Ithaca 37 lesson learned today

Unlicensed Dremel · August 11, 2014, 11:30 PM

Note to self:

On an Ithaca 37 (Actually a Stevens 350), if you decide to superglue a wood forestock to mag tube shroud & action arms, in addition to bending the lip of the front tube shroud backward (to make it rock solid and keep it from slipping forward on the front stroke).......

don't put the forestock on upside down. The glue sets rather quickly.

Now I'm thinking acetone bath. I really don't want to ruin this forestock and have to buy another one.

I took the whole thing apart but cannot figure out how to disengage the rear of the action arms from the bolt carrier so that they'll pull out the front of the receiver, so that I can dunk *just* the action arms, tube shroud and forestock.

The smaller my "bathtub", the better - ideas?

See username ...This is the dumbest thing I've ever done smithing - and that's really saying something. SMH & cursing.

Bill DeShivs · August 11, 2014, 11:33 PM

Heat will work better.

Unlicensed Dremel · August 11, 2014, 11:37 PM

OK, thanks!

This all started from replacing the the plastic factory one with a wood one, for old school looks, but it's turned into a mess, since the wood one is for an Ithaca 37, so I already had to fabricate a 2nd channel in the wood, since the Stevens 350 has two action arms instead of one (which is one reason I *really* want to save this forestock, rather than shredding it to get it off - but it's also a very expensive one too). And to get the old one off, I jacked up the metal at the front, to "unbend" the lip to pull the old one off. This has been a big mistake in multiple ways ...ha ha.

HiBC · August 12, 2014, 06:35 AM

Its been a few years since I pulled the single action arm an an Ithaca.I do not know if this will work on your Stevens.
Look in the ejection port at the bottom of the bolt.Do you see what looks like the side of a pin...maybe 3/16 or 5/32 in dia?It will be perpendicular to the length of the bolt,partially exposed,with a groove in it.
That is the setup in an Ithaca.
You put a screwdriver blade in that groove and pull the pin away from the action bar.It is spring loaded.

Seems like a dual action bar would require something slightly different,but look to the underside of the bolt.I suspect there is something there.

IIRC,the Ithaca had a cap that threaded on the tube to hold the wood on,and a couple of slots for a spanner.
Are you saying they flared out or swedged the tube,one shot permanent assy?

HiBC · August 12, 2014, 07:00 AM

Try this you tube instruction vid on the Stevens 350

http://youtu.be/y5oSp5UWrrQ

Unlicensed Dremel · August 12, 2014, 10:48 AM

Yes they flared / swaged the end of the tube to keep the forestock on - no cap (which would have to be an open-top cap). In fact the tube shroud thing is threaded for presumably just such a "cap", but the threads are not used for anything. The flare-ing jacks up the threads so that they're not usable anyway. I had to "un-flare" it to get the plastic forestock off. "Leave well enough alone" is not a phrase I'm familiar with.

That's very helpful; thanks.

Unlicensed Dremel · August 12, 2014, 10:53 AM

5:34 - 5:59 of the vid shows pinching the spring-loaded clips with large "tweezers" to remove the action bar - great!

Tangent: I'm in awe of the genius of John M. Browning in this design.

I also would like to note that superglue is more dangerous than a dremel in my hands.

HiBC · August 12, 2014, 03:59 PM

I wonder if you can get a replacement action bar only,maybe a Stevens or Ithaca threaded nut?
I'm not sure I would rely on super glue for a wood steel application that will see shock .

If I were to make a permanent assy with adhesive,I think I might consider Accraglass gel,West System Epoxy,or even an RTV silicone.It looks parkerized,a good degrease with Brake Cleaner or equivalent should be sufficient.(after you get the superglue off)

But,thats just opinion.

Unlicensed Dremel · August 19, 2014, 06:05 PM

Thanks. I just bent a new metal lip down on 2nd install.

Bill D. - you are correct - heat works - takes a lot of heat applied evenly over a long time but it eventually worked. Much obliged.

However, 2nd note to self: Don't breathe hot superglue fumes. It wasn't pretty.

10-96 · August 19, 2014, 10:14 PM

Quote:

However, 2nd note to self: Don't breathe hot superglue fumes. It wasn't pretty.

... but if you do it anywhere around a CSI Miami filming set- they could tell you if you have any fingerprints inside your lungs.

Unlicensed Dremel · August 21, 2014, 11:31 PM

Ha! (not funny - ok, kinda funny)

August 11, 2014, 11:30 PM	#1
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	Ithaca 37 lesson learned today Note to self: On an Ithaca 37 (Actually a Stevens 350), if you decide to superglue a wood forestock to mag tube shroud & action arms, in addition to bending the lip of the front tube shroud backward (to make it rock solid and keep it from slipping forward on the front stroke)....... don't put the forestock on upside down. The glue sets rather quickly. Now I'm thinking acetone bath. I really don't want to ruin this forestock and have to buy another one. I took the whole thing apart but cannot figure out how to disengage the rear of the action arms from the bolt carrier so that they'll pull out the front of the receiver, so that I can dunk just the action arms, tube shroud and forestock. The smaller my "bathtub", the better - ideas? See username ...This is the dumbest thing I've ever done smithing - and that's really saying something. SMH & cursing.

August 11, 2014, 11:33 PM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Heat will work better. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

August 11, 2014, 11:37 PM	#3
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	OK, thanks! This all started from replacing the the plastic factory one with a wood one, for old school looks, but it's turned into a mess, since the wood one is for an Ithaca 37, so I already had to fabricate a 2nd channel in the wood, since the Stevens 350 has two action arms instead of one (which is one reason I really want to save this forestock, rather than shredding it to get it off - but it's also a very expensive one too). And to get the old one off, I jacked up the metal at the front, to "unbend" the lip to pull the old one off. This has been a big mistake in multiple ways ...ha ha. Last edited by Unlicensed Dremel; August 12, 2014 at 10:57 AM.

August 12, 2014, 06:35 AM	#4
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	Its been a few years since I pulled the single action arm an an Ithaca.I do not know if this will work on your Stevens. Look in the ejection port at the bottom of the bolt.Do you see what looks like the side of a pin...maybe 3/16 or 5/32 in dia?It will be perpendicular to the length of the bolt,partially exposed,with a groove in it. That is the setup in an Ithaca. You put a screwdriver blade in that groove and pull the pin away from the action bar.It is spring loaded. Seems like a dual action bar would require something slightly different,but look to the underside of the bolt.I suspect there is something there. IIRC,the Ithaca had a cap that threaded on the tube to hold the wood on,and a couple of slots for a spanner. Are you saying they flared out or swedged the tube,one shot permanent assy? Last edited by HiBC; August 12, 2014 at 06:44 AM.

August 12, 2014, 03:59 PM	#8
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	I wonder if you can get a replacement action bar only,maybe a Stevens or Ithaca threaded nut? I'm not sure I would rely on super glue for a wood steel application that will see shock . If I were to make a permanent assy with adhesive,I think I might consider Accraglass gel,West System Epoxy,or even an RTV silicone.It looks parkerized,a good degrease with Brake Cleaner or equivalent should be sufficient.(after you get the superglue off) But,thats just opinion. Last edited by HiBC; August 12, 2014 at 04:07 PM.

August 12, 2014, 07:00 AM	#5
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	Try this you tube instruction vid on the Stevens 350 http://youtu.be/y5oSp5UWrrQ

August 12, 2014, 10:48 AM	#6
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	Yes they flared / swaged the end of the tube to keep the forestock on - no cap (which would have to be an open-top cap). In fact the tube shroud thing is threaded for presumably just such a "cap", but the threads are not used for anything. The flare-ing jacks up the threads so that they're not usable anyway. I had to "un-flare" it to get the plastic forestock off. "Leave well enough alone" is not a phrase I'm familiar with. That's very helpful; thanks.

August 12, 2014, 10:53 AM	#7
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	5:34 - 5:59 of the vid shows pinching the spring-loaded clips with large "tweezers" to remove the action bar - great! Tangent: I'm in awe of the genius of John M. Browning in this design. I also would like to note that superglue is more dangerous than a dremel in my hands.

August 19, 2014, 06:05 PM	#9
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	Thanks. I just bent a new metal lip down on 2nd install. Bill D. - you are correct - heat works - takes a lot of heat applied evenly over a long time but it eventually worked. Much obliged. However, 2nd note to self: Don't breathe hot superglue fumes. It wasn't pretty.

August 21, 2014, 11:31 PM	#11
Unlicensed Dremel Junior member Join Date: February 13, 2014 Location: Flathead Valley, MT Posts: 2,187	Ha! (not funny - ok, kinda funny)