I’m trying to remove an old rusted rounded hex bolt from the side of a metal U-channel that holds a board in place. It’s at the corner of an old horse stall, and it may be too tight to drill it out. Wrenches just slip on it. I’d like to keep from damaging the wood too much because I’d like to re-use it. Ideas?
Comments
BigNickAndTheTwins t1_jantvh5 wrote
I'd try to cut the bolt head off with one of these multi-tools. That first blade, (on the left) is a knife blade to cut under the bolt head.
CaptainArsePants t1_janufao wrote
Weld a bar to it, soak it in your favourite anti-seize, have a coffee break and give the bar a few sharp taps with a hammer in an anti-clockwise direction. Sharp taps can help shock it loose if it's nightmare tight.
JonJackjon t1_janx3wm wrote
try grabbing it with a vice-grip pilers. However soak the threaded part in some rusted bolt release agent.
nancytoby OP t1_janzigh wrote
Thanks for ideas! The location in the corner makes it hard to get the right angle with anything to cut it off. I’m not sure if I can get a photo to post: https://www.dropbox.com/s/k3838ovrlkdsc5s/IMG_1162.HEIC?dl=0
atorifan t1_jao26hu wrote
You could add material to the head. Such as like some sort of cloth or screen material that would wrap around the bolt head & make the wrench snug up far better.
DragonsBane80 t1_jao296t wrote
Channel locks for pipes or even a pipe wrench
Dolmatov_Alexey t1_jao3bnl wrote
Are you sure that it is impossible to reduce the head with a file and make it convenient to grab with another key?
Is it possible to buy a bolt extractor? There are internal and external.
nancytoby OP t1_jaohl3g wrote
It’s rusted enough that it might be possible to just break off the head with a chisel. 🤷🏻♀️ I’ll soak it in some WD40 and play around with it a bit before I start buying new tools. Thanks everyone!
bootygeuse t1_japd5ax wrote
If you have a dremel or a chisel or some other way to cut a groove right down the middle of it you might be able to get it out with a flat head screwdriver.
[deleted] t1_japlml2 wrote
Hit it with CRC Knock it Loose. Watch it, that stuff is nasty. Try to get a vice grip on it.
mynaneisjustguy t1_jaqjqvv wrote
Hacksaw a channel vertically into the head to make it a flat head screw bolt. Then oil it. Something penetrative. Then leave it a few minutes. Then turn it with a flat head screw driver.
[deleted] t1_jaqnnnz wrote
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Disastrous_Roof_2199 t1_jar5ctk wrote
I've had success with a bolt extractor on stripped out bolts. Sets are a bit expensive but time is money and it saved a lot of it.
Huge_Performer8213 t1_jansgwf wrote
Hacksaw.