Nauticam 67mm threads stuck - what product can i use

[rwb500 25]

I have a CMC which seems to be stuck pretty well onto the 67mm flip adapter.  I tried soaking in a bowl of warm water, no luck.  I'm letting it dry.  Can I apply WD40 to the threads?  Any other advice?

[CupOfCoffee 18]

Two ideas, can't guarantee they work, and I can't guarantee they don't do any harm to the CMC, so start carefully.
One would be to try an ultrasonic bath (in a weak sonicator, like those from amazon or similar made for glasses or jewelery), that can help with the dissolution of salt crystals. Sonicate a few minutes, try again, sonicate, try again, and so on...

Second one would be the use of descaler, if fresh water evaporated from the thread, you might have a bit of lime in the thread (frequently to find on regulators of people diving in fresh water). And you can of course combine that with the sonicator...

[Interceptor121 842]

28 minutes ago, CupOfCoffee said:

Two ideas, can't guarantee they work, and I can't guarantee they don't do any harm to the CMC, so start carefully.
One would be to try an ultrasonic bath (in a weak sonicator, like those from amazon or similar made for glasses or jewelery), that can help with the dissolution of salt crystals. Sonicate a few minutes, try again, sonicate, try again, and so on...

Second one would be the use of descaler, if fresh water evaporated from the thread, you might have a bit of lime in the thread (frequently to find on regulators of people diving in fresh water). And you can of course combine that with the sonicator...

Ultrasonic bath will destroy the coating of the lens

Winegar is the way forward here

[Davide DB 589]

It happened to me a few weeks ago and I solved in a minute.

I used a band wrench usually used to unscrew oil filters. I bought I on Amazon.

Little tip: insert the port on the housing because the wrench works better.

 

 

 

Edited April 1 by Davide DB

[CupOfCoffee 18]

13 minutes ago, Interceptor121 said:

Ultrasonic bath will destroy the coating of the lens

Winegar is the way forward here

My glasses are also coated and sonication works perfectly fine for those for many cycles, sonication doesn't affect the coating. It is overall a realtively gentle physical treatment (if you use a weak bath, ofc if you throw it in an high powered lab sonicator, that might turn out different). If at all, I'd be worried about any kind of sealings.

[Interceptor121 842]

My glasses are also coated and sonication works perfectly fine for those for many cycles, sonication doesn't affect the coating. It is overall a realtively gentle physical treatment (if you use a weak bath, ofc if you throw it in an high powered lab sonicator, that might turn out different). If at all, I'd be worried about any kind of sealings.

It does I destroyed the anti reflective coating of an pair of glasses
That treatment is for metals


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[CupOfCoffee 18]

1 minute ago, Interceptor121 said:

It does I destroyed the anti reflective coating of an pair of glasses
That treatment is for metals


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Strongly diasgree, have been working in a lab for multiple years, and there are a variety of usecases for sonication, supporting/speeding up dissolution of soluble but crystalized solids is one of them. And as written above, my glasses got that treatment multiple times, those are perfectly fine.
Anyways, lets agree to disagree, I don't think we're gonna reach anything else.
Best,
Fabian

[Interceptor121 842]

6 minutes ago, CupOfCoffee said:

Strongly diasgree, have been working in a lab for multiple years, and there are a variety of usecases for sonication, supporting/speeding up dissolution of soluble but crystalized solids is one of them. And as written above, my glasses got that treatment multiple times, those are perfectly fine.
Anyways, lets agree to disagree, I don't think we're gonna reach anything else.
Best,
Fabian

As I said I ruined a pair of glasses and I needed to have them redone. This is not about agreeing or not is a fact. The issue is the solution used you need to have something gentle compatible with the coating

We don't know what coating is on the nauticam product but we do know that they have anti reflective coating and also that this can be damaged depending on the cleaner and the solution that is used which is something the op has no idea

In addition the cmc and the filter holder are not small the size of jewellery so would need a dedicated deeper bath not a small home one

The ultrasonic cleaner goes into cavities if the thread and the lens are stuck they may come out shining and still stuck

The solution of the other user is simpler and most likely effective for this without any unnecessary risks

If the glass was not coated I see no issues but it is and we do not know with what]

Descaler is also not a good idea as that is not scale that creates the issue but potentially a mild form of oxydation

Once removed a tiny bit of silicon grease on the flip holder is ideal to avoid the issue to occur again in the future

 

Edited April 1 by Interceptor121

[CupOfCoffee 18]

18 minutes ago, Interceptor121 said:

As I said I ruined a pair of glasses and I needed to have them redone. This is not about agreeing or not is a fact. The issue is the solution used you need to have something gentle compatible with the coating

We don't know what coating is on the nauticam product but we do know that they have anti reflective coating and also that this can be damaged depending on the cleaner and the solution that is used which is something the op has no idea

Oh with the new information we might agree, got that wrong in my post above   a wrong cleaner can damage a coating (and pretty much everything else), that of course. But this has little to do with sonication, sonication is only speeding up the process, not causing it, which is fundamentally different. Leave out the cleaner, and it'll be good. (And for the not agreeing but fact part: as stated, my glasses are fine and they went trough sonication multiple times to clean 'em, so there's that fact).

I didn't mention cleaner as it is not needed if it is salt (from evaporating salt water) whats keeping the thread stuck. Then we're purely looking at the dissolution where sonication will support.

Same for the descaler, if the thread is stuck from evaporating freshwater, lime might be the issue and then descaler can help. If it is oxidation, then descaler ofc won't help.

[Interceptor121 842]

1 hour ago, CupOfCoffee said:

Oh with the new information we might agree, got that wrong in my post above   a wrong cleaner can damage a coating (and pretty much everything else), that of course. But this has little to do with sonication, sonication is only speeding up the process, not causing it, which is fundamentally different. Leave out the cleaner, and it'll be good. (And for the not agreeing but fact part: as stated, my glasses are fine and they went trough sonication multiple times to clean 'em, so there's that fact).

I didn't mention cleaner as it is not needed if it is salt (from evaporating salt water) whats keeping the thread stuck. Then we're purely looking at the dissolution where sonication will support.

Same for the descaler, if the thread is stuck from evaporating freshwater, lime might be the issue and then descaler can help. If it is oxidation, then descaler ofc won't help.

Yes we are aligned

Most of the domestic cleaners you can buy on amazon and similar have a note : do not use on coated glass which I wish I read before I ruined mine few years ago!

[freedivenz 1]

I'm not quite sure how products like Saltaway may affect coatings, but I would be pretty surprised if soaking in a Saltaway solution would do any harm - I'm open to correction though! Whether it helps depends if it's stuck together from corrosion or salt crystals. If it's the former, I don't know there's much you can do except lubricate as much as you can, then take Davide's advice and have at it with an oil filter wrench or strop. Probably offer some prayers to your preferred deity first.

[bvanant 195]

I think it is a common recommendation from the laser optic guys (Newport and Thorlabs) to use ultrasonic cleaning of coated optics if they get really  dirty. I could imagine using chemical solutions that could damage coatings but soapy stuff should have minimal impacts. 

Bill

[Davide DB 589]

The talk about coatings is interesting, but believe me that no matter how impressive the filter wrench is, it is the kindest option. 

My CMC and adapter seemed to be welded together. I tried everything to no avail and then with the filter wrench they unscrewed like butter.

As I said, the only caution is to have it mounted on the housing so that it stays perfectly still and you can apply a tangential force to the center of the port.

[Interceptor121 842]

The talk about coatings is interesting, but believe me that no matter how impressive the filter wrench is, it is the kindest option. 
My CMC and adapter seemed to be welded together. I tried everything to no avail and then with the filter wrench they unscrewed like butter.
As I said, the only caution is to have it mounted on the housing so that it stays perfectly still and you can apply a tangential force to the center of the port.

The reason why this is the best solution is that it works on the field
Other stuff is theoretical and nobody travels with an ultrasonic cleaner anyway


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[rwb500 25]

well, i got a cheap strap wrench and torqued it as hard as the rubber strap would grip the CMC, and no luck.  Then I put the whole thing in an ultrasonic cleaner with just water (with an hour soak between two 8 minute cycles).  Then I used the strap wrench again and it still took a lot of force but it came off with no damage to anything.

So I definitely like the strap wrench idea and I really have no idea if the ultrasonic cleaner helped.

[Davide DB 589]

Wow. Glad you solved.

Did you understand if it was just lime or real corrosion?

[rwb500 25]

I have no idea.  It looks like some of the anodizing on the threads has worn through, but that can be from normal use.  And as far as I know, water deposits and aluminum oxide could look pretty similar.

[Interceptor121 842]

I have no idea.  It looks like some of the anodizing on the threads has worn through, but that can be from normal use.  And as far as I know, water deposits and aluminum oxide could look pretty similar.

A bit of silicon on the threads will ensure it doesn’t get stuck
Just a tiny bit is sufficient


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