Cleaning inside of seat tube after removing seized seatpost

Earl Grey wrote:
Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

What about a flex-hone?

Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

On May 3, 11:21*am, Earl Grey wrote:
Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

Clean really well. Once you've done that, take it to a bike shop that
has a seat tube reamer if you can. Any bike shop that works with steel
bikes ought to have one, particularly if they worked with italian
frames. They should leave it so that the proper seatpost glides
smoothly in and out, when clean, with a little pressure, even with no
grease.

On May 3, 1:35*pm, " wrote:
On May 3, 11:21*am, Earl Grey wrote:



Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

Clean really well. Once you've done that, take it to a bike shop that
has a seat tube reamer if you can. Any bike shop that works with steel
bikes ought to have one, particularly if they worked with italian
frames. They should leave it so that the proper seatpost glides
smoothly in and out, when clean, with a little pressure, even with no
grease.

Thanks, sounds like good advice. But do you have any advice on how to
clean the tube?

On May 3, 1:21*pm, Earl Grey wrote:
Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

Hi there.

I used a rag with varsol. Squeeze out the excess varsol so the rag is
just really damp. You can make a rod from a length of dowel wrap the
rag arounfd the dowel and secure it so it can't fall off. Swab the
tube, changing rags as needed, until the tube interior is clean to
your satisfaction then dry the tube with another piece of rag. You can
then lightly grease another piece of rag and apply it to the interior
of the tube if you like.

Cheers from Peter

Earl Grey wrote:
I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?
If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.
I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

" wrote:
Clean really well. Once you've done that, take it to a bike shop that
has a seat tube reamer if you can. Any bike shop that works with steel
bikes ought to have one, particularly if they worked with italian
frames. They should leave it so that the proper seatpost glides
smoothly in and out, when clean, with a little pressure, even with no
grease.

Earl Grey wrote:
Thanks, sounds like good advice. But do you have any advice on how to
clean the tube?

bore polisher:
http://www.discount-tools.com/sup-bpm.cfm

Degrease throughly first.

For further reading:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/goodn.html
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Earl Grey" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

Brake cylinder hone. Just one example at:
http://www.drillspot.com/products/53..._cylinder_hone
Dirt cheap, available any El Rancho Cheapo auto supply supermarket and worked
for me.

Otherwise length of 5/8 or 3/4 wooden dowel with long slot cut in end to take
strips of abrasive cloth (cut from a portable belt sander belt to length and
width that suits) or cotton cloth of your choice soaked in solvent or cleansing
paste. If using abrasive cloth use two strips back to back so it abrades coming
and going if you get what I mean. Tape end of slot tightly closed so strips of
whatever don't fall out. Also worked for me.


PH

On May 3, 10:52*pm, "Peter Howard"
wrote:
"Earl Grey" wrote in message

...



Hi,

I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?

If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.

I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...

Cheers,

Earl Grey

Brake cylinder hone. Just one example at:http://www.drillspot.com/products/53...44_brake_cylin...
Dirt cheap, available any El Rancho Cheapo auto supply supermarket and worked
for me.

Otherwise length of 5/8 or 3/4 wooden dowel with long slot cut in end to take
strips of abrasive cloth (cut from a portable belt sander belt to length and
width that suits) or cotton cloth of your choice soaked in solvent or cleansing
paste. If using abrasive cloth use two strips back to back so it abrades coming
and going if you get what I mean. Tape end of slot tightly closed so strips of
whatever don't fall out. Also worked for me.

PH

Thanks for all the good advice. In further searching, I found a very
detailed article on honing and reaming a seat tube:
http://poehali.net/content/b00007/07...be_milling.pdf

Cheers,

EG

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...&sc=Flex-Hones

Tide, mixed into a fluid paste thne brushed in degreases, removes dirt
(rust).
brush slowly, add water. clean rinse repeat.

unless you know someone at McClaren or John's Hopkins, a TV camera is
unlikely so assume the tube is half done.

dry thoroughly, hair dryer/heat gun/infrared. DRY DREY DRY.

coat with thinned linseed oil and dry dry dry.
coat linseed with thinned rustoleum semi gloss white - 2 coats. dry
dry dry
reassemble with a 1/2 1/2 or ??? its fingerpaint - linseed straight
mixed with aluminum anti seize as a tube grease.

remaining rust will if DRY consume the supply of H20 and 02 then
starve into a very hard relatively inert mass contracting over time to
somewhat loosen itself from the host's depression.

the assemble will outlive you.

On May 3, 11:48*am, AMuzi wrote:
*Earl Grey wrote:
I managed to remove two seized aluminum seatposts from a steel frame
tandem, but even after I had broken the bond, the posts were very
difficult to remove. The seatposts are stained brown from rust in the
seat tubes. So I am thinking that I should thoroughly clean the inside
of the seat tubes (and the outside of the posts) to make sure that
they will move smoothly, and that there is enough space between the
post and tube for a good coating of grease. I'll probably try Bon Ami
and Scotchbrite for the posts, but the tubes are trickier. Any ideas?
If it matters, the bottoms of the seat tubes are sealed off from the
BB shells.
I thought gun shops may have appropriate supplies, but the I/D of the
tubes is 29.4 mm, and the biggest common shotgun I/D is about 19.7
mm...
" wrote:
Clean really well. Once you've done that, take it to a bike shop that
has a seat tube reamer if you can. Any bike shop that works with steel
bikes ought to have one, particularly if they worked with italian
frames. They should leave it so that the proper seatpost glides
smoothly in and out, when clean, with a little pressure, even with no
grease.
Earl Grey wrote:
Thanks, sounds like good advice. But do you have any advice on how to
clean the tube?

bore polisher:http://www.discount-tools.com/sup-bpm.cfm

Degrease throughly first.

For further reading:http://www.yellowjersey.org/goodn.html
--

Andrew, what is with the melted looking SR (?) seat post. It looks
like you went at that thing with a plasma torch. And I don't get the
last picture with the benign looking Cinelli stem with melted and
broken looking stuff. What happened there? -- Jay Beattie.