how to free a stuck GonG joint?
- Thread starter 2clicker
- Start date
Khantagious
Well-Known Member
Put the whole thing in the freezer so it gets nice and cold, then take it out and apply heat directly to the outer piece of glass, doing your best to heat only the outer piece, while leaving the inner piece as cool as possible. Also try dunking it in mineral oil
Nycdeisel
Well-Known Member
Getting the outer part warm while keeping the downstem cool is the best^
When it happened to me I poured iso in the joint and let it sit and it came out.
whatever you do(im sure you know this) dont get too heated in the moment and try to force it out with elbow grease, you will only end up in a worse off situation
When it happened to me I poured iso in the joint and let it sit and it came out.
whatever you do(im sure you know this) dont get too heated in the moment and try to force it out with elbow grease, you will only end up in a worse off situation
lepstadder
Well-Known Member
word, this sucks so bad....
only down side to glass imo
only down side to glass imo
Cleanfiend
Well-Known Member
I have always found that rocking the stuck joint back and forth (without pulling it up and out) has helped the situation. I will echo that elbow grease is not the answer: give it time to dry out, and be patient
ThirdGunman
Active Member
I've seen this before 
, and this is one solution that has worked 
. Tap all around the joint. The plastic part of a bic lighter works, but something wooden like a baking spoon is probably safest. Just keep tapping and pulling up softly on the the male joint so you don't break it when it breaks free. Might take some time and experience to get the right force with the tapping. I have heard this happens when joints get put together and there is still moisture present, not sure if this is true, but I always allow my tubes, down-stems, and bowls to completely air dry, after filling the tube or bubbler to the proper level, and they always seem to come apart pretty effortlessly. Hope it works *fingers crossed*.
, and this is one solution that has worked . Tap all around the joint. The plastic part of a bic lighter works, but something wooden like a baking spoon is probably safest. Just keep tapping and pulling up softly on the the male joint so you don't break it when it breaks free. Might take some time and experience to get the right force with the tapping. I have heard this happens when joints get put together and there is still moisture present, not sure if this is true, but I always allow my tubes, down-stems, and bowls to completely air dry, after filling the tube or bubbler to the proper level, and they always seem to come apart pretty effortlessly. Hope it works *fingers crossed*.
2clicker
Observer
thanks for the replies everyone
i believe the reason mine is stuck is something called "water lock". putting it in the freezer would be bad IMO. there is water in the joint, so if i freeze it, it will expand inside the joint. bad news if you ask me.
as for rocking it back and forth... not sure how that would work. there is absolutely NO play in this joint at all. its almost as if its all one piece of glass. in other words there is no way to rock it back and forth. it doesnt move one bit in any direction.
i found some great info here, but not sure which method will help.
https://tokecity.com/forums/archive/index.php4/t-5441.html
ive had it soaking in Grunge Off for the last 2 weeks. there is still some buildup inside the tube, outside of the Dstem, right below the GonG that just wont go away. if i could get the Dstem out then i could brush it clean, but damn this GonG joint. i didnt realize that you MUST keep those joints free of water or they could lock up.
lesson learned, but i still need to free this joint
i believe the reason mine is stuck is something called "water lock". putting it in the freezer would be bad IMO. there is water in the joint, so if i freeze it, it will expand inside the joint. bad news if you ask me.
as for rocking it back and forth... not sure how that would work. there is absolutely NO play in this joint at all. its almost as if its all one piece of glass. in other words there is no way to rock it back and forth. it doesnt move one bit in any direction.
i found some great info here, but not sure which method will help.
https://tokecity.com/forums/archive/index.php4/t-5441.html
ive had it soaking in Grunge Off for the last 2 weeks. there is still some buildup inside the tube, outside of the Dstem, right below the GonG that just wont go away. if i could get the Dstem out then i could brush it clean, but damn this GonG joint. i didnt realize that you MUST keep those joints free of water or they could lock up.
lesson learned, but i still need to free this joint
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
This reminds me of this Joint Wax stuff I saw on Aqua Lab one time. I was wondering if this stuff was a scam (re-branded chap stick) or not. After reading this thread it seems like it might be worthwhile.
http://aqualabtechnologies.com/glass-accessories/joint-wax/joint-wax-single-tube.html
t-dub
http://aqualabtechnologies.com/glass-accessories/joint-wax/joint-wax-single-tube.html
t-dub
Cleanfiend
Well-Known Member
If you have water-locked in your joint, I would recommend drying everything out to the best of your ability, and applying heat (lighter, preferably a jet/torch) to the outside of the joint.
I understand that rocking a joint seems silly when the joint is stuck---but trust me, it is often the means by which i solve the problem. Just keep applying pressure on one side-than the other in a rocking motion.
goood luck
I understand that rocking a joint seems silly when the joint is stuck---but trust me, it is often the means by which i solve the problem. Just keep applying pressure on one side-than the other in a rocking motion.
goood luck
charliedontsurf
Medical
In my thinking, it's more like always twist while you pull. The pull is secondary and comes after it's loosened by the twist. Don't even think about "pulling" if it's really seized up, all you're doing it twisting. Also, it may seem obvious but wrapping your entire hand around the joint, so that all 360 degrees of it are being torqued by your hand, is really helpful, rather than just grabbing it with three or four finger.
I also agree with Cleanfiend, if your joint has visible water in it then there's no harm in gently heating it from the outside with a jet lighter until it cooks off.
I also agree with Cleanfiend, if your joint has visible water in it then there's no harm in gently heating it from the outside with a jet lighter until it cooks off.
Abysmal Vapor
Supersniffer 2000 - robot fart detection device
Whenever a joint is stuck i heat it with my torch lighter a bit till it rotation can be done.. then i pull gently
Oh.. once torch didn't helped and i put it in my microwave.. for 20 seconds.. and the joint became waxy and easy do disassemble .
Oh.. once torch didn't helped and i put it in my microwave.. for 20 seconds.. and the joint became waxy and easy do disassemble .
luchiano
Well-Known Member
Just heat up the outside of the joint with a torch while your twisting left to right until it becomes lose.
I doubt it's a water problem but just a build up of condensed resin which can act like a glue when in between things. Just use cooking vegetable oil as a lubricant once a week and this will help prevent hardening of the resin in between the connections.
I doubt it's a water problem but just a build up of condensed resin which can act like a glue when in between things. Just use cooking vegetable oil as a lubricant once a week and this will help prevent hardening of the resin in between the connections.
Khantagious
Well-Known Member
This reminds me of jr. high band class, when some of the brass players would get their mouthpieces stuck inside their horns. In those cases, though, the rule was always don't twist and don't wiggle; if you can't pull it out straight, bring it to the teacher who had a special tool for just such occasions. Of course, brass is a very different material than glass, so I don't think the band teacher's tool would help much here :/
2clicker
Observer
Nycdeisel said:
i havent messed with it yet. still soaking in GO.
there is clearly moisture in the joint. i think im going to rinse it all out... get some ISO into the joint and give that some time to evap. then go at it with some tapping and rocking. ive had stuck gongs before, but nothing a little twisting didnt cure. this is a whole new level.
if all that isnt enough i will put the torch on it.
ThirdGunman
Active Member
Not sure that soaking in GO or ISO is going to help, seeing as how GonG joints are designed to be air tight, liquids are likely to be futile unless the problem is located at the point where the ground glass ends. Just checked out that link to TC that you gave 2clicker and after reading that thread I would go right back to tapping with a wooden spoon. I guess no one else here uses this method... shocking.. because it is the only method I have found that actually does work when glass is totally locked. If you still go with the liquids... Use hot ISO or maybe try combining that hot ISO with the soda water that was suggested in that other thread. Slowly heating the water (I would use a normal lighter not a torch) inside the stuck joint prior to any of these methods seems like a good idea, hopefully it will turn that water to steam and give you a little wiggle room
ThirdGunman
Active Member
Here is a quote from jferkle at Tokecity:
"freezing did not work but I actually talked to the operations manager of illadelph and he said the best method is to use the non flat side/edge of a wooden spoon or spatula and hit the joint directly in the center, not near the lip or the beaker, but directly on the joint where the glass is thickest. Use force but be careful where to hit because if you hit the wrong spot (like the lip) it will chip the glass. Turn and keep
"tapping" the joint and wiggling the male piece. Go around and keep doing this and eventually it will come loose. After going through hell and back with all the other things I've tried this actually worked! WOOHOOOOO!!!!"
Also, it should be mentioned that this person tried ISO, heat and acetone without any luck.
Here is a link to the thread: http://tokecity.com/forums/showthread.php4?t=5441&page=7
If illadelph tells you to tap GonG joints then that is what I would do! Tapping FTW
"freezing did not work but I actually talked to the operations manager of illadelph and he said the best method is to use the non flat side/edge of a wooden spoon or spatula and hit the joint directly in the center, not near the lip or the beaker, but directly on the joint where the glass is thickest. Use force but be careful where to hit because if you hit the wrong spot (like the lip) it will chip the glass. Turn and keep
"tapping" the joint and wiggling the male piece. Go around and keep doing this and eventually it will come loose. After going through hell and back with all the other things I've tried this actually worked! WOOHOOOOO!!!!"
Also, it should be mentioned that this person tried ISO, heat and acetone without any luck.
Here is a link to the thread: http://tokecity.com/forums/showthread.php4?t=5441&page=7
If illadelph tells you to tap GonG joints then that is what I would do! Tapping FTW