OK, so we all know that the old One Touch Assemblies (7409) can be stubborn to remove.
Sometimes it’s a hopeless cause, but every once in a while, I come across one that just might still be usable. But I want to get it off to clean it. Now of course, there are various methods that include some sort of penetrating lube and patience. I don’t have much patience these days, and quite frankly, the lube is not always guaranteed to work.
So, I am going to show you a method that I have had some success with and works pretty quick.
I had all the tools, so why not?
Tools of the trade. Note the bonus, the cap from the propane tank fits on the leg as a cap!
Took my grinder and cleaned up some of the rust around the nut and screw.. I bought a cheap grinder from Harbor Freight for $10 and I use some 4” wire wheels in it. I use that mostly for cleaning grates, but that’s another show. Sprayed a bit of lube around the threads and let it sit while I fiddled with the torch.
So the trick is to heat up the nut a bit with the torch. I’m not trying to melt the thing, just hot enough to break it loose. After I heat it, I let it cool a bit and then sprayed it with some more lube. I used a pair of vise grips to turn the screw. It was still a bit warm, remember, no patience!
Here’s an action shot!
I slowly turned the screw and what do you know, it worked!
Once the screw was out, it was just a matter of spraying more lube down the hole and then let it sit a minute. I used the vice grips to slowly twist the handle loose.
So, it may not be the only way, but it worked for me. Next I will show you how I clean up the One Touch with the grinder and wire brush. And remember, I'm not an expert, I don't always follow the rules of Safety, but you should! I have the burns, cuts and bruises to show for it. Damn, maybe I better start listening to my own advice..
AJ