Need mild thread locker

kosPap

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
2,915
Location
Naoussa Greece
well i have 2 flashlight parts that need to be threadlocked but still removable with little force. one is a Ultrafire AAA flashlight head, the other is a lens retaining ring that upon module tightening it threads more, pushes on the glass which in turn pushes the o-ring out!

So I need to thread lock them just enough to be able to remove with mild pressure. (the lens retaining ring has pliers sockets)

So far I have found the Loctite 220 & 222. What are your experiences / suggestions on these?

Also I am open to DIY materials like cyanoacrylate, etc.
Regarding name brands they have to be available here in Greece so we are talking widely available like Loctite, which does
 
You will want to use the threadlocker 242 blue. Do not use the red threadlocker!
 
You will want to use the threadlocker 242 blue. Do not use the red threadlocker!

+1. Absolutely no red if you ever want to loosen it again. The bezel on my Novatac was secured with red loctite and I had to ruin the bezel to get it off (which is fine because I wanted to change it anyway)
 
well i have 2 flashlight parts that need to be threadlocked but still removable with little force. one is a Ultrafire AAA flashlight head, the other is a lens retaining ring that upon module tightening it threads more, pushes on the glass which in turn pushes the o-ring out!

So I need to thread lock them just enough to be able to remove with mild pressure. (the lens retaining ring has pliers sockets)

So far I have found the Loctite 220 & 222. What are your experiences / suggestions on these?

Also I am open to DIY materials like cyanoacrylate, etc.
Regarding name brands they have to be available here in Greece so we are talking widely available like Loctite, which does

If you use the blue loctite, don't cover all the threads with it. The AAA body isn't particularly strong and you may damage it by clamping it to temove the loctite, even the removeable blue.
 
Have you considered just using teflon plumbing tape?
They basically change your thread class from 2 to 3,4,5 or what ever you need.
 
The less you use the easier it will be to remove.

The Purple is the weakest purpose built threadlocker. Biketoolsetc used to carry it. Impossible to find it in stores.
 
The green wicking 290 is also handy, about the same strength as blue 242. For tiny threads, like those in lights, use the tip of a toothpick to apply a microdrop to the threads. As long as both male & female threads are clean, it takes very little to do the job.
 
well I have checked with Loctite site before posting and I got totally confused.

For guns forums I knew that red is too strong and needs heat, blue is force breakable. When I found numbers I got mixed up.

So it is blue 242 and purple 222 probably. Thanks for the application tips too.
All the best, Kostas
 
Blue thread lock is still fairly strong.

It may sound silly, but honestly, hair spray is a great low strength thread locker... I also use it to help hold couplers on pressurized intake piping on my car.
 
Blue thread lock is still fairly strong.

It may sound silly, but honestly, hair spray is a great low strength thread locker... I also use it to help hold couplers on pressurized intake piping on my car.

hey THAT'S the spirit! will try it on the WF-501 Head!
 
I was going to say - get the purple one. It's original use was for making variable resistors (actually multiturn pots) a bit harder to turn in electronics
 
Do not use cyanoacrylate (Super Glue). It does not come loose.
I would suggest silicone sealer, or the blue threadlocker.
 
Do not use cyanoacrylate (Super Glue). It does not come loose.
I would suggest silicone sealer, or the blue threadlocker.

Then there's CA debonder, which is CA solvent. A few drops of that in the joint and it will come free.
 
Blue Loctite is medium strength; it's still problematic to break the bond when you're talking about flashlight parts rather than nuts and bolts. Purple is low strength, which is a much better idea.

Boiled linseed oil is a mild threadlocker that is easy to find and non-toxic. It takes a couple of days to set up, though.
 
Blue Loc-Tite should be easy to find at a hardware or automotive store. If those fail it is also packaged as Gun-Tite (Uncle-Mike's) if a sporting goods place is available.
 
Top