Rust-locked bridge saddle

I've been trying to adjust the action on my Spectrum bass and have found that one of the screws on a bridge saddle has become rusted in place. Just the one, oddly enough. I've pretty thoroughly soaked it in WD-40, but that hasn't gotten me anywhere. Any suggestions?

Applying a little of car technology from my days of restoring old Triumph GT6's, I always found a little heat did the trick ... obviously dont try this while still on the guitar ! Different metals expand at different rates and should break the the rust lock. Just dont use force or you may have drill and tap a new hole.

Hope this helps

I do you suggest I go about this?

With a great deal of care!!I tried to free up a frozen adjustment grubb screw with an oxy-acetylene flame as cool as I could run it, but it was still far too hot! Perhaps a butane blowlamp?
How long have you soaked it in WD40 for? I soak stuff like that in diesel for about a week and if they aren't freed by then, I give 'em another week; diesel is great stuff for freeing up stuff but it takes time!

Seriously, Corsair? I play the Spectrum more than anything else, I would hate to be without for so long. I'd rather the action be a few millimeters too high than bother with all that. Is there anything quicker?

Nope! WD40 and diesel - in fact all of the penetrating oils and potions need time to do their magic!! The butane blowtorch is a good way, too - it doesn't have the same vehemence as an oxy-acetylene flame but you'd still have to be careful with it, ie not to overcook it!

Well I was hoping I wouldn't have to dismantle my most used bass to do this. It's funny that I use it most considering my Peavey Milestone has been professionally set up, eh? I can't intonate without a better tuner anyway, so I guess I'll wait until I can afford the fancy tuner that the shop guy suggested before I start taking things apart. I'm glad the guy is nice enough to give such suggestions, cause buying the one tuner and doing setup work myself is much friendlier to the wallet than bringing my ridiculous number of instruments to him. I should really make a post showing everything I've got, because I only have three (soon to be four) Westones.

Back on topic, once I do remove the saddle from the bridge and drop it in a pool of WD40, will the WD40 eat away the paint on it as well?

No, it shouldn't. Good luck! What sort of tuner are you after - I have just squandered bulk dosh on a Korg Pitch Black and it's the duck's guts!! (That's NZ slang for feckin' wonderful!!)

The one the guy suggested was a $65 Sabine. He said it's what he used when people brought in instruments for him to set up, and he even showed me. Seemed like a very, very accurate tuner.

Hello,

Here is something much better than WD-40, it's called PB Blaster. I used to use it at a former job, and it works great for freeing up and breaking things loose. Here's a link, so that you can see what it looks like: http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Penetrating-Catalyst-oz-aerosol/dp/B000I2079E

You should be able to find it locally, I think I've even seen it in Walmart or Lowes. You can also find it in an auto parts store.

Good Luck,
Brother John

That stuff is better, eh? There's probably some around here since I know we've had some previously, though if not I guess I'll just buy some. Thanks!

Yea there is really no comparison, once you use it you'll be sold on it. It does a great job.

Hehe,this thread is exactly what i need. My pantera x790 arrived today (with some more dings and scratches as i expected,however,i love this bass) and the Allen screws in the bridge-saddles are so rusty that i wasn't able to move them.
What do you think of warming up the metal in an oven...perhaps at 50 or 60 °c? Or should i directly try it with wd-40 or diesel or that special stuff? Or even put them into that stuff and warming it up afterwards?

best wishes
hans

Hey chaps,

This is a little bit unorthodox but I've tried it and it works ...I have been known to 'deep fry' rusty, seized up bits in a pan on the cooker with just enough Sunflower oil in to cover them! A deep fat fryer works even better and it is safer too!

Anyone fancy battered nuts and bolts for tea?

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Really?!?! Now, see, I would not have thought of doing that!! Must try it and see....

some wd-40 already was enough...the Allen screws are solved and i will
lacquer the saddles in the next few days...thank you for helping me.

best wishes
hans

Crambone wrote:Hello,

Here is something much better than WD-40, it's called PB Blaster. I used to use it at a former job, and it works great for freeing up and breaking things loose. Here's a link, so that you can see what it looks like: http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Penetrating-Catalyst-oz-aerosol/dp/B000I2079E

You should be able to find it locally, I think I've even seen it in Walmart or Lowes. You can also find it in an auto parts store.

Good Luck,
Brother John

+1 for PB blaster! Hose it down daily with PB blaster until it lets loose. It is like magic.

Big Lots has it for like $0.99!

WD40 gets gummy/sticky and isn't really a penetrating oil. WD stands for 'water displacement'. If you left some electronics or electrical components out in the rain then you could use WD40 to blow the water off of the components. It works great for that, but not much else.

corsair wrote:Nope! WD40 and diesel - in fact all of the penetrating oils and potions need time to do their magic!! The butane blowtorch is a good way, too - it doesn't have the same vehemence as an oxy-acetylene flame but you'd still have to be careful with it, ie not to overcook it!

If you need a bit of speed in removing crud from metal, drop the part into neat "Spirit of Salts". I use it on bicycle parts too, such as chromed-brass spoke nipples, rusted and corroded vintage brake parts etc, and it works a treat!

Be VERY careful - do it outside, because of the fumes. It will probably fizz for a few seconds - leave it a few more then remove the part with tweezers/forceps and rinse in cold water. Oh yeah - good idea to wear rubber gloves and goggles too......... :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

This tends to dissolve crud, but leaves brass chrome and steel intact. It will make steel rather grey, but chrome comes out really shiny!

It will however, completely muller aluminium. All you'll get with aluminium is a black slurry of gunge in the bottom of the pot, and enough toxic fumes to sell to your avearge American penal instituation, where they still use the gas chamber!

BTW - spirit of salts is availlable in most proper UK harware stores. Basically, it is hydrochloric acid! :!:

Guy

Tried soaking it in coca cola?

I've got to do a +2 on the PB Blaster. Cheap and easy. Hopefully they sell it where you are.

And as far as tuners go, get the Peterson Stroboclip (or any other Perterson Strobe tuner). I've purchased one, absoulutly love it. Accurate to 1/10 cent. All other tuners just wish they were this amazing.

corsair wrote:With a great deal of care!!I tried to free up a frozen adjustment grubb screw with an oxy-acetylene flame as cool as I could run it, but it was still far too hot! Perhaps a butane blowlamp?
How long have you soaked it in WD40 for? I soak stuff like that in diesel for about a week and if they aren't freed by then, I give 'em another week; diesel is great stuff for freeing up stuff but it takes time!

People do not realize how worthless WD-40 is.....Liquid Wrench is way better....no self-respecting mechanic touches WD-40...why? Because it has additives that dry out all the lubricants and if not caught in time will just "freeze" back to it's original "frozen" state. Yes you can use it...albeit it's just not AS effective as Liquid Wrench. As for the heating bit....this parts are to small and fragile for that.

Never heard of Liquid Wrench; sounds like a good 'un!! Though diesel works very, very well if you have the time to wait!! Yeah, actually, I should have said that the oxy-actylene flame I tried was on a spare saddles and I don't recommend it - I used a cool flame which still made the chrome bubble!!

nasticanasta wrote:People do not realize how worthless WD-40 is

I recently read somewhere that the WD in WD40 actually stands for Water Displacement which if true is somewhat counter intuitive as to why you would reach for it in the first place...not much lubricating going on there methinks. It's been a long time since I've used Liquid Wrench but I think I recall it's being a good product.

WD40
Water Displacement and the 40 stands for the 40th concoction tried.
Contains wax.
Useless as a potentiometer cleaner, but good as a lubricant.

Just to add my two-penneth, i would have tried an allen key bit in a set of vise grips then tapped with a pin hammer whilst adding a turning force (an impact driver does this but would probably be too heavy for this job). Most things will give up with this technique...however, start always start gently! Some torue settings on some battery/cordless drills can be used to the same effect.

Water displacement makes sense as I always used it in the distributer cap of my car to dry it out

I've freed many a seized grub screw by clamping the bit sticking out of the underside in a vice and heating the saddle with a gas gun and then using the saddle as a lever.

Westbone wrote:WD40
Water Displacement and the 40 stands for the 40th concoction tried.
Contains wax.
Useless as a potentiometer cleaner, but good as a lubricant.

It does! you're right, but there are solvents in it that evaporate any lubricents used...therefore never use it for a lubrication... it is only good for loosening...that's it! I have a friend who is a certified master mechanic... this is from the horses mouth :!:
Take a test....find a fan you have no use for....spray WD-40 onto the points of axis of the motor....see how long your fan lasts and get back to me. Oh ya and let me know how bad it smelled.

That's why I mentoined "no good on a potetiometer" or any other electrical conducting part.
Good for cleaning your gone grey plastic car bumpers(fenders) in your part of the globe.

I've better things to do than play around with old fans.

Westbone wrote:...I've better things to do than play around with old fans.

But I'm your oldest fan Damian. Are we through?

Westbone wrote:That's why I mentoined "no good on a potetiometer" or any other electrical conducting part.
Good for cleaning your gone grey plastic car bumpers(fenders) in your part of the globe.

I've better things to do than play around with old fans.

I wasn't being mean or a smart-ass I Was just adding that it's not even a good lubricant because any lubricants in it are evaporated by the "solvents"..thus it's a terrible lubricant...the fan was just an example of how it does not lubricate. So the product is made just for loosening rusted items. No wax...
Main ingredients, from the material safety data sheet, are:
•50%: Stoddard solvent (mineral spirits, somewhat similar to, but not the same as, kerosene)
•25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant, carbon dioxide is used now to reduce considerable flammability)
•15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
•10-%: Inert ingredients

Barry wrote:

Westbone wrote:...I've better things to do than play around with old fans.

But I'm your oldest fan Damian. Are we through?

Sorry Barry didn't think you'd take it so hard,

Like your sense of humour.

He can be quite quick for an old boy, eh!!!

corsair wrote:He can be quite quick for an old boy, eh!!!

Hey, I can Rock, or I can Roll. Just can't do both at the same time.