×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

(OP)
Still doing some maintenance after Hurricane Ivan.  I have a number of brass parts with steel set screws.  The screws in the ones that didn't get submerged by the salt storm surge can be removed with no trouble.  The ones that were submerged, and not for long, have seized tight and cannot be freed with an impact driver.

I tried various kinds of penetrating oil and rust removers with no effect.  The only difference I know with the seized parts is that they were submerged for a very short while.

I need to save the brass parts if possible, since they are no longer available for replacement.

Thanks

RE: Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

You could weld a square rod on the screw head carefully. Using a hand wrench remove the offending screws. A practice commonly used to remove broken tap   bits in finished parts.

_____________________________________
"It's better to die standing than live your whole life on the knees" by Peter Mayle in his book A Good Year

RE: Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

(OP)
Thanks for answering.  Actually the slots are still good and I'm able to hold the impact driver tight enough that it stays in place.  I do think I could get more torque on it with a hand wrench, though, and I'll work on that.

A friend suggested heating the parts, figuring the brass would expand more than the steel and loosen the screw.  I haven't tried that yet.

Thanks again.  You took the time for this at 2:16 am?

RE: Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

I am on the other side of the globe ,so it is pm for me. Thanks for your concern,hope you succeed.

_____________________________________
"It's better to die standing than live your whole life on the knees" by Peter Mayle in his book A Good Year

RE: Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

The heating might work for you.  I have a homemade shaft joint that is made of brass and you heat it up and push steel pins through the ends of the shaft.  When it cools it is rock solid.  But heating it up to about 250F you can easily get the pins out.   However they are not threaded either.

Good luck
StoneCold
    

RE: Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

Can you take them into the machine shop?
You may need to drill the steel out.  Then remove the remaining by collapsing it.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Plymouth Tube

RE: Separating corroded dissimilar metal parts

What EdS said; The problem will be to hold the part and the drill bit ridgid so the bit dosen't wander into the soft brass. Try starting with a small pilot bit.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources