Problem unscrewing Ares ETR illumination cap

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Sanctify7

Sanctify7

Member
Jul 2, 2022
627
171
Kingston, NH 03848
Greetings.

Well, here I am again with a trivial but irksome problem. I cannot get the illumination cap off my new Ares ETR 3-18x50 and insert the battery. I tried and tried, which includes the use of rubber grippers that my wife uses for jars. I had this problem with my Helix elevation cap, but not the windage. I ended up using pliers on the Helix, and even though I duct-taped the pliers, I scored the cap. (Element sent me a new one free and without hassle.). I don't want to repeat this mistake. Once again, I have decent finger/hand strength. There is so little surface to grip on the cap because the parallax knob is right next to it and they both move in tandem. Sheesh.
Is this only my problem?
Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thank you. S7

Edit: The illumination knob and cap for the battery turn together and not the cap and the parallax knob as I wrong said above. Thanks.
 
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I have an Ares but BTR....the outer coin edge of the IR turret/battery cap is very thin and I found I was gripping both the edge and the tube....hard to just grab the coin edge! I also used our rubber lid openers like you but had to make sure to grab just the coin edge as I believe you are doing. If I remember correctly I pushed and turned from as far out as possible and it came unscrewed. Athlons service department is really helpful, maybe give them a jingle (call and/or email) them, I'm sure this is a recurring issue!
 
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boscoebrea said:
Have done this yourself?Put a scope in a freezer then heat it?...sure cold condenses, but heat expands so you do this to your scopes??
Click to expand...
You only blow heat across the face of the cap (not anywhere else) and it will expand, while the frozen scope body will remain contracted, more or less. Heating up the hair dryer first (before applying wind and heat to the cap) allows for quick application of heat in a concentrated area while the surrounding metal stays colder. This works like a charm. And yes, if need be I would do exactly this to remove a cap instead of taking the chance of marring up the caps with pliars or tools. Though I do have an industrial heat gun that I would use instead.
 
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Ranchibi said:
I have an Ares but BTR....the outer coin edge of the IR turret/battery cap is very thin and I found I was gripping both the edge and the tube....hard to just grab the coin edge! I also used our rubber lid openers like you but had to make sure to grab just the coin edge as I believe you are doing. If I remember correctly I pushed and turned from as far out as possible and it came unscrewed. Athlons service department is really helpful, maybe give them a jingle (call and/or email) them, I'm sure this is a recurring issue!
Click to expand...
After reading your post, Ranchibi, I tried again but just got re-mashed fingers! I do believe I am only gripping the cap surface. We'll see. Thanks. S7
Airgun-hobbyist said:
You only blow heat across the face of the cap (only) and it will expand, while the frozen scope body will remain contracted, more or less. Heating up the hair dryer first allows for quick application of heat in a concentrated area while the surrounding metal stays colder. This works like a charm.
Click to expand...
 
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I want to thank all who have tried to assist here. It hit me that someone must make rubber-jawed pliers. And they do. Since this problem is not an isolated one for me, and having a tool like this is an overall aid, I am going to purchase a pair or two. If they let me get good purchase on the coin-edged cap, it should be okay. The better ones cost a fair amount, so I am going to look around. I will let you folks know how things go. Again, thank you very much. S7
 
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OK isn't there a rubber oring?Remember is to never compress rubber o-rings so hard they are smashed,sometimes tight is too tight,I guess after getting it off a tiny bit of the right lube would help.....I have a big problem with a stuck sunshade on a scope....got it that way,tried one rubber pipe wrench,looks like I need another one.
Those rubber pipe wrenches are sometimes better than pliers for a lot of things,and not expensive, look them up.they have a rubber belt that you tighten around the piece you want to move,it is not a vise it is a clamp,,,,think like a oil filter removal tool.....round man..
 
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boscoebrea said:
OK isn't there a rubber oring?Remember is to never compress rubber o-rings so hard they are smashed,sometimes tight is too tight,I guess after getting it off a tiny bit of the right lube would help.....I have a big problem with a stuck sunshade on a scope....got it that way,tried one rubber pipe wrench,looks like I need another one.
Those rubber pipe wrenches are sometimes better than pliers for a lot of things,and not expensive, look them up.
Click to expand...
I am not alone! S7
 
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Man...sorry you are still unable to break that seal! I know you don't want to use pliers.....eek! I recently purchased a pair of Knipex pliers whose jaws remain parallel when opening or closing at all widths...might not mark up the cap (no teeth just flat metal) as much using a thick piece of leather in between....but the pliers are expensive. Just a thought....😢
 
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Ranchibi said:
Man...sorry you are still unable to break that seal! I know you don't want to use pliers.....eek! I recently purchased a pair of Knipex pliers whose jaws remain parallel when opening or closing at all widths...might not mark up the cap (no teeth just flat metal) as much using a thick piece of leather in between....but the pliers are expensive. Just a thought....😢
Click to expand...
Thanks, Ranchibi. Yes, I already marred a Helix cap. As I said previously, I am going to purchase a pliers with rubber or, more likely, plastic jaws. The good ones are a bit on the pricier side ($30 -- $60), so I am shopping around. There are some cheaper ones, but I don't want to butcher the job due to stinginess. Shed a tear is what I would do, too. I am on the perfectionist side! S7

Edit: Ranchibi, I just connected the dots of your post and my present Amazon viewing. Knipex sells plastic jaw covers for their pliers, by the way. S7

 
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Here are some of the pliers I am looking at. One is from Lowe's and the rest from Amazon. Any votes?




 
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I do not know what your cap design is. If it is internal threads like the top sketch, when gripping hard with pliers, whether hard jaws or soft jaws, it can be squeezing the threads tighter on the scopes male thread. Gripping as little as possible of the top of the cap is critical.
If your cap is like in the lower sketch, squeezing the cap will not cause the threads to squeeze tighter on each other.
When I was working, I have made more than one special wrench to remove caps just like on scopes. Always custom made for the job at hand.

044A2FF8-F09A-447D-9AB4-F28191C1C527.jpeg
 
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