OT - How hot to expand enough...?

[Kenneth]

"Ladies and Gentlemen... We have a winner...!" (with honorable mention to Tnom)

I did not have any beeswax handy, but did have some candle wax.

Before describing my experience, I will admit that I thought it unlikely that either technique would work because it seemed to me that the melted wax would be far too viscous to penetrate, and I had no luck with (what I thought were "proper" penetrants.)

So, this morning, with a candle in hand, I approached the beast, lit my torch, heated the yoke slightly, and dabbed on the wax, both in front of, and behind the yoke.

I then intended to hammer the yoke back on, but because of the odd shape have to be very cautious to locate the blows properly. The first few stroked were very light taps rather than the firm strikes I expected to need.

Tap tap tap and the damn thing move... visibly.

Next, I grabbed my prybar and the spacer that allowed it to work. I expected to have to lean into it as I had, but as I got it into position just its weight and its wedging action moved the thing slightly.

I gave a pull, and it moved about 3/4"... Another pull, and it was in my hand.

I was truly astounded, and most appreciative.

I've been around tools for fifty years, and had not heard of this wax trick before.

Sincere thanks for all the help,

[JIMMIE]

Not hot enough to effect the metal temper. I just got through using this technique a few minutes ago on some rusty U bolts. The guy I was working with had been a mechanic in the Navy for 8 years and he was impressed by how well it worked.

Jimmie

[Stormin Mormon]

Thanks for the field report. I'd heard of wax, but I've never tried it.

[Stormin Mormon]

Did you wire brush off the visible rust, first?

[Kenneth]

Howdy,

No, but there was no way I could, and that was a big part of the problem:

When the yoke was fully on the shaft, the end of the shaft was flush with the yoke. There was nothing exposed to brush (until I got the yoke off completely.)

Once I got it off, I polished the shaft with fine abrasive paper, coated it with anti-seize, and pushed the yoke by hand.

All the best,

[Stormin Mormon]

I'm very pleased that you got your job accomplished, and that's no yoke. Really, it's no yoking matter. Since tomorrow is Sunday, I remind everyone the Bible says not to be unevenly yoked. So, pull evenly on the yoke to get it apart. I'll try not to wax poetic, though I can be a slippery devil, and penetrate a bit.

The sandpaper and never seeze will save you a lot of work in the future.

[HeyBub]

And special kudos to you for being willing to try something a little odd.

Many would dismiss the idea as "can't possibly work" or "go away, loon."

[Kenneth]

Hey, I did dismiss the idea thinking it "can't possibly work" (but tried it anyway...)

All the best,

[The Daring Dufas]

A lot of mechanics use paraffin instead of beeswax. I've also heated stuck items then quenched them with oil which is wicked into the threads. Works well with Liquid Wrench because you don't have to apply a lot of heat for it to work.

TDD