<VV> Fwd: VV> Metal question, not necessarily Corvair

[JVHRoberts at aol.com]

To make this work right, you have to either cool the inside of the post, or  
heat the outside of the frame. I'd start with a hair dryer, since it's not 
hard  at all to lose the temper in aluminum if you were to use a torch. However, 
if  you, at the same time, blast something cold inside the post (I'd use dry 
ice and  acetone, VERY cold, and the liquid has enough mass to remove a LOT of 
heat),  this should break things loose. Rock it around, and if that doesn't 
work, it's  REALLY corroded. 
 
If you go to put it back together, the usual recommendation is grease, NOT  
antiseize. A LOT cleaner, and some anti seize compounds in an ambient  
environment can actually accelerate corrosion, especially if there's never any  heat 
to drive off moisture. 
 
Ask me how I know sometime... Grrrrr...
 
In a message dated 8/14/2008 10:10:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
ScottyGrover at aol.com writes:

In a  message dated 8/11/2008 9:01:35 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,   
dkdewald at pasty.net writes:

At  21:20 8/10/2008 -0400, Marc  Sheridan  wrote:

>>snip<<
>My bicycle has an  aluminum seat  post in a steel seat tube. While looking 
for  a
>creaking noise, I  discovered that I forgot to use anti-seize in  this
>situation, because  the seat post won't  budge
>
>Has anyone found a way or a  chemical that will  break that bond? I've been
>shooting PB Blaster on  it everyday for  weeks and it still won't move. Heat
>is out of the  question  because it would ruin the paint and I can still ride
>it the  way  it is. I'd just like to get it freed in case I do want to   
adjust
>it for some reason.

You may want to try cold.    Since aluminum has a greater thermal expansion 
coefficient it will   shrink more than the steel tube when chilled.

Maybe you could try  a  can of circuit cooler from an electronics supply 
house, but this  might  not get it cold enough. However, the ideal chill 
could be made  with  liquid nitrogen.  Maybe you could get the left over LN2  
from your  doctor's office at the end of the day when they have it  available 
to  freeze warts.

If you get some, make a dish or  cup like mold out of  styrofoam to contain 
the LN2 around the seat  post.  LN2 will boil  and spatter on contact with 
anything warm.  Wear heavy gloves and eye  protection [goggles].  LN2 on the  
skin causes almost instant  frostbite burns--painful, but will heal.  LN2 in 
the eyes will cause  permanent damage.

If you end up  trying this, please let us know how  it works out.

Dale  Dewald
Hancock,  MI


 



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