I had my sov downstem stick itself in my Fishbone bub a while ago. It took me a few weeks of on and off attempts, but I just rocked it. Pressure left, pressure right, repeat. Sometimes I'd use a t-shirt to give myself a bit of a better grip. It never felt like it was gonna budge, but then all of a sudden it just gave up its grip
Hey guys, Magic Flight ships this stuff called dielectric compound with their water pipe adapters. They say you can rub it lightly on the GonG joints and it helps prevent sticking. I've used it on some older pieces and it worked very well for it. Not sure how I'd feel using it on a DI oil rig, what with such high heats so close, but if this isn't a problem for you, I recommend looking into it, or an equivalent.
Rocked it, pulled it, twisted it, and everything in between. Used a rubber glove for more traction. Tried extremely cold water, hot water, ISO. Gotta try the oil with hot air. The piece is completely useable. I was just going to clean it when I noticed the downstem wouldn't budge. I just cleaned it with the downstem in there and got back to business. Just the tiniest bit of cornstarch rubbed on the male joint will fix seizing issues. I guess I should be doing this.
The very first thing I tried, when that didn't work I tried straight pulling yet, when that didn't work I tried twisting it. That sucker is jammed.
Worked like a charm. Oil, heat, and a bit of rocking and my downstem is liberated from its glassy prison. Thanks everyone!
So I've had a seized downstem for over two weeks now in my flower piece, turns out that using the joint to my a/c as a wrench isn't the smartest thing to do... Below are the results, that and I still have a seized downstem. Any idea what to do next? Also tried peanut oil+hairdryer.
Well, if you're planning on getting the A/C repaired, I'd suggest just keep trying, eventually they unstick themselves with enough rocking. If you don't care about the A/C, I'd say freeze it. Once it's frozen either; Fill your sink with hot tap water, and submerge the ac to almost the top of the A/C joint (not the Downstem joint). Or boil the kettle, and while carefully holding the A/C pour the boiling water on the A/C joint. either of those methods may induce thermal shock and destroy the a/c, or they might give you the wiggle room you need to free the D/S.
interesting about the WD-40^^^.... if it worked good enough i would do that first thing from now on.. haha but ya like fred said.. rocking it always works eventually.. too bad about the AC
Perhaps these links will also help http://www.ilpi.com/glassblowing/frozenglass.html http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9780470141045.app5/pdf
Oops, let me rephrase... the downstem on my flower tube is seized, not the AC downstem. I tried using the GonG fitting of the AC as a wrench to pry the stuck downstem, and it broke. I'm not too worried 'bout the AC, just the damn stubborn downstem sitting in my bong.
Ahh, gotcha, I actually used a solo stem to give me some leverage on my Fishbone space hammer when my sov downstem got frozen in it. Luckily my one didn't snap One other thing you could try (from one of the links I posted above) is to make a hook out of a coat hanger, if the hook is the right size (and the downstem has an open end) you can slip the hook through the end of the downstem, and pull it from below.
If you apply torch flame you may have to re-anneal . . . try some WD-40, couldn't hurt, NOT with the torch though . . .
