Gas Piston Tube Wood

[Otis61]

I can't figure out how to get the wood of the gas tube for refinishing. I have several kit in diferent stages of build, and its the same on all of them. Can anyone lend thier experiece?

[SSwee]

It rotates off. I can't find the link where I learned from, maybe someone has one they can post.
SS

[Jagman]

Thats it-
Put a wrench on the flats of the tube and twist it half a turn, you may have to hold the wood in a vice if it is real tight - mine can twist off just gripping the wood with my hands.
Be careful when installing it again - make sure you get the tabs of the handguard under the lip of the metal band that hols it in place.
Jagman



http://images29.fotki.com/v1006/photos/1/139782/2106747/AKhandguard003-vi.jpg
http://images111.fotki.com/v740/photos/1/139782/2106747/AKhandguard005-vi.jpg

[GearShanty]

BE VERY CAREFUL. This wood is somewhat thin and tends to crack and split easily. Go very slowly and look for cracks. Out of the last batch of Romanian G kits I had, about 1/3 of the upper forearms were cracked (before I started to remove the wood).

[Rampager]

BE VERY CAREFUL. This wood is somewhat thin and tends to crack and split easily. Go very slowly and look for cracks. Out of the last batch of Romanian G kits I had, about 1/3 of the upper forearms were cracked (before I started to remove the wood).

Big +1 on this.
I cracked one in half myself. Thing is, if it is very tight like some are you have a tendency to want to squeeze the wood with your hand while turning it and it will split down the middle if you are not careful.

[nalioth]

Jagmans pictures give you an idea, but I'd stick the bottom of the tube into a vise (instead of the wrench) so you can use two hands.

Watch your self, or you'll get pinched.

Another link with nice pictures: http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/gastubed.html

[okie shooter]

As above, I set the flats of the gas tube in a vice, use a little oil on the wood at the metal and slowly twist off the wood, using my hands. Slow and easy as not to break the hand guard.

[k98k792]

Take liquid wax and pour into both ends of the wood.Wrap the wood hand guard in a rag.Then put the wood part loosely and verticaly in a vice so that the wood cannot rotate.Then take a wrench on the flat of the metal tube and slowly rotate the tube. This keeps even pressure on the wood. If you use your hand you will get away with it on laminated handguards,but there is a good chance the uneven pressure will crack the non laminated. I have used this method on 19 or 20 Aks.

[Otis61]

Thanks guys. I knew there had to be a trick to it. I'd heard about the wrench. But what I heard was vague, and thats what I was worried about. Breacking it.

Thanks for all your help.