Removing Aeropack Retainer Body

[cerving]

I have a 54mm Aeropack retainer that I put on backwards... DOH! Problem is, I used JB Weld, and no matter how long I hold the heat gun to it, it's not budging. Any ideas?

 

[Exactimator]

I have a 54mm Aeropack retainer that I put on backwards... DOH! Problem is, I used JB Weld, and no matter how long I hold the heat gun to it, it's not budging. Any ideas?

Yes. Hold your L2 card out so I can slap it out if your hand.*

Is the MMT already installed? If not, and you can live with a shorter tube, you can cut the end off and grind the tube and epoxy out of the retainer and then re-use it.

What kind of tube is it on?

*now that I've said that, I'll do the exact same thing on my next build.

 

[cerving]

Fiberglass MMT. I ended up buying a longer one anyway so I could put a third centering ring on it, but I'd kinda like to save my investment.

 

[RocketFeller]

Try a propane torch. I removed one installed with JB Weld to phenolic tubing. Heat it up and then grab it with a doubled/tripled over rag and twist.

 

[manixFan]

Not sure how hot your gun is but I have been able to remove quite a few with a 1000 watt heat gun that gets to about 1200 degrees. I bought a bunch of built rockets that were mostly trashed but had a lot of usable parts. Using the heat gun I was able to loosen the JB Weld enough to get the retainer off and clean it up enough to reuse it. I do recall that I had to get the adapter very hot to have any effect on the JB Weld.

Good luck,


Tony

 

[fyrwrxz]

+1 on the propane torch-keep revolving it and use a pair of slip joint (pipe) pliers with duct tape on the jaws to grip and twist off. Yeah- a lot hotter than you would expect, but it works and the tube is still usable if you don't get the flame on it. I covered mine below the adaper with loose aluminium foil.

 

[cherokeej]

That's it... Judicious use of a pencil torch.

 

[crossfire]

propane torch it will take about 40 sec. and it will be off.

 

[Jarhead]

Oddly enough I have a 38mm retainer on a Shapeshifter Jr. that crashed at MWP. I hauled it home to reuse parts that were undamaged.
OP, thanks for asking I never would have though retainers were salvageable.

 

[Onebadhawk]

Cris,,
All epoxies have a temperature they will work up to..
Then they soften and fail...
A heat gun will work on quite a few different epoxies..
You need a torch to reach the fail temp of JB Weld..
( I like a butane pencil torch over a big propane torch for this,, it's more accurate )..
Getting the Aeropac retainer off isn't a problem..
Getting the rest of the JB Weld out of the threads that the retainer is to screw into after you get it off will be tough...
The best way to do that is with the proper die and the torch and a bench vise and a pair of pliers....

Teddy

 

[AfterBurners]

soak it in acetone

 

[michigander]

heat I will find a link where i did it , 38mm came off like butter

 

[michigander]

heat I will find a link where i did it , 38mm came off like butter

what I did was stuffed a sock up motor tube to retain heat , when warmed up removed sock added washer and retainer cap for pushing , plastic conduit was used with rubber mallet , it flew off easy

 

[Onebadhawk]

Yes,, it will come off like butter..
But if he put it on backwards that means he filled the female threads with JB...
After he gets the retainer off the JB has to come out of the female threads..

Teddy

 

[michigander]

Yes,, it will come off like butter..
But if he put it on backwards that means he filled the female threads with JB...
After he gets the retainer off the JB has to come out of the female threads..

Teddy

ahhh crap my bad

white vinegar soaking is my next suggestion

 

[Onebadhawk]

ahhh crap my bad

white vinegar soaking is my next suggestion

I think if he clamps the retainer in a vise then heats the JB and runs a
steel wire brush in the threads it will come out..

Teddy

 

[Kevin W]

I've recycled several. Use plenty of heat to remove, soak in acetone over night and remove residual JB weld with exacto blade or o ring pick then follow with SS brush that's about the size of a tooth brush. Repeat soak and brush if needed usually no more than twice.
Kevin

 

[T-Rex]

When you say that you installed it backwards, are you saying that you glued the cap to the tube, or that you glued the base on incorrectly?

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

I'm not fully understanding how one would get JB Weld in the threads. My retainers have always gone over the MMT, with threads on the outside and JB Weld goes inside the retainer or on the outside of the MMT. The female threads being in the cap...I don't get it.
I think someone on here once used a hot plate? And stood the retainer on that. Seems like I read that.

 

[jd2cylman]

I'm not fully understanding how one would get JB Weld in the threads. My retainers have always gone over the MMT, with threads on the outside and JB Weld goes inside the retainer or on the outside of the MMT. The female threads being in the cap...I don't get it.

Yeah, I'm with ya here, maybe Teddy got into some bad Hootch? Or maybe he's thinking he put a large fillet around the outside, over the retainer... :confused2:

 

[Woody's Workshop]

Cut it off, use a dremel with "THIS" bit.

 

[Onebadhawk]

Yeah, I'm with ya here, maybe Teddy got into some bad Hootch? Or maybe he's thinking he put a large fillet around the outside, over the retainer... :confused2:

hahahahahhaahaa,,
Noooo,, he said he put the retainer on backwards....
One side of those retainers is grooved around the inside circumference for the JB to have something to "key" into..
And the other side is threaded for the screw in retainer the nolds the motor in...
If he put it on backwards then he filled the threads with JB and slid it on the motor tube...

Teddy

 

[jd2cylman]

hahahahahhaahaa,,
Noooo,, he said he put the retainer on backwards....
One side of those retainers is grooved around the inside circumference for the JB to have something to "key" into..
And the other side is threaded for the screw in retainer the nolds the motor in...
If he put it on backwards then he filled the threads with JB and slid it on the motor tube...

Teddy

But, but Teddy, the threads on the body are external... The cap has the internal threads. Maybe more Hootch??? :neener:

 

[mpitfield]

xxx

 

[Steve Shannon]

hahahahahhaahaa,,
Noooo,, he said he put the retainer on backwards....
One side of those retainers is grooved around the inside circumference for the JB to have something to "key" into..
And the other side is threaded for the screw in retainer the nolds the motor in...
If he put it on backwards then he filled the threads with JB and slid it on the motor tube...

Teddy

That's true of the threaded slimline retainers from Giant Leap, but the Aeropack retainers have male threads on the retainer body and a female threaded cap.
I have seen the Giant Leap retainers epoxied on backwards. Thankfully I haven't done it.

 

[mpitfield]

xxx

 

[Steve Shannon]

So what your saying is that it requires a bit more skills to epoxy the Aeropack retainer on backwards vs. the GLR SlimLine retainers.

More persistence for sure. [emoji1]


Steve Shannon

 

[Steve Shannon]

No, just that it would be more difficult to fill the threads on the outside of the body with JB Weld. As one who has committed my share of mistakes I'm not about to point fingers.[emoji1]


Steve Shannon




Steve Shannon

 

[Onebadhawk]

But, but Teddy, the threads on the body are external... The cap has the internal threads. Maybe more Hootch??? :neener:

Nooooo,,
Not on the retainer from Giant Leap...
The threads are both internal...
That's the retainer I was thinking of...
Wow,, I didn't realize it could be the other one,, lol..

Teddy

 

[Onebadhawk]

Yeah Steve,,
the Slimline,,
Those are the retainers I have on the rocket I do the airstarts with,,
"Europa Express",, it's a 3" airframe with a 54 central and 2-- 38 outboards..
I used the slimlines so I could get the outboards closer in to the central...

So there Adrian,, lol...
You thought I was nuts,, lol..

Teddy