Cleaning threads.

[Thunderfury]

Just received a new stock tube for my GBBR this morning. The reason i had to buy a new one was because the last owner had filed down the threads on the old stock tube and glued/soldered the stock tube into the body?!
Well now the threads are full of gunk and is stopping my new stock tube from screwing in at all. The threads them-self don't look damaged but there is certainly a lot of gunk in them. What would be my best way to get it out? I don't have a tap and die or a thread cleaning kit.

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[Sir Stephen]

Re: Cleaning threads.

you should be able to buy a thread cleaning tool from somewhere like B&Q, its a long metalic square rod with different dimensions of teeth on each section, its used more for cleaning outside threads, such as bolts, rather than inside threads, but it should still work as stock tubes are a fair size. other than that just use a scribe and take your time picking all the gunk out

[No1_sonuk]

Re: Cleaning threads.

Do you know what the glue was?
You might be able to use a solvent thinner to loosen it up, then use a small wire brush to clean it out.
Be careful, though - the solvent might attack the paint nearby or the receiver metal.
Even just the brush on its own might do, depending on how gunked the threads are.

Alternatively, try a "dental pick" and some elbow grease.

[Thunderfury]

Re: Cleaning threads.

Well it looks like its solder that stuck in the threads. Also i had a closer look with a magnifying glass and it looks like the first thread has been worn flat so the stock tube has nothing to grip onto to start screwing in. Would taking a soldering iron to the gunk loosen it up again?

[Thunderfury]

Re: Cleaning threads.

Got rid of all the crap in the threads , now they a little bit more cleaned up i can see they are more damaged than i thought.
New question is what is the best way to restore the threads? My Dad had suggested putting the stock tube in from the other side of the receiver because the threads on that side were perfect which would allow the stock tube to go in and recut the threads but the problem is the bit of the stock tube that the sliding stock clicks into is in the way meaning it cant move past the receiver.
Any better ideas?

[No1_sonuk]

Re: Cleaning threads.

Would taking a soldering iron to the gunk loosen it up again?

Maybe, but you need to be ready with a suction device to get it out while it's hot, and be careful not to melt the receiver. Also, if it IS solder, you'll get most of it, but you'll never get it all out like that.

That said, I'm not sure how it would have been soldered in the first place. As far as I'm aware, aisoft gun receivers aren't made of materials that can normally be soldered. If it's some weird aluminium solder, you'll have more problems.
That you got the old tube out probably means it didn't solder properly, so it might be easier to pick the solder out.

[richardy]

Re: Cleaning threads.

thin / small screwdriver and clean the threads with it

[Tom Andrews]

Re: Cleaning threads.

Your dad had the right idea, but chances are it (the receiver) is too badly worn to be reclaimed just by recutting. (This would remove more metal making the problem worse. Try to persevere with the new tube as it may cut enough of a thread to engage with the undamaged part, or how about cutting the old tube, down to where there are some existing undamaged thread (under the screw on collar) and using that as a means to cut a thread. You could hacksaw off the raised area and screw it in from the front as you dad suggested.

If all else fails you can buy something called Bearing Fit by Loctite, or similar that fills the gap in between worn surfaces.

[Thunderfury]

Re: Cleaning threads.

Hacksawing off the raised ares would make my new stock tube obsolete since i couldn't put a stock on it after that. Also the old tube has no thread on it at all , the guy did a damn good job to make sure there as no thread left on it..

I'm looking into getting a new AGM receiver if anyone has one.