Frozen Screw… ugh

[stevefitzwater]

I have a screw that is frozen, I have tried several things to remedy the issue with no success…

Here is what I have tried-

Soaking the area with oil, soaked that side of the movement in wd40…

it is a small Waltham movement, right now it is soaking in wd40… in the hopes that time will yield a some help.

It is on the train bridge..

[arutha]

You can try heating the area gently, brass will expand faster than steel so a quick blast with a heat source and try again. Has worked for me on a few things lately.
Paul.

[tmac1956]

Steve:

Assuming that it’s not actually a left-handed thread (I’ve made that mistake before), then I’ve had good luck with applying a tiny drop of PB Blaster around the screw head and allowing it to stand for 24 hours. It’s almost always gunk causing the problem.

Just a thought…
Thanks,
Tom

[chris mabbott]

Steve,

Tom raises a very good point about it being a left handed thread. Can you tell us where the screw is located just so that we can all be sure?

Also I use the method that Paul suggests and the one that Tom uses 😆 I have a single jet turbo lighter that works great for a pin point shot of heat AROUND the screw area. DO NOT heat the screw head, nor heat it until its changing color..

What I do is to keep my finger on the opposit side of the plate, or in the heat zone, this can be your indicator of too much heat.. JUST DON’T burn yourself 😳

Move the jet flame in a circle around the bolt hole and away from the screw.. You want to expand, slightly, the hole and not the screw..

This works for me 99% of the time..

[arutha]

@SteveFitzwater wrote:

It is on the train bridge..

[stevefitzwater]

outter corner of the bridge train… yeah, those Righty loosey screw can be a pain, but I am pretty dang sure it is a left loosey screw… old Waltham rectangle movement, it is a Waltham Model 450, 17 jewel, a lil itty bitty thing

[stevefitzwater]

oh and thanks for your suggestions

[chris mabbott]

Oops, sorry I didn’t see that part, I’ll blame my tiny pod screen

You’re right then Steve if that’s the case.. Try the heat at the bottom of the plate if the soak doesn’t work. Just make sure the WD is cleaned off… Just stating the obvious safety thang..

[stevefitzwater]

What, the open flame will not clean it off?

[maitai11]

Steve:

I’d like to support Tom’s position by going with PB Blaster, a common frozen threaded nut-buster that has worked for me time, and time, and time again. I say this from the position of experience only from the automotive side of the house – that is to say, the stuff has worked on some of the nastiest stuck nuts and bolts in my travels as a shade-tree mechanic.

To that end, I have not used PB Blast with watchmaking – and would suggest due caution. Like Tom, I would suggest a very small amount, like spraying some into a plastic cover (NOT a Styrofoam cup – it will melt it!)

Then, I’d use a toothpick to carefully place a drop where it counts. Wait 24 hrs (or, less, if you need it done sooner,) and give it a turn. It works through “capillary action,” and I’ve never, ever seen it fail.

I don’t have experience with heat, so I’ll defer to Paul, Chris, and the others on that one.

Good luck

Best,

Tim

[chris mabbott]

@SteveFitzwater wrote:

What, the open flame will not clean it off?

It will, along with your eyebrows…..POOF 😆

[arutha]

I find the flames from the wd40 help to warm it up a little faster and who needs eyebrows anyway?
Paul.

KIDS – Don’t Try This At Home, I Am Kidding!!!!!

[stevefitzwater]

I was going to take a shot and ask if that is what happened to Chris, but I thought I would be nice… LOL!

Never heard of the PB Blaster, around here (Midwest) we use the good ol Liquid Wrench, since I am constantly having stuck and frozen bolts on the old John Deere Tractors my son and I restore, I would of thought we would have a can or two laying around…. Nope.. he has them in his shop, he is currently restoring a 1930’s field tractor for the inlaws.. and he felt he needed it more then I would. Some day I will have to post some images of the “OTHER” addiction I have.

[randy]

Steve,..if you can find PB blaster,..buy it !

It’s much faster than Liquid Wrench.
Just like Tim,..I’ve used it to unfreeze 40+ year old bolts on cars..and it’s never failed to loosen them.

Good stuff to have around for all your hobbies !!!

[tmac1956]

Steve:

If you a close to a Lowes store, they should have PB Blaster.

Later,
Tom

[Author]

Posts