Frozen Loading Door Handle.
- EarthWindandFire
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The handle on my loading door is frozen in the open position. I removed the hex nut but I'm nervous applying force on a door made of cast-iron since a new door is almost 300 dollars. I could see myself snapping the door using too much force. Any suggestions?
- tsb
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Mine used to freeze every year. Just a little WD-40 and let it
sit for a while. Work it back and forth slowly. It'll break loose.
sit for a while. Work it back and forth slowly. It'll break loose.
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When you get it loose use some anti seize on it to prevent it happening again.
- VigIIPeaBurner
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Propane torch. Flame the door around the latch, not on the latch, on the inside of the door to get it hot. Try working the handle back and forth. Repeat. If you don't get enough movement, let it cool and then try penetrating oil.
- buffalo bob
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a good dose of P B buster before bed and call me in the morning...
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yup,aero-kroil,by kano laboratories,www.kanolabs.com,really is better than anything else,just harder to find.the anti-seize before storage after shut-down to be sure.
- VigIIPeaBurner
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Indeed! When you buy a can of that, buy their spray graphite. Kano Labs even makes a high temperature graphite labeled for use in stokers (we should coop this stuff!). Once the handle is moving, spay the graphite on and work it it. While your at it, spray your hing pins and other moving parts with the graphite. So this and the stove will be in good shape for your heirs I suggested the heat first because if you use oil first, the next option is heat and the penetrating oil smoke isn't the best stuff to breathcoalkirk wrote:Kroil. Best stuff ever for this type of problem.
- EarthWindandFire
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I need to light the stove soon, in the next few days, and the oil didn't do much over night. The handle moves but barely, not enough to make the door open and close. Is the handle a one-piece unit that runs through the cast iron door or can it be disassembled? If I can take it apart maybe I can drill the hole larger or sand the part of the handle that passes through the door thinner. My wood stove buddies have doors that are made differently and the handles are adjustable to prevent this problem.
What kind of oil? WD-40 and PB Blaster is a waste of time and money. Order some Kroil from Kano. If you just can't wait buy some Liquid Wrench Penetrating Oil locally, it's almost as good as Kroil. Be sure it is penetrant not lubricant. Liquid Wrench makes both. A homemade brew of acetone and Dexron 50/50 mix is said to be better than Kroil, but I never used it so I can't say. If possible, remove the door and position it so the penetrating oil will be drawn into the problem area by gravity.EarthWindandFire wrote:I need to light the stove soon, in the next few days, and the oil didn't do much over night. .....
- VigIIPeaBurner
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My door handle latch has frozen and acted just the same. If it's moving a little, put more penetrant on it and keep moving it back and forth within the moven't zone you now have. Don't push it too hard past where it wants to stop moving. If it's a long handle watch how much leverage you have on your side and take it easy or choke up on the handle. Keep moving it back and forth against where it stops and work in a few drops of penetrant oil every so often. You'll gain on it. It's not a good idea to drill it out because you're essentially making a air leak and exasperating a wear zone in the door. Just hit it with powder or liquid graphite every so often (edit-) after you have it back to normal travel.EarthWindandFire wrote:I need to light the stove soon, in the next few days, and the oil didn't do much over night. The handle moves but barely, not enough to make the door open and close....>8 ...
Last edited by VigIIPeaBurner on Sat. Oct. 19, 2013 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
- freetown fred
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tap it gently with a small ball-peen back & forth as far as it will travel on it's own--it will loosen up--none of that penetrating stuff is magic--ya got to get firm & knock whatever is binding loosened up
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That's the best advice. Setting up vibration allows the oil to penetrate. You don't have to hit hard.freetown fred wrote:tap it gently with a small ball-peen back & forth as far as it will travel on it's own--it will loosen up--none of that penetrating stuff is magic--ya got to get firm & knock whatever is binding loosened up
- EarthWindandFire
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It's soaking in Liquid Wrench penetrating oil right now. I keep moving it back and forth every fifteen minutes or so. This should work, hopefully by tomorrow.