Oh dear made a boo boo

[M@tt]

Last weekend i got some 3/4" gas pipe from the local scrap metal yard (along with a nice 1/2" Norgen air filter lying next to it!!) so over the past couple of nights i've been trying to get it fitted into the shed, rather than having air line trapsing everywhere i can just plug a shorter length in at various points round the wall.

So i though whilst i was fitting this new larger capacity pipe work and what with my nice new air filter i'd take the oportunity to fit a larger outlet connector onto the compressor tank rather than the small 1/4" outlet there is currently which was already in 2 reducers from 1/2" to 3/8" and agian 3/8" to 1/4" reducer.

However the 1/2" to 3/8" reducer that was in the tank was really really tight and didn't seem to want to budge and after a few heavy tugs it started to move, great i thought!, until i realised the bloody adapter had sheared off!! and most of the thread was still in te hole!!

So now i've got to attempt to drill out the remaining section of the adapter and tap the thread without ballsing it up. Its already meant needing to buy a £12 1/2" tap, i'll need a larger tap handle to hold it as my current piddly one isn't up to the job. I'll also need a 19mm drill bit as well to drill out the majority of the adapter

Why is nothing ever simple!!!

And to top it off until i get this sorted i cant really get on with my car sill repair as i need the comressor to run my air tools!

 

[Omniata]

Try cutting vertically down the side of the bit that's still threaded in on both sides... But not so far as to cut into the thread of the cylinder...

Then cut a piece of flat bar to fit inside tight in the grooves and glue two plastic strips to the two halves in case they drop in and gently twist, should "pop" off as two halves if the threadlock's that tight...


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[GrahamGKD]

Bad luck mate - believe me I know how you must feel - we've all been there, most of us many times! From what you say the remains of the adaptor you need to drill out has a hole up the middle so at least the drill should center OK? Probably best to up the drill size in stages if you go for the drilling option (rather than Omniata's suggestion).

 

[Mikey D]

You should of said earlier i have a 1/2" bsp tap you could of borrowed
The fitting was probably loctited in , heated up with a blowlamp melts the loctite making it easier to remove .
Good luck with the repair

cheers Mike

 

[rtbcomp]

Another vote for heat. I had a similar problem and getting the union hot allowed it to be screwed out easily.

 

[M@tt]

i was putting off heat as i wanted to avoid burning all the paint off the compressor round the outlet as it's in pretty good condition. In hindsite a bit of flaking paint is a hell of lot easier to sort than a sheared & loctited adapter!!

 

[rtbcomp]

When I did mine I didn't get it hot enough to burn the paint.

 

[julieanncharters]

get yer self a cheap stud extractor set.
if its a 1/4 adapter hole will be small so should fit no prob.
bit of heat and should be a decent chance of a recovery.
failing that ,if its a short stump use a ground down modified hack saw blade to cut thru one side the adapter only.
doesn't matter if ya catch a bit of receiver thread as a bit of ptfe tape will seal it up a treat on the new nipple.
a tap with old small screw driver should close the enough gap for it to unscrew easily
good luck.

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

You could also use a forged steel " T " key . Gently grind the square faces to a good edge , heat the union up with a decent sized heatr source , tap the key in square and then try undoing it.

 

[Hitch]

Weld a bit of flat on it, heat will help, and the flat will turn it.

 

[M@tt]

well i managed to get it out with a combination of heat, hacksaw blade and a 1/2" bsp tap so we're all good again once more

cheers for all the tips though, very useful!