Heelllppppp...Ceramic Ball Stuck in Stop Pin Recess

S

Sharperthansticks

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Sep 19, 2017
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I was tumbling the top scale of my folder to shine it up in a rock tumbler full of ceramic media, and one of the media balls wedged itself into one of the stop pin recesses. I can't get it out; this is what I've tried so far, in this order:
  1. Wacking it on wood or a metal sink so the ball might just pop out.
  2. Pulling on it with plyers. I didn't think this would work, because the surface area is too minimal and too slick, and I was right. The plyers just come off.
  3. Putting some Nano-Oil on the ball so it would penetrate and loosen up the ball.
  4. Using a file to try to gingerly rougen up the surface of the ball to give plyers more purchase. The file just slips off. I haven't tried sand paper, but I don't want to sand away too much exposed surface, so I'm not doing that, yet.
  5. Putting the scale briefly in some boiling water, with the theory that metal expands -- hopefully more than the ceramic ball would expand -- thereby freeing the ball.
Nothing is working. Heelllllppppppp!

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Maybe freeze it, as the metal contracts it may 'pop' it out.

Or maybe lay it on a flat surface w/the ceramic ball facing the floor overhanging the edge of the counter and whack the back of it.
 
wack it with hammer(if I remember correctly ceramic is brittle)- should break into small parts?
 
Mistman68 said:
Maybe freeze it, as the metal contracts it may 'pop' it out.

Or maybe lay it on a flat surface w/the ceramic ball facing the floor overhanging the edge of the counter and whack the back of it.
Click to expand...
The freezer idea is a good one.

The other side of the scale is public-facing, so I can't whack that side. (The picture is of the inside of the scale.)
 
put the "face" side on leather, wood, rubber(I use hockey puck for ALOT of "gentle" work)
 
CA glue. Very small amount so as to not get it around the seam. Then stick something to it and pull. If you got oil or some other contamination on it you may need to clean it first
 
Backyard said:
CA glue. Very small amount so as to not get it around the seam. Then stick something to it and pull. If you got oil or some other contamination on it you may need to clean it first
Click to expand...
I thought of this. It's pretty risky, because the surface area is so small. Also, what would I bond the ball to?
 
Popsicle stick, a straw, a your dining room table. It doesn't really matter much as long as you can get a good bond. If you are scared of the CA glue getting unter the ball then put some oil or wax on the edge

Doctors use a similar method to remove objects from people's ears. I wouldn't think it would be a difficult task to do. Just put a very small bead on the ball, take another object, preferably one with a concave shape on it, and stick it to the glue. Wait a few minutes and pull it out
Sharperthansticks said:
I thought of this. It's pretty risky, because the surface area is so small. Also, what would I bond the ball to?
Click to expand...
 
i was talking about breaking the ceramic ball with hammer, not hitting "rubberized" side.
also do you have an access to ultrasonic cleaner(maybe that will help)?
 
Don't hit it with a hammer, all that's going to do is drive it in further. I've never seen a ceramic bearing shatter.
 
If using the glue method, put the glue on the stick and then touch it to the ball. I wouldn't put the glue on the ball just for fear of making a permanent bond to the scale.
 
If none of the previous posted works, try using a utility knife blade, slide edge as close to the scale as you can get it while contacting the ball, tap lightly.
If you have a chisel ground utility blade that would be the one to use.... Do they even make chisel ground utility blades?????
 
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