Best way to remove this...

[Jimbob 2705]

Best way to remove brass plug from steel tube...

Hi Folks,

Apologies if this is the incorrect section, not too sure where to put it.

After some advice on the best way to remove the brass end plug which is threaded into a steel tube.

A few things worth mentioning :

The steel tube is of a relatively tough powdercoated finish. Whilst relatively thick wall, it is important it doesn't get damaged/squashed when holding.
The other end of the tube is solid so no way to get penetrating oil, etc down to the threads.
Brass end plug is smooth (no flats for tools) but has a couple of of holes in the outside diameter, which a couple of pins locate in and can be unscrewed with a tool

I feel use of careful heat is the answer although being careful with the tube finish. Which part is best to heat and why? I suspect I could also use freeze spray to enhance contraction/expansion.

Attachment below of a very basic diagram.

Cheers chaps!

 

[TGTool]

You don't say how large the tube is, but if it could be held in a collet which in turn could be held in a collet block that would be a good way to hold the tube without damage.

Properties of materials would say to heat the tube and cool the brass plug. Brass is a relatively good heat conductor so time is of the essence. With enough tube sticking out to heat gently, then wrapping with a protective rag and hitting the brass with freeze spray should put you in a position to quickly try.

 

[Bill D]

Pin wrench or pin spanner as they say in Britain.
Bill D

 

[CITIZEN F16]

Assuming it is a right hand thread, drill down through the center of the brass plug with a left hand drill. It should bind in the hole and unscrew itself.

 

[Billtodd]

Rather than a conventional pin wrench, how about a close fitting bush slid over the brass with holes aligned to the pin holes. This would allow the full shear force to be applied to the stopper.

Gripping the tube will require the maximum area contact , so a thick walled tube, split along its length , perhaps lined with thin rubber or plastic to protect the paint, could act as a collet.

 

[Jimbob 2705]

Thanks all, appreciate the help so far.

A bit more information :

Tube is approx 28mm in diameter off the top of my head.
Brass piece has to come out unmarked, and subsequently refitted.

Tool used is exactly as @Billtodd described, a tight fitting bush with pins fitted and a large spanner can be used.

Like the idea of a full length tube or similar to get maximum grip

 

[steve45]

Welcome aboard, Jimbob!

Be sure to read the posting rules, thread titles must actually say what the thread is about. I'd suggest you changed it before it gets locked.

 

[crossthread]

Is the plug expendable? If so then there are a lot of ways to get it out and not damage the tube.

 

[technocrat]

A couple of heating and cooling cycles will allow a lot of loosening on a micro scale. Penetrating oils can get in there to help removal.

What is the actual problem stopping removal?

If it is damage to the brass plug, that may be easy to replace and cheaper than the right removal tool. It does not really matter which part you heat unless you are doing shrink fitting, which is controlled and fast. When you heat either part there is a contraction and expansion cycle which tends to free binding.

Like a lot of old school machinists, I do a lot of maintenance, most of it is fixing broken or jammed up shit and the making the thing work again. Paint is cheap, left hand drills (above) expensive, machined fixture to align removal pins (above) expensive, brutalise and replace the cheapest part is often cost effective.

 

[Tony Quiring]

Get a socket that fits it and use an impact gun.

Should zip it free fast, just hold the rod and zip it.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[crossthread]

Tony....he states that there are no flats on the plug. Socket is not going to work. He does say however that there are some holes in the plug for a spanner. He could rig up a socket with some pins and try the impact wrench idea. It's amazing what you can rattle off sometimes.

 

[Peter from Holland]

Hit the brass plug with a hammer on the head a couple of times
If it is not glued in it comes loose to unscrew pretty fast
Hitting it with a hammer is always my first thing to do with stuck threads
It often works

Peter

 

[lionelt]

Put the tube in lathe chuck, inside another tube for protection, put small disk with pins for the cap holes in tailstock chuck, unwind by turning lathe chuck by hand.

 

[blcksmth]

Make a loop from a length of narrow leather strip by tying the ends together. This loop should be long enough to wrap around the tubing several times. Start the middle of the loop around the tubing and pass the tied end through the loop. In the opposite direction continue wrapping until the tied end is close enough to the tubing to pass a handle of some kind through the open loop. The leather will grip the tubing, without leaving marks, while the plug is unscrewed. Small soft rope or twine can be used instead of leather.

This much easier to demonstrate than it is to describe in words.

Bob
WB8NQW