blanket]

a soldering iron is good to apply heat to the screw dirrectly

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have one more suggestion on this topic. I have done this extensively while working on F4's and on just about any larger screw that is stubborn. I use this technique frequently when working on Navy stuff that has been out in the weather along time and virtually glued together with corrosion.

You use a 3/8 drive Speed Wrench, hopefully one with a fairly big knob on the end.(like a Brace) This way you can lean into the tool and then wiggle the handle back and forth which will MOST ALWAYS break the screw loose.

On the top of the wing of an F4E there is a stress panel that has nearly 400 Offset Phillips screws (wormy head) holding it in place. Normally it requires a machinist to drill out a large portion of those screws, as none of them give up easily. I have gotten all but 2 out on that panel three different times using my technique of simply wiggling the screw back and forth until it breaks loose. These screws were all held in place by corrosion, and the combination of having your body weight on the tool to hold it in perfect contact with the screw so it doesn't work the head, and the ability to jiggle it back and forth quickly so it breaks the corrosion loose is a winner.

As far as drilling the screw out the hot tip is a left hand twist drill. What happens is the drill generates heat and eventually the remnant of the screw breaks loose and the drill backs it right out of the hole. The kicker with drilling out screws is that you absolutely must drill thru the center of the screw. Otherwise you FU the host piece, which is a negative experience.

This is why I recommend having someone who knows exactly what he is doing do it for you. That way you have someone else to blame if it goes badly.

Randy

[bstone5]

I use left handed drills a lot to remove rusty bolts, i apply the automatic transmission fluid mixed with a little acetone first, let the mixture set a while around the screw to soak into the joint.

This works most of the time.

[MtGun44]

If you drill, left hand bit is THE SOLUTION, bar none. Absolutely magic.

Bill

[Marvin S]

I have one more suggestion on this topic. I have done this extensively while working on F4's and on just about any larger screw that is stubborn. I use this technique frequently when working on Navy stuff that has been out in the weather along time and virtually glued together with corrosion.

You use a 3/8 drive Speed Wrench, hopefully one with a fairly big knob on the end.(like a Brace) This way you can lean into the tool and then wiggle the handle back and forth which will MOST ALWAYS break the screw loose.

On the top of the wing of an F4E there is a stress panel that has nearly 400 Offset Phillips screws (wormy head) holding it in place. Normally it requires a machinist to drill out a large portion of those screws, as none of them give up easily. I have gotten all but 2 out on that panel three different times using my technique of simply wiggling the screw back and forth until it breaks loose. These screws were all held in place by corrosion, and the combination of having your body weight on the tool to hold it in perfect contact with the screw so it doesn't work the head, and the ability to jiggle it back and forth quickly so it breaks the corrosion loose is a winner.

As far as drilling the screw out the hot tip is a left hand twist drill. What happens is the drill generates heat and eventually the remnant of the screw breaks loose and the drill backs it right out of the hole. The kicker with drilling out screws is that you absolutely must drill thru the center of the screw. Otherwise you FU the host piece, which is a negative experience.

This is why I recommend having someone who knows exactly what he is doing do it for you. That way you have someone else to blame if it goes badly.

Randy
That is exactly right. I try to tell people at work the same thing, some get it some dont. I work as a machinist on KC-135's and remove thousands of buggered screws for people. A 3/8 HSS lathe bit ground to a slow taper makes the best screw extractor when used with a speed handle. There is also a device called a knocker or old man that requires a rivit gun. It workes very well. Patience and teqnique are a must.

[W.R.Buchanan]

MarvinS: I actually won $25 for that suggestion when I was in the AF at Clark AFB in the Phillipines. That took place in 1972-3

IN fact I probably worked on some of the same KC135's that you have. It is amazing how many times they can be rebuilt. I saw Buff's at Kelley AFB in TX, which is the IRAN facility for B52's, that had over 250,000 hours on them IN 1970! Those airplanes are still flying! and have been rebuilt probably three times more since I saw them.

Back in those days there were B52's and KC's in the air 24/7/365 to keep Russia honest. After the cold war ended they trimmed the flight hours back, but those airplanes still got flown more than any other aircraft in history.

Many people don't realize that the B52's, the C130's and the KC135's will be the first airplanes to make 100 years in service. I doubt whether the C130's will be A models simply because they are now making brand new ones I think they are up to "J" or "K" now. IF you see them they are the ones with the 5 and 6 bladed props. I have a horn button from one and it is one of my most prized possessions.

I ran the Base Flight Phase Dock at Clark from 1972-3.

I have a good friend who makes a good living producing replacement body panels for C130's and he is busy all the time. There are no newly designed airplanes that can do what these airplanes can do, better, as a result it pays to keep rebuilding them.

Kind of like old guns that people say are obsolete. I always ask if they would volunteer to be shot at by an obsolete gun like a 400 year old Flintlock?

Never seem to get any takers. Those obsolete guns and those old aircraft will easily outlast all of us, and have already outlasted most of us.

Randy

[merlin101]

If you drill, SHARPleft hand bit is THE SOLUTION, bar none. Absolutely magic.

Bill
There ya go!

[Marvin S]

I've worked on 135's for 30 years so far so im sure we have been on many of the same tail numbers. I started out in phase docks/crew chief then went to machine/weld shop about midway. Worked on many different airframes in deployed locations including them late model 130's. One other tip I would throw in is there are no better apex bits to be had than Apex brand.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Marvin: I'll second the nod to Apex brand bits. Definitely the best out there. Problem is there are so many imitations now you seldom see the Apex brand.

I never got wormy head bits to last very long no matter who made them, I'm lucky to have the few that I have because most people don't even know what an Offset Phillips Head is.

Randy

[Char-Gar]

Or as MtGunn44 has suggested but put that vise under a drill press, chuck up the proper fitting blade. Lower the spindle and hand turn the chuck.

That is the approved way to remove rusty/stuck screws. Lock the piece down in a drill press vise. You can put the key in the chuck to give you something to push against when you turn the chuck by hand. Use your penetrating oil and put a driver in the slot and give the butt of the driver a few whacks to loosen stuff up. Lock the drill press quill down when the driver bit is properly in the slot.

Be aware, you can with the above method, twist the head right off the screw, if it is really really rusted, but the slot won't be buggered. You then have to drill out the rest of the screw. I have done this, with a big screw head and a skinny screw shank. This is quite rare, but I want to be honest with you.

If you do twist off the head, it is just a matter of putting the right drill bit in the chuck as everything is already in alignment and locked down.

[MBTcustom]

Impact drivers work pretty well for big screws with robust slots, but not for little ones. The head may snap off, but it's much more likely that the screwdriver tip snaps off and the sharp end scratches the receiver when it snaps.
You can put almost 500 degrees F on blued metal before it starts to turn colors. Even then, it's not the bluing that is turning, but rather the normal straw/brown/purple/pale blue that steel turns when it gets hot. That action was tempered at 800 degrees+ and it can get that hot again without becoming unsafe, so 400-500 is no problemo.

Heat is your friend. So is time. So is ATF fluid.
If you still need to get that screw out, give the butstock a sharp bump with the palm of your hand and wiggle it off. It should come straight back.
Disassemble the firearm as much as possible and get the forend off too.
Go to the store and get a heat ribbon, like they use to keep stock tanks from freezing. Also get about 3 quarts of ATF fluid.
Pour the ATF fluid into a coffee can, or some metal container, and wrap it up with the heat ribbon, and wrap that with aluminum foil.
Sit the action in the ATF fluid so that the screw is submerged, and wrap up the top of the can with aluminum foil around the part of the firearm that is sticking out of the can.
Plug in the ribbon and walk away for 3 days. (aaaawww maaaannn! three days?!?!?) Yeah, I said three days. It took the better half of a century to stick that screw, and in comparison its not much time.

Now, take the action out of the can and wipe it down.
Vice it in a padded vice, and take a screwdriver that fits the screwslot (you said you had one? Good man. Be sure you have three extras.)
Apply downward pressure and twist the screwdriver. You will see the blade start to twist, and you will get a feeling like it's about to break. At this point, it's important to believe this will work! Will that screw to come out. If it moves a little, then reverse direction on the screw and then try it again. It should come out.
If it doesn't, then grab your propane torch and start playing the heat on the action right under the screw. Do not go too far. You will see the ATF start to smoke and you know you are just about there when it continues to smoke after you remove the torch from it.
Screw your courage to the sticking place (with a properly fitting screwdriver LOL!) and try the screwdriver again.
If it doesn't work, then go ahead and cuss a little and count your lucky stars that you knew when to quit!
Throw it back in the container, wrap it up again, and leave it for another three days.
Repeat the steps with the screwdriver, then the torch, and then the screwdriver again.

I have never had this not work, but if this process fails, you will have to drill out the screw. If this is needed, then I would recommend you take it to your gunsmith and have him get after it with his nimble little fingers and his big, accurate milling machine, and his perfectly sharpened drill bits.
If you simply can't afford to pay your gunsmith $50 to get that screw out, then I would definitely recommend a left twist drill as others have.

[bhn22]

a soldering iron is good to apply heat to the screw dirrectly

That was going to be my suggestion.

[bosterr]

Hello everybody! I'm, the OP. Since I started getting suggestions I have ordered a bunch of spare screwdriver bits from Chapman including 3 each of 4 sizes for spares. I also ordered a 3/8" impact driver from Amazon that looks WAY too big for such a delicate operation. I'll save that for working on my GF's Honda brakes. I have a good bench vice but no drill press vice. I'm going to try the ATF/acetone soak for a few days then give it a try. The wood to metal fit on this gun is superbly tight, so I'm pretty leary about trying to remove the stock for fear of it chipping. Tim, I love reading your posts! No doubt you've been around the block a couple of times. I'll start the soak today and I'll let you guys know next week. Lots of "experierence" has responded and I sure do appreciate it! Bob

[Char-Gar]

Everybody needs a decent drill press if they are going to handload or mess with guns. Jet makes a decent 17" model either as a floor of bench model. I have been using one for 7 years with complete satisfaction. If I did commercial work, I would want something up the price ladder, but for my occasional use, the Jet works just fine.

Another basic tool is a bench grinder with a medium grinding wheel on one side and a fine wire wheel on the other. Again, Jet makes a decent model.

Jet tools are Asian but the American importer holds the makers feet to the fire on quality. They cost more than other Asian tools but are worth it. Call their customer service with a problem and you will get some old American machinist that knows his way around a machine shop.

I was reluctant to use Jet tools, until I had a conversation with Lee Jurris who builds 1,000 yard bench rest rifles. He told me that has nothing but Jet machines in their shop and were happy with them.

If a fellow wants to add a 3rd machine to his home shop a good lathe is next up. Mine is a 1947 Logan and is all I will never need.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tim: have you figured out how to heat your **** yet?

Just wondering if you'd solved that problem yet?

I have two older Craftsman Drill presses. I paid $25 for one and $35 for the other. Garage sales are the place to find them, and you should be able to get a good one for <$50.

I do hope this screw comes out soon, other wise there is no telling where this thread will end up.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Here's a nice little Delta drill press I picked up for $35 OTD! I do love vintage!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes Greg: the older style, pre Chinese equipment is the really good stuff, and when talking about home style equipment is seldom worn out. A small amount of cosmetic work and the thing is good as new.

That one of yours is "industrial quality" and has already lasted for 60+ years and will probably outlast us as well.

The biggest problem with most drill presses is they simply run too fast. My first Craftsman only had the normal 4 step pulley system. The second one I bought had the intermediate reduction system that gives like 12 speeds. I transferred all those parts to my first DP and it is used daily.

I run it in bottom gear always as that is the speed you should always run countersinks which is what that machine is used for most. Drills, even small ones, work just fine at slower speeds. It is also silent which is a welcome feature when working in a machine shop. You just gotta remember to turn it off when done.

When you consider that the speed for a 1/2" drill in steel is 250-300 rpms and countersinks need to run at 100-150 rpms, running slower is better for you in the long run.

Finding parts can be challenging, but we have Ebay now so the stuff is out there, however most of this type of stuff is located in garages around the country.

My only regret is painting this machine Chrome Yellow which was a rebellion against machine gray during my earlier years. Someday I will fix this.

Randy

[ndnchf]

I don't mean to go off track here, but talking about good American made drill presses, i thought I'd show mine. Its a Walker-Turner WT900 from around 1951. It was in sad shape when I got it. The head casting was cracked, but I got another good one to use and restored it. Here is what I started with:

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y493/ndnchf/WT%20900%20Drill%20Press/DP14_zpsd370052d.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/ndnchf/media/WT%20900%20Drill%20Press/DP14_zpsd370052d.jpg.html)

I stripped it down, installed new bearings in the head stock. Cleaned, de-rusted and degreased it, then repainted it. It had the wrong motor, so I replaced it with a 3/4hp, 220v motor (put new bearings in it while I was refurbing it). I added a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) to modernize it. The VFD allows it to run on 110v house current and provides almost infinite variable speed. Very handy for running it real slow when needed. Speed is adjusted by simply turning a knob on the control panel. No belt or pulley changing required.

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y493/ndnchf/WT%20900%20Drill%20Press/P1002179_zpsc0a16785.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/ndnchf/media/WT%20900%20Drill%20Press/P1002179_zpsc0a16785.jpg.html)

http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y493/ndnchf/WT%20900%20Drill%20Press/P1002182_zps26093aaf.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/ndnchf/media/WT%20900%20Drill%20Press/P1002182_zps26093aaf.jpg.html)

The quill locks in place when needed to remove those stubborn screws as described. This is built like a tank, runs smooth as silk and will easily last another 60+ years with just a little care. There are a lot of these older machine tools out there. They show up on Craigslist regularly. Good luck.

[Marvin S]

Wow that VFD is small, mine is a FM 300 IIRC. Nice looking machine. Back on the screw if you aint done so yet take a drift or pin punch to the top of the head and give it a few good taps. It will restore dissplaced metal and help loosen it.

[W.R.Buchanan]

ndnchf;!!!! Nice job on the WT redo. very seldom do I see someone who does that nice a work on machine tools.

It looks very nice and the mint green is a nice touch.

Well Done sir!

If you watch American Restoration on the History Channel you will see lots of different paint jobs on machines that are not stock, but not only attract your attention but make an old style machine look better than new.

I have seen several of Rick's redos on machines in Vegas like slicers where they painted the machine red (saw one on TV last night on a cooking show.) I have also seen a really old Bridgeport mill that was painted a beautiful High Gloss Maroon, and it looked spectacular.

Typically machine tools are painted psychologically neutral colors like gray and the green you painted the WT. It is surprising but running a Mill that was painted Fire Engine Red would probably drive you nuts in short order.

Those machines were painted those mundane colors for good reason.

Still that doesn't stop us from getting creative.

Randy

[ndnchf]

Thank you sir. The green color is similar to the original WT green but a little brighter. But I think it is in keeping with the 1950s. I've seen that show a few times. He really works magic on some of those machines.

[Andrew Mason]

ATF and acetone mixed 50-50 by volume actually works better than Kroil or Liquid Wrench, but it raises hell with stock finishes, so just apply a drop with an eye dropper and wipe any spillage off the wood immediately.

X2 with acetone and ATF, although I usualy use a 70% acetone 30%atf,
but... this mixture will work for every thing that is stuck....period.

[CastingFool]

Hi,
Here's a nice little Delta drill press I picked up for $35 OTD! I do love vintage!

Seagiant: I had a drill press just like yours, except I also had the stand for it. I really wanted to keep it, but had no room for it. Ended up giving it to my SIL, as he had always wanted a drill press. I sure hope he takes care of it. so far, he's keeping it in the garage, not a good place for it in MI.

[smokeywolf]

I would like to have been able to bring all three of the Avey flat leather belt drive drill presses home when I closed up the Studio Machine Shop. Also had a very nice Walker-Turner 4 head gang press that I had set up for 3/8" and below hole drilling, next head small Procunier tapping head, next head 3/8" and up hole drilling and next head with large Procunier tapping head. Kept a drill index, drill & tap set and a dowel pin reamer set on the table. Right next to that was a hand tapper and across from that an arbor press.
If only I'd had a 4 car garage instead of a 2 car.

I've only used goodsteel's method a couple of times. At work, if someone brought a part or assembly in to get a frozen or rusted screw or bolt removed, they wanted it done while they wait. That was one of the things that kept the Studio Machine Shop in business. Not frequently, but on a somewhat regular basis, someone would bring something in to be machined, repaired or modified and we could sit them down with a cup of coffee or tea and in less than an hour hand them what they needed. If you had a production waiting on that part or assembly it could cost the show several thousand dollars per hour.

smokeywolf

[MBTcustom]

Hello everybody! I'm, the OP. Since I started getting suggestions I have ordered a bunch of spare screwdriver bits from Chapman including 3 each of 4 sizes for spares. I also ordered a 3/8" impact driver from Amazon that looks WAY too big for such a delicate operation. I'll save that for working on my GF's Honda brakes. I have a good bench vice but no drill press vice. I'm going to try the ATF/acetone soak for a few days then give it a try. The wood to metal fit on this gun is superbly tight, so I'm pretty leary about trying to remove the stock for fear of it chipping. Tim, I love reading your posts! No doubt you've been around the block a couple of times. I'll start the soak today and I'll let you guys know next week. Lots of "experierence" has responded and I sure do appreciate it! Bob

Actually, I feel I'm still making my maden voyage around the block for the first time, unlike many other members here whom I humbly submit to. However, I pay real close attention to what works and what doesn't, and when an old guy who can barely walk starts rambling about how they used to do this or that, I'm hanging on every word.
Usually, when somebody who is 3 times my age lets one of the slights of the trade drop, you can take that to the bank and cash it, and I have.....many times.
This trick I told you came from a feller across town. Anybody here ever heard of a feller named Al Paulson? Wrote the book on silencers? He needed to get a positively ancient European fully automatic, suppressed gun apart to see how the suppressor worked, but it was a collectors item that was on loan from a museum or something, so the consequences for damaging even one thread was severe.......and everything on that gun was seized shut.
He told me about the heat tape, and the ATF fluid, and guess what? I listened and hung on every word.
Now you know too, so live well and prosper.

[smokeywolf]

I had the good fortune of starting my machinist apprenticeship when The Studio Machine Shop still had a couple of "old timers" who had started their machinist careers on naval and merchant ships crossing the Atlantic during WW II. We had one more "old timer" who had followed his father who had started in the MGM Machine Shop in the 20s when the studio was just getting going. As much of our machinery was dated between 1898 and 1958, the older machinists use to say I was learning the machinist trade on antique machines from antique machinists.

Much of the time the most valuable tips and lessons came in short little comments. If you weren't listening it was your tough luck; they would never tell you twice. Like Tim, I listened very carefully to everything they said.

smokeywolf

[MtGun44]

Neat! The Delta Homecraft is the duplicate of my father's old drill press that I have
inherited. It is a good old maching, solid cast iron, everywhere.

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes guys the newbies coming into the trade will have a hard time unless the engineers come up with a true "Replicator' soon. Looks like they are getting close with the 3D printers.

The amount of knowledge that goes into the ground everytime one of us croaks is astounding. I personally think that everyone should write down everything they know ( or think they know ) just so it doesn't get lost.

If you look at the sum total of the knowledge that is lost everytime some ***** comes to power and has to burn all the books or whatnot it begs the question of where we would be as a society now if none of these losses had occurred, and everyone's knowledge was available to advance us.

"Destruction of Knowledge" is the primary tool of suppression. You can't control people who know as much as you do. It is simply not possible.

Everyone, no matter how low on the totem pole they are has something that they know that is unique and useful to the rest of us.

How seldom we find out what that actually is.

The Library at Alexandria that burned to the ground contained the combined knowledge of the first 6,000 years of human civilization.

Where would we be if we had that knowledge to build on? I doubt there would be any disease that hadn't been cured a thousand years ago.

I submit that we would all be living on a different planet than this little buttsore of a planet with all it's continual strife.

I laugh at the notion of one world government. They can't even keep third world African countries in check let alone run an entire planet. The only way they will ever succeed in controlling this planet is by complete and utter suppression, and the amount of suppression needed on a global scale will pretty much make this place into one big prison camp. It will also be the end of this civilization, and we will probably all be shipped off to work in someone's salt mines as slaves or as food for them. (to serve man)

And yet our technology advances us towards that goal at an ever increasing pace every day. (I'm getting a Samsung Galaxy III phone today that has more capability than this computer I am writing this on, which is less than two years old!) It's not a phone, it is a "Handheld Device." I just need to make calls.

I doubt any of us will see this complete takeover come to fruition in our lives, but come to fruition it will, because that is the natural progression of society in decay.

However, We may experience it in first hand in future lives, and wouldn't it be nice if we could remember where we hid all the guns.

Randy

[bosterr]

SUCCESS!!! The 116 year old screw is out! A little while back I ordered an assortment of screwdriver bits from Chapman to replace those that were damaged or missing from my set. Then I clamped the rifle in a bench vise padded with a thick leather glove. Then I used some Loctite RTV Blue gasket maker and built up a circle of it around the screw. Then I mixed up some half acetone and half transmission fluid. Then every time I thought about it, I went and applied some of the mixture to the screw, leaving it submerged in a puddle. The acetone evaporates out, so I needed to mix some more in every so often. After 48 hours of this, I just removed the screw! I turned it counter-clockwise a few degrees at first then back. Back and forth I went a few times, then I went for it! Felt gummy at first, but then it turned right out. I know this seems like a pretty insignificant chore for a lot of you, but for me, this tiny screw is big part of a family heirloom and would have been a sin to ruin it. I would never of thought to use tranny fluid and acetone, otherwise all I have is Blaster. Thank you so much for all your help, I couldn't have done it without you! Bob

[MBTcustom]

I know this seems like a pretty insignificant chore for a lot of you, but for me, this tiny screw is big part of a family heirloom and would have been a sin to ruin it. I would never of thought to use tranny fluid and acetone, otherwise all I have is Blaster. Thank you so much for all your help, I couldn't have done it without you! Bob

Try doing it 250 times a year on other peoples heirlooms. LOL!

Good on you for getting it out! That 50/50 mix has bailed me out quite a few times as well.

[MtGun44]

50-50 Acetone-ATF has been tested scientifically to provide the lowest torque on
unscrewing rusted bolts - in addition to LOTS of folks just using it and having good
results.

Glad you got it out! Now put a dab of anti-sieze on it before it goes back.

Bill

[seagiant]

Yes guys the newbies coming into the trade will have a hard time unless the engineers come up with a true "Replicator' soon. Looks like they are getting close with the 3D printers.

The amount of knowledge that goes into the ground everytime one of us croaks is astounding. I personally think that everyone should write down everything they know ( or think they know ) just so it doesn't get lost.

If you look at the sum total of the knowledge that is lost everytime some ***** comes to power and has to burn all the books or whatnot it begs the question of where we would be as a society now if none of these losses had occurred, and everyone's knowledge was available to advance us.

"Destruction of Knowledge" is the primary tool of suppression. You can't control people who know as much as you do. It is simply not possible.

Everyone, no matter how low on the totem pole they are has something that they know that is unique and useful to the rest of us.

How seldom we find out what that actually is.

The Library at Alexandria that burned to the ground contained the combined knowledge of the first 6,000 years of human civilization.

Where would we be if we had that knowledge to build on? I doubt there would be any disease that hadn't been cured a thousand years ago.

I submit that we would all be living on a different planet than this little buttsore of a planet with all it's continual strife.

I laugh at the notion of one world government. They can't even keep third world African countries in check let alone run an entire planet. The only way they will ever succeed in controlling this planet is by complete and utter suppression, and the amount of suppression needed on a global scale will pretty much make this place into one big prison camp. It will also be the end of this civilization, and we will probably all be shipped off to work in someone's salt mines as slaves or as food for them. (to serve man)

And yet our technology advances us towards that goal at an ever increasing pace every day. (I'm getting a Samsung Galaxy III phone today that has more capability than this computer I am writing this on, which is less than two years old!) It's not a phone, it is a "Handheld Device." I just need to make calls.

I doubt any of us will see this complete takeover come to fruition in our lives, but come to fruition it will, because that is the natural progression of society in decay.

However, We may experience it in first hand in future lives, and wouldn't it be nice if we could remember where we hid all the guns.

Randy

Hi,
Nice write up Randy! Starting in the Merchant Marine in the late 70"s there were still guys that had fought in WWII sailing. You would be eating lunch and hear stories from the old guys from NYC that had been torpedoed just outside the sea bouy.Picked up out of the water went back to the Union Hall cleaned up and go out again and get sunk again! Crazy stuff! Some guys had gone in the water 3 or4 times during the war! These are the guys I learned from working on Deck and probably why I still have all my body parts!

The Homecraft Delta line of tools were actually made for the homeshop worker in the 50's but was so well made with such great materials that they are better than A LOT of commercial tools of today! I am quite envious of that Walker Turner Drill press as I have always lusted after one! They are hard to find in decent shape and with that VFR it's the cats a$$! When I rebuild the Homecraft might look into that.

[nanuk]

...
Many people don't realize that the B52's, the C130's and the KC135's will be the first airplanes to make 100 years in service. I doubt whether the C130's will be A models simply because they are now making brand new ones I think they are up to "J" or "K" now. IF you see them they are the ones with the 5 and 6 bladed props. I have a horn button from one and it is one of my most prized possessions.
...
Randy


I was surprised to read that a Herc would have a horn! What, other pilots need to be told to get outta the way?? :kidding:

[W.R.Buchanan]

You saw the button that went in the center of the steering wheel? What else would it be doing there?

We called them Hercu-pigs so the horn actually went,,, "Oink Oink."

One of the best airplanes ever made.

Randy