Posts stuck during bridge disassembly

[cnematik]

I just acquired a Spoiler that apparently hadn't been played in 10+ years. Bridge needed some polishing and the screws were all stuck. But i managed to mostly disassemble the bridge, with the help of some WD40. However there are these stubborn posts on one end that don't seem to come out no matter what i do. I used WD40, gentle heat, pulling/twisting with a plier, hammering but no luck. Any ideas?

[adriaan]

Is it that you can't clean some of the tarnish? Other than that, there's a bridge refurb kit available in the webstore.

[pauldo]

If it was mine I would clean it as best I could in the condition it is.   Excessive force could end with poor results.

It sounds (and looks) like you have been very cautious and intelligent with your attempts.  If you desire the pins removed then I would be inclined to try the heat trick again but add a step:
Go a notch above “gentle” heat to the brass all around the pins and then touch some paraffin to the pins.  The heat should wick the paraffin in and allow for easier removal.

[lbpesq]

You might try soaking the stubborn part in Tri-Flow or PB Blaster for a couple of days.  A few years ago I restored an Essence that looked like the bridge had been underwater and seemed fused.   A couple of days in Tri-Flow and a little elbow grease did the trick.

Bill, tgo

[JimmyJ]

Pretty sure those pins are pressed into place and I would also recommend leaving them there and simply cleaning around them. These pins also need to remain smooth so the saddles can slide freely on them when driven by their adjustment screws.  So don't be grabbing them with a vice-grip (which sounds like something I would do  ).

It's great you're reviving this bass and we hope it turns out to be a keeper.

Jimmy J

[cnematik]

Is it that you can't clean some of the tarnish?

i’m trying to separate the brass parts to plate them. Plating and polishing is easy for me,  but I’m just trying to make sure i’m not damaging anything structurally.

You might try soaking the stubborn part in Tri-Flow or PB Blaster for a couple of days

Go a notch above “gentle” heat to the brass all around the pins and then touch some paraffin to the pins.  The heat should wick the paraffin in and allow for easier removal.

Sounds good. I’ll try those and let you know how it turns out. Thanks!

[gtrguy]

The pins (assuming they are the ones the saddles slide on) are pressed into place and designed to come out only one direction. If I remember right, you can see tiny serrations on the side they don't come out on. I have taken a small punch and turned it down to exactly fit the pins and not mar the bridge. I then use it to carefully tap out the pins the correct direction while laying the removed bridge on its side on a bit of flat wood, centering the pin I am removing over a hole I put in the wood.

[gtrguy]

They will come out...

[gtrguy]

Or rather drill 4 long holes in the wood block that match up with the pin spacing, so that the brass part lays flat on the wood and the pins hang down inside it.

[cnematik]

I then use it to carefully tap out the pins the correct direction

Yeah, i was trying this but didn't budge with careful tapping so i started to second guess myself as to whether that side was threaded. I'll lubricate it more and try again. Thanks

[gtrguy]

Come to think of it, I have used my shop press on really stubborn ones of these before (with my custom punch) with excellent results.