700 Barrel Removal at Standstill

[ButterBean]

OK, bought a 4' 2x4 of oak, cut max width oak blocks to just fit inside vise, cut the blocks 3" long so I have twice the "grip on barrel. Spent afternoon gathering all the incidentals together and put the barrel in the expanded block setup. I was hoping the extra width would give me "extra" grip. I cranked the vise until the wrench completely stopped so it was full compression on the barrel.

I set up the action wrench so I had perfect downward angle on the handle to swing Thor's hammer! With a mighty swing, I rattled my fillings in my teeth and that dang barrel just spun in the vise. I have really one other alternative is to buy a whole new barrel vise setup but right now I didn't want to go down that road. It is now on my list of upgrades for my future builds.

I am bringing it to Mark Penrod of Penrod Precision tomorrow. If he cannot remove it then maybe I will feel vindicated but knowing him it will come off in a second or two. But at least I can say I "loosened" it for him! I have to say I gave it everything I could think of except for buying whole new vise setup which is now on the must buy list.

I thoroughly enjoyed trying almost everything suggested and certainly enjoyed the camaraderie of LRH friends just trying to "help me out" even with the zingers!

I plan on gathering my thoughts and posting up everything I tried and failed! Sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the windshield. Three guesses where I splattered...

View attachment 256872

You've fought the good fight Brother

 

[nkyshooter]

OK, bought a 4' 2x4 of oak, cut max width oak blocks to just fit inside vise, cut the blocks 3" long so I have twice the "grip on barrel. Spent afternoon gathering all the incidentals together and put the barrel in the expanded block setup. I was hoping the extra width would give me "extra" grip. I cranked the vise until the wrench completely stopped so it was full compression on the barrel.

I set up the action wrench so I had perfect downward angle on the handle to swing Thor's hammer! With a mighty swing, I rattled my fillings in my teeth and that dang barrel just spun in the vise. I have really one other alternative is to buy a whole new barrel vise setup but right now I didn't want to go down that road. It is now on my list of upgrades for my future builds.

I am bringing it to Mark Penrod of Penrod Precision tomorrow. If he cannot remove it then maybe I will feel vindicated but knowing him it will come off in a second or two. But at least I can say I "loosened" it for him! I have to say I gave it everything I could think of except for buying whole new vise setup which is now on the must buy list.

I thoroughly enjoyed trying almost everything suggested and certainly enjoyed the camaraderie of LRH friends just trying to "help me out" even with the zingers!

I plan on gathering my thoughts and posting up everything I tried and failed! Sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the windshield. Three guesses where I splattered...

View attachment 256872

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

But... but... but... I have popcorn left! ...

 

[LuvDog]

Buy that hydraulic press from harbor freight and get back in the game

 

[Muddyboots]

Buy that hydraulic press from harbor freight and get back in the game

Absolutely! Plus a really good steel and aluminum bushing vise will be good to go!

 

[Susquatch]

Crxx! Not the news I expected.

I can't blame you for taking it elsewhere, but I confess I've been rooting for you and I think I understand.

If, after sleeping on it, you are game to try some more.......

You could try hanging some weight on the action wrench just shy of what it takes to turn the barrel in the barrel vice and then leave it overnight. Sometimes slow and steady will creep the adhesive - sorta like pulling price stickers off of retail products. Pull fast and the label tears, pull very slowly and the adhesive let's go instead. It's a game of patience. Also, same goes for using the hammer in the morning. Try a lot of lower force blows like an air hammer while maintaining the pressure on the wrench handle.

Also, I went back and took another look at your setup. I didn't notice it before, but it looks like maybe you have too much rosin in there. It's only supposed to be a very thin surface sticker. Rosin itself won't take a lot shear force. I sprinkle it on thinly or dab it on with my finger so it's a very thin coat. Also, the rosin seems to be collected in various places which suggests the wood block to barrel fit isn't as good as it could be either.

You didn't mention the thick plates I suggested to sandwich the wood blocks and spread the load across their length. Without them, the wood will probably bend away from the barrel and provide very little additional strength beyond the vice jaws.

You can also make a set of steel or aluminium jaws for your existing vice by boring out a piece of square stock to the same ID as the barrels OD and then cutting it in half with a band saw or even a cut-off saw. This would make your existing barrel vice almost as strong as the Brownells.

If you do take it to your guy across town, I hope he has a lathe.....

I wish I lived close by.

 

[steel2]

What's a safe temperature for the action barrel? because I believe there's a time component for the weakening of Loctite type thread adhesives with applied heat. If you were to put the barrel and action in the oven for an hour two I suspect that would work.

Eta: Data sheet says 100s of hours plus.

I use quite a lot of blue and red loctite and and I heat it to 200 to 300 degrees and that is plenty hot to make it run and lets you loosen the object you are working on so I don't think that is a problem from the amount of heat that has been already applied jmo

 

[Hatrick]

Mud, It takes a smart man to ask for help or directions.
Tom

 

[Muddyboots]

Susquatch: like the steady weight idea. The rosin was spread thinly and just got tossed all over when I pulled out. I used solid 7/8" hickory floor planking on top and bottom like you suggested earlier in this last go. That stuff doesn't give at all and spread the force evenly across the bigger oak blocks I made. Here they are and noticed the rosin wasn't as even as I hoped. But I feel the compression was as stout as I could get with my setup. They are quite a bit bigger that original blocks.

The smith Mark Penrod is well known and surprised he offered to help. His builds are pretty darn good. He is well known for his switch barrel and work on Ruger 1's. He has done work for me in past and he said no problem! He is a full service gunsmith from custom builds to general work so has all the "toys" to get it done.

Appreciated all the suggestions and it was definitely a learning experience and gotta say somewhat fun!

Thanks for the help offer! That was very much appreciated!

 

[Muddyboots]

The problem is I have run up against is time. I have shoulder surgery in 4 weeks and I have Hammer loads to finish upHouse spring stuff prep that I can't do after surgery. So I looked at calendar and decided I needed to make it happen in parallel to the other things that need to be done too.

This was a fun ride and learned more on what doesn't which may help in future similar problem.

I do think it still may be easier than those dang 2 piece Triton spark plugs! I helped a friend trying to pull multiple broken plugs and it was the worse 8 hours under a hood of a truck for 2 *** spark plugs!

 

[ButterBean]

If you see a Ford ...................... Just Say No

 

[atblis]

I'm wondering if the 3M heavy duty adhesive double-sided tape would work. Clamp everything down and let it sit for a while...

 

[Susquatch]

I'm wondering if the 3M heavy duty adhesive double-sided tape would work. Clamp everything down and let it sit for a while...

Yup, his barrel is turning in his barrel vice. So stopping that by improving the vices ability to resist the turning torque should be a major focus.

 

[Tommytrees]

Muddy,
Sorry to hear that you and your bride are down with aftershot effects.
I will wait patiently for the resumption of this ongoing saga .
Informative and humorous, better reading than a Tom Perry book. LOL.
Be safe and get well.
Tommyt

 

[Tommytrees]

Muddy,
Sorry to hear that you and your bride are down with aftershot effects.
I will wait patiently for the resumption of this ongoing saga .
Informative and humorous, better reading than a Tom Perry book. LOL.
Be safe and get well.
Tommyt

Ooops. just noticed I was on page 9 and this story is at page 13. Just trying to catch up since my temporary departure.
Tommy LOL