Heat! Got a propane torch?

 

I agree........heat the tower and if it still won't come out. Heat it again and use ice in rag to cool the oar lock as you pull. Buy a heat gun if you're going to buy a torch. You will need it for boat repair in the future.

 

Soak the tower and shaft with vinegar for a day or two to loosen the oxidation bond between the two dissimilar metals then take a pipe or long bar to turn the shaft in the tower. Do not cut it off unless it is a last resort effort.

PW

 

I do have a heat gun, but wasn’t sure if it’d get hot enough. And I like the vinegar idea. I use it regularly to descale our hard water deposits from our faucets. Should have thought of it for this!

Thanks everyone! Keep the ideas coming and I’ll report back with progress.

 

Heat: I don't understand how this will work. The thermal expansion of steel is lower than that of brass (Thermal expansion - Wikipedia). This would point towards using cold not heat, that said you will not get enough of a temperature swing with ice to make much of a difference.

If it was mine, I would put the oar lock in the vice and then then hammer on the steel.

 

Heat: I don't understand how this will work. The thermal expansion of steel is lower than that of brass (Thermal expansion - Wikipedia). This would point towards using cold not heat, that said you will not get enough of a temperature swing with ice to make much of a difference.

If it was mine, I would put the oar lock in the vice and then then hammer on the steel.

Yes, but that corrosion is your friend in this case--it's an insulator and won't perfectly conduct heat from the steel to the bronze. Give the steel intense heat (torch) and the bronze intense cold (ice or dry ice).

The oarlock is also malleable. I think putting it in the vise is asking for trouble on the bronze end..you can really gall it up.

+2 for the dry ice.
Science makes sense; cold shrinks the thickness of the metals involved, giving more wiggle room.

Add some chemicals, hit it with a torch, sacrifice a chicken, put 'er in the vise and have a go.

We need a crossbow, an hour glass, three goats, ...

I know a man with a goat.
GOOD! Then I can go like this!

I think a punch of some sort and a hammer may get it the rest of the way, but our daughter was not feeling great last night or sleeping well, so no loud banging! The angle/layout of the tower also makes it hard to line up a punch and the hammer swing.

Do not use a sharp/pointed punch. You might flare out the end and make it even tighter. Do use a dull drift/punch that will strike the end straight on and not try to mushroom it.

 

Dry ice on the brass might do the trick. It's tough to heat one piece and cool the other when they are stuck together like that. When we do big bearings for ski lifts that's the trick. Heat the living hell out of the bullwheel and dry ice the bearings. you only get one shot to drop them in perfectly.

 

Heat and cold combined is the key.

Yep, I've used/watch this process to press fit smaller parts. It's definitely amazing to watch it! I'm not 100% sure I want to mess with that level of heat and dry ice if I can avoid it. The heat for breaking it up also makes sense...except I couldn't find my heat gun last night!

If it rotates fairly easy (but squeaky) when all the way down then it seems to reason the issue is at the bottom end. If so, the bottom of the shank could be bent or otherwise expanded/damaged. Is it the threaded model where the nut could burr up/expand at the upper end of the threads?

It doesn't rotate freely, which is why I wanted to pull it and clean and lube it. Last week it took the leverage of the oar and it was hard to rotate it a full 360 degrees .

I was able to pry some on it last night and it's halfway up the collar now! Judging by the scoring on the oarlock, I think there is a burr somewhere, but I won't be able to address it until it's out. I think a punch of some sort and a hammer may get it the rest of the way, but our daughter was not feeling great last night or sleeping well, so no loud banging! The angle/layout of the tower also makes it hard to line up a punch and the hammer swing.

It's taken a few trips down the trough road, so I'm sure there is some mag chloride and other junk in there. I may try some vinegar today before going back at it this evening.

Thanks everyone!

 

+2 for the dry ice.
This has always been my last resort for freeing a seat post in bike frame. Science makes sense; cold shrinks the thickness of the metals involved, giving more wiggle room. Add some chemicals, hit it with a torch, sacrifice a chicken, put 'er in the vise and have a go.
"Sorry sir, you're vintage Colnago is now wall art."
Reason why smart shops nip this "repair" at the bud.

 

If it rotates fairly easy (but squeaky) when all the way down then it seems to reason the issue is at the bottom end. If so, the bottom of the shank could be bent or otherwise expanded/damaged. Is it the threaded model where the nut could burr up/expand at the upper end of the threads?

 

so it wont drive out with small sledge hammer and a punch?? Try a penetrating oil like PB Blaster. Heat should help though. Heat isn't necessarily used to "create space" for instance, between the cold oar lock and the hot tower or whatever has been suggested. But it does cause the metals to expand and contract and break down any type of bond that has formed. look to the automotive world for help on this one.

 

If it’s seized with mag chloride use saltwater it will feee them 🆙

 

Rather then trying to pull it out maybe try a drift into the other end and push it out. Maybe find someone with a hydraulic press and press it out. Could also try a bearing/gear puller.

 

Maybe try lubing the hell out of it (sounds like you are well on your way there) and attach a slide hammer to the oarlock.

 

You could grind a groove into the bolt/drift to match the profile of the cobra so it makes full contact and goes straight out. Pretty easily done with a cut off wheel and a die grinder.

Sounds kind of like a job for a hydraulic press honestly. They are surprisingly gentle at the same time as imparting lots of force to stuff.

 

It appears as though that is a Recretec oar tower (former user of these) and I don't remember if there actually is not an access inline from the bottom to the lock stem to pound it out in a straight line. (your statement of having to pry on the head I think confirms lack of access?) Possibly drill a hole in the base plate (lined up with the cobra stem) of the tower large enough for a longer bolt/rod to get a straight on hit. The shapes and angles of these towers makes it difficult to say the least to hold down/work with. Or, call Recretec for their opinion.

 

It is out!!!

The final trick ended up being a long bolt I could use to bang it the rest of the way through after some more WD-40.

The issue does appear to be a bend in the shank:

It's subtle, but it takes up the tolerance in the tower. It makes sense since I could still turn it but there was a good deal of resistance. You can also see some pretty good scoring in the shank, I'm assuming from the friction. I don't see or feel any burrs in the tower.

I think this would have been the key! I'm not 100% sure if it is the Recretec branding, but it is the style. (I bought them used and the locks were already in the towers.), They are an odd shape which makes securing them in a vice difficult. The bottom plate also just barely interferes with a 5/8" rod that would fill the sleeve in the tower. Drilling or grinding a space for this would have been key and if it ever comes up again, this is what I will do. That would have made things much easier, I think. Dangerfiled, thank you for the suggestion! If I get bored this winter, I may go ahead and make the modification anyway.

 

This happened to us at the put in at Flaming Gorge, culprit was the chloride they spray on gravel roads. Had the mechanic put it in a press up at Dutch John lodge to get it out. But yes, drill a hole in the bottom of the tower and throw it in a press.

 

Amazon.com: Bernzomatic TS4000 Trigger Start Torch 361524 : Tools & Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Bernzomatic TS4000 Trigger Start Torch 361524 : Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

add one of these to your kid both repair at home and on the river. On the river is great for everything from lighting wet wood To fixing frayed straps.

I’ve used my outboard in the ocean a few times and when the transom clamps or welded due to corrosion this was the right tool for the job.

 

Works great for starting the blaster and stove too. I know a few people, me included, who have them in a kitchen box. Definitely a worthy purchase for a lot of different uses.

 

Pounding, prying, drilling, spraying, torching, freezing, etc............it will be a miracle if the guy doesn't end up in the ER or loony bin.

 

Hahaha! I appreciate the concern!

Works great for starting the blaster and stove too. I know a few people, me included, who have them in a kitchen box. Definitely a worthy purchase for a lot of different uses.

I like that idea. This may be a dumb question, but would these work on the 1lb propane bottles that get used for camp stoves? I like it for a backup, especially if I don't need to carry an additional fuel canister.

 

Those torches do work on a 1# bottle.
Although they burn hotter with MAPP gas.

Which gets me thinkin...could one burn MAPP gas in a camp stove?! 🤔😄

 

Depends on how much you like your stove 🐴

 

Yeah...100% work with the little green bombs.

Certainly nothing stopping ya from hooking MAPP gas tank to the stove...might be kinda badass for heating water.

 

Hhmmmm...good point.

Can I borrow your stove?? 🙂

 

I'll rent you one for a $100.00 😎

 

Dammit.

I was today years old when I got the reference.

 

When my girls were small (like 15 years ago) we went on a family trip to Disney and California Adventures. There's a theme show in CA Adventures...my oldest (then 6) looked up at me with bright eyes and said "Gosh Dad, these guys are really good, did they just come out?" 😂

 

We were on the Rogue last month. We had a two-burner stove and a Woodland power stove and two one-gallon propane bottles. Our second night, the cook couldn't get the stove to stay on. We had paella the first night; it cooked a long time. Cook assumed the bottle was out of gas. He was going to need the blaster, too, so asked if I had a little one pound "greenie." which I didn't. Then I remembered I keep a torch in my kit. The Bernzomatic bottles are just a little smaller, but they work fine. Saved the day. Nah. We could have made do with just one five pounder.

Sort of. I picked up the five pounder; it was too heavy to be empty. I hooked it up and it ran. There's an issue with the regulator or the connection to the stove. Saved the day again, and I still have a mostly full spare fuel bottle. Good thing I had propane and NOT a bottle of MAPP. I reckon it would melt the stove. I do like those easy-on torches, and I will probably get one. Might even carry some MAPP ~and~ a little extra propane just in case. My torch has a piezo, but it's not one of the fancy on/off trigger operated ones. Love those.

Loved the Muppet Show back in the day, too. Zoot was probably my favorite member of the band.

 

I second the recommendation of heat with a torch or other heat device…and just thinking out loud here I might be tempted to use a funkness approach which is a method of yanking climbing pitons. Look it up I don’t want to explain it further here. Then I would investigate why it was stuck and try to prevent that in the future if possible. Cheers!