At 08:17 AM 02/05/2008 -0700, worthy2@earthlink.net wrote:
>Tom, As Don suggests, above, heat will help solve this, but if you can't co
>ntrol the temperature precisely (or you don't want to risk injury, ruining
>the lever, or fires) I would first try something more benign. Soak the leve
>rs in ammonia. If that doesn't loosen the corrosion bond, move up to phosph
>oric acid, but watch this closer as it's more aggressive if the solution is
> concentrated. Applying "gentle" heat (less than the 620º required to
>melt lead) may expand the aluminum enough to aid dislodging the lead stump.
> When and if all this failed, then I'd go to the big heat technique, and as
> Don says wear welder's gloves, eye protection and a respirator, too (fumes
>).
My first thought when I saw this was to use heat to melt the solder, but I hesitated to suggest it for fear it might discolour the lever. Using ammonia will most certainly discolour the aluminum and phosphoric acid will attack it. An earlier suggestion to try and push the cable out with needlenose pliers sounds like a good idea. I would use needlenose or small visegrips and tap them with a hammer. (And lawyers on the list would also recommend safety goggles and steel toe boots.)
John Betmanis
Woodstock, Ontario
Canada