Q-tip has taken refuge in wheel

[BlewBYu]

Guess this has happened to everyone at sometime or another. Broke a Q-tip off in a wheel while polishing. It broke off in such a way that I can't seem to pull it out or force it out. I tried using an axle, a small rod, and several other instruments to force it out.

I then resorted to yelling at it. It didn't respond. I begged and pleaded with it, but it simply laughed and hunkered down even further. Short of performing an exorcism, how can I get this thing out without destroying the wheel?

I could always drill it out, but we all know what that means as soon as the drill bit touches the wheel bore. Is it possible to salvage this wheel? I will have to buy other wheels if I can't because I only have 3 good wheels for this car (counting this wheel).

 

[Hogans Racing]

Make a mixture of dawn and water. Let wheel soak in this solution until the qtip gets soft enough to push out.

 

[dpatrick911]

Maybe some krytox dropped on the q-tip and allowed to penetrate? Or maybe even soak it in some isopropyl alcohol? My thinking is either get some lube on it and see if you can push it out. Or get it wet with alcohol and see if it will shrink a little when it dries. sort of like the old balsa and tissue model planes we have probably all built at one time or another.

 

[BlewBYu]

I'll try these methods and see if they work

 

[Vitamin K]

Make sure you eyeball the bore and spin-test the wheel after you extract the q-tip, to make sure you haven't shot the bore by the extraction process.

 

[BlewBYu]

I have a 40x Loupe that lets me see the bores pretty well. I may be wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this wheel is now going to be used for a NDFW.

 

[561 racing]

Maybe some krytox dropped on the q-tip and allowed to penetrate? Or maybe even soak it in some isopropyl alcohol? My thinking is either get some lube on it and see if you can push it out. Or get it wet with alcohol and see if it will shrink a little when it dries. sort of like the old balsa and tissue model planes we have probably all built at one time or another.

Don't use krytox, it's to damn expensive.

 

[Guest]

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[Obsessedderbydad]

After you wet it. Take one of your wife's needles for sewing and push it out. I had to do that. Worked well.

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

I've ruined my share of wheels this way. I'll have to try some of the tips listed here the next time it happens.

 

[~JBD RACING~]

Your not gonna hurt the bore with a qtip... The Qtip when entered in the wheel bore will form to size ...

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I have a 40x Loupe that lets me see the bores pretty well. I may be wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this wheel is now going to be used for a NDFW.

/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif

 

[BlewBYu]

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[tr][td]Make a mixture of dawn and water. Let wheel soak in this solution until the qtip gets soft enough to push out.[/td][/tr]

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Tried the first tip on the list. I let the q-tip soak for 24 hours with dishwashing liquid and water. It came right out. The wheel bore looks like a mixture of the Grand canyon crater and the surface of the moon. Don't think I'll be running that wheel any time soon! Oh well.

 

[GravityX]

I haven't had this happen to me yet, but when it does I'l make use of these tips. Thanks guys.

 

[derby freak]

Q-tip stalk was probably too big for the bore and heated it too much.....walgreens q-tip brand seems to work best for me....just a suggestion of what might have happened...