Best Method To Remove Old Loctite?

M

montelores

New member
Hi -

I have a small screw hole with factory Loctite in it; what will remove or loosen the old adhesive, not ruin the bluing, and not kill too many brain cells?

Thank you -

Monty
 
I have heated a nail with a torch then hold it to the screw,it will allow it to move.If it dosen't have anything in the hole just use a tap to chase the threads.Good Luck
 
Thank you -

A thread chaser or tap might work. The screw has been removed, but the old Loctite will not let me thread it back into the screw hole. Old Loctite seems to be a real bear to remove.

Thank you -

Monty
 
I haven't read them in a long time, but if you go to Loctite's web site, they have fairly lengthy descriptions of how to take Loctited bolts apart. If there is a solvent that will take it off, I'd expect it to be listed there. If there isn't, my first try would be pure methylene chloride. It will even take hardened epoxy out with enough soak time. The problem is it is highly volatile and probably won't be good for the brain cells. Liquid (not gelled) paint stripper probably will accomplish the same thing, also with enough soak time.
 
Thanks for the replies. I performed a "Google" search for "Loctite removal guns", and it is very sobering. Acetone, MEK, methylene chloride, heat - all for naught.

If I can determine which thread size (it is the screw for an ejector housing on a Ruger Single-Six), I will try a thread chaser or a tap. The screw will not enter more than about 3/4 of a turn into the screw hole, and I can see some red material on the threads.

Thank you for the input.

Monty
 
Monty
My compliments for not mangling it in!

I suggest looking very carefully at the male screw thread with magnification.The thread start can be a problem,and can wipe out the female thread.Maybe a new Ruger screw?

I do not know the thread size,but once you know it,a bottom tap should clean the hole.Maybe a call to Ruger?

Besides Brownell's and Midway,a great source for a tap is MSC.They have everything from janitorial supplies to milling machines.They have a website.

Good luck
 
HiBC and scott1119 -

Thank you for the help.

The screw is the retaining screw for a Single-Six ejector rod housing, so the hole is tapped in the barrel. I removed the screw and ejector housing, but, due to factory Loctite (I assume), the screw will not thread into the hole (I checked prior to attempting to install the housing).

I may first try the nail polish remover, if it won't harm the bluing. If I can find a tap that size with a flat tip (since the hole is so shallow), I'll try to clear the threads.

I tried a screw from another S-S, and it would not thread into the hole, either, but I'll probably call Brownell's or Ruger and order a new one.

I realize that the screw itself doesn't carry much load, but the amount of threads that engage is minimal anyway, and I don't want to damage the barrel.

Thanks again -

Monty
 
Try soaking the problem area with KROIL for an hour or so. It should get under the Loctite and permit you to pick it out. KROIL is a super penetrating oil that will get just about anything free.
 
Try acetone. Just a drop. It is the main ingredient in nail polish remover. It will melt most plastics and should not harm the bluing. Chasing the threads with a tap followed by compressed air should remove every trace. Re-oil very soon because the acetone will remove every trace of oil. This assumes that it IS loc tite and not some type of epoxy adhesive.
 
Finding a tap may be an exercise in frustration.

Very few gun screws are standard size threads.

If you find a specialty tap in the correct diemeter and pitch, expect to pay through the nose.

Just use straight acetone from the paint isle.

Position the gun so the hole faces up and fill it up with acetone.

Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes, then clean it out with a q-tip.
Soak the screw in a small glass container with acetone also, then wipe it clean.

If you are going to use Loctite on the screw to hold it in, both the screw and the hole should now be clean.

If you oil them, be sure to strip the oil off before bothering with new Loctite.
 
Thank you for the responses, fellows.

I spoke with Brownells, and the gun-tech with whom I spoke claims that it is an 8-40 thread. No luck finding one locally (8-32, yes, however). He suggested a hair dryer to heat the hole and loosen the Loctite.

I just returned from purchasing nail-polish remover with acetone, and I'll give the screw hole a soak, as suggested as a first step.

If unsuccessful, the next step will be a Kroil soak. Then maybe hair dryer.

I will ensure that the threads are oil-free prior to using Loctite (assuming I can get the hole cleaned).

Thanks to all for your help, and I'll give a report about my results.

Monty
 
I know that heat will soften the material. If you use a a nail that is heated it may soften the material and then try using the screw as a tap to remove the material. If you get it too hot it will change the color of the blueing.
 
The nail polish remover seemed to work.

I filled the cavity with a few drops of the remover and let it stand for a bit. I then squeezed the end of a Q-tip into the hole and twirled it. The Q-tip came away with a bit of red coloring on a couple of occasions, and the screw threaded easily almost all the way to the bottom of the hole.

Afterwards, I cleaned the area with 70% alcohol to remove any residue, since the remover has a lot of ingredients besides the acetone. Before re-attaching the ejector rod housing, I wiped the area with some Rem-Oil to prevent rust. I used a tiny dab of blue Loctite on the tip of the screw, because that is the only portion of the threads that will engage the screw hole. I tried to keep the threaded area oil-free prior to applying the Loctite.

The screw itself does not carry much load, but it has such a small area to grab, because the barrel can only be drilled and tapped very shallowly. The screw engaged the threads for approx. 2 1/2 turns before seating.

Thank you for your help, and we'll see how it functions in the long haul.

Monty
 
Despite the complaint at the end of the link that stated methylene chloride doesn't work, I did look at Loctite's site and found that methylene chloride is what they recommend. The problem is that it is so volatile you can't just paint it on. You need a way to make it sit long enough to work, and the screw hole is a good place that will hold on to it.
 
The problem is that it is so volatile you can't just paint it on. You need a way to make it sit long enough to work, and the screw hole is a good place that will hold on to it.
Click to expand...

Paint stripper (the old type) is methylene chloride, lacquer thinner, paint thinner, wax, and whatever else the maker decides to throw in.

Plain Methylene Chloride is very volatile, and hard to keep around for much of anything in the open the boiling point is 40 C and it has a vapor pressure of 47 kPa at 20 °C
 
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