Brass 90* fitting broke in valve!!!

[Minimag4me]

Im very disappointed with the quality of the stock brass 90* fittings on the stock minimag. THey are ugly to begin with and they brak easily. Please live up to airgun quality and use ss from now on. Here is the story.

I get my z-grip today and need a hose that is longer to get to my valve from my vertical adapter. I heat and then try to losen the 90*fitting that is on the quick disconnect nipple(by hand) and it breaks and the male end is stuck in the valve(its just the circle part completely in the other circle part). I really want to go practice with AO:Socal this sunday, so me and my dad spend hours in the garage using various bits and torches trying to get this out. Its worn down to almost the steel valve threads with no luck. Is there a easier way to do this? Could a local machine shop or auto place be able to help me? I dont want to damage the threads in the valve. I really dont want to wait to send it into AGD. Maybe a big easy out or use a wire brush and a drill and just wear it out? Help. Thanks in advance. Wow my fingers hurt(sorry its long).

[RobAGD]

Humm as a helpfull hint dont blame the fact you broke a fitting off in your gun on AGD. In 10 years I have seen 2 break and that was because the USER put something like Green 290 or Red 272 loctite on it.

Also if you had used teh correct tool for teh job you would have gotten the broken peice out without a problem.

Now you are going to have some work done and that typically isn't going to be cheap.

If there isnt enough metal left for a tool to bite into then there is going to be hand work picking out and cleaning the threads out of the old brass.


-Robert

[Butterfingers]

Your best bet is to RA it back to AGD.

If you don't feel like doing that I suggest a technique ive learned that was passed down from handyman elders I have come in contact with. I am not responsible for valve damage.

Its called the chisel side tap. You take a small sharp chisel (and a hammer) and you tap it into the outside circumfrence of the screw parallel to the valve and perpendicular to the broken peice, in a counterclockwise direction. The the tapping will rotate the screw loose. So you are basicly unscrewing the broken peice by tapping along the side of the screw


Its not really right to blame it on AGD those fittings are fatter and probably stronger than those smaller nickel plated brass varieties out there. Its just unfortunate that yours broke.

[Minimag4me]

THanks butterfingers, i think its too thin to chisel it like that. Maybe it will just chip off if i try and even that wouldnt be too bad(as long as the valve threads are still in tact.

Rob,
what could i pick out the brass with?

I didnt put any loctite or anything on it, it is exactly how it came stock. I took a lighter to it for a few seconds and tried to turn it with a wrench and snap. I dont think it was my fault at all.

What kind of tool could i have used to get it out in the first place?

Where could i get this expencive work done at?

I just need help. Thanks

[Minimag4me]

does anyone know if i can RA just the powertube or just the valve so i can save on shipping?

will a wire brushed dremmel get the brass out?

[SoupRman]

shipping isn't alot. it'll probably be 3.50 base for the valve. add 5 cents you get priority 2-3 day and 40 and you get confirmation. or atleast thats how much it cost for me @ USPS. you might ruin the threads of the valve if you work it to hard, take your time and see how it turns out.

[[NA]WARLORD]

Try a dental pick for small/ tiny pieces or if there is some brass left there is a tool out, name escapes me at the moment, that you screw in to stripped/broken part, it attaches to sides and removes the broken piece from hole without hurting the exsisting threads, or you could buy a tap/dye set but finding a die that big may cost more than its worth.

[athomas]

If the old nipple is worn down to the threads, why don't you just run a tap in using the same thread pattern as the original. Start with a standard tap and then follow it with a bottoming tap. That should clean any brass out of the threads. You'll have to be careful to make sure you start the tap in the original threads.

I've used this technique on other projects with great success(not on my mag though). Knock on wood, my mag has not had any problems in 9 years, other than the standard o-ring changes and cleaning.

Hope this helps.

[Minimag4me]

i am thinking of just tapping over it, good ideas. Is there a place i could get it done at(machine shop?) WHat are the specifications of the threads? THanks so much guys.

[[NA]WARLORD]

The tools name is an "easy out"

[Minimag4me]

yea easy outs were not an option at the time.

Good News i got a wire steel drill bit and just sat there spinning for a few hours. I got enough to start an elbow(not brass:)), then i just threaded it with my muscle(grrr) and got about 4 turns, its drying with loctite right now. i hope it goes well.

[Thordic]

Uhm, why did you use loctite? Hopefully you used the right kind if you used it, but if you didn't use loctite 545, or at least the blue stuff, you could have the same problem all over again.

[HoppysMag]

UMMM what would a lighter do? Have you never heard of a 7/16 wrench? not tryin to be rude but why did you use a lighter? just twist it and the teflon/other sealent should just break loose. I got my 90* Macroline fitting off with a wrench, it had the solid sealent, not teflon tape, the stuff is kinda yellowish. Were you trying to melt the sealent?

[[NA]WARLORD]

Hoppysmag, most people use a lighter or another source of heat to loosen loctited parts. It softens the loctite, making it easier to get off.

[HoppysMag]

oh ok.