Round headed bolts

[Captain Jerry]

Help

My son-in-law insists on using adjustable wrenches and when that fails resorts to a pipe wrench. After all the corners are gone, he comes to me for help. I guess he is to old to train properly.

Does anybody have a good method of dealing with buggered bolt heads (7/8") that does not involve welding?

Does anybody have a good method of dealing with a hard headed son-in-law that does not involve shooting?

Jerry

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Possibly drill and tap with a left handed tap, then screw in a grade 8 left hand thread bolt to back out the buggered round head bolt. As for the son in law---If he's old enough to make things involving nuts and bolts and still untrained, there is no hope for him.

 

[PhillyVa]

Jerry,
Use a baseball bat... :big: it's a lot quieter, :big: then he might hear you when you ask "come to me before you touch anything"...it will be a lot easier on you...he...he...he

Regards

Philly

 

[Captain Jerry]

Brian

That would work but its Sunday and left handed taps and bolts are hard to find.

He is 48 and its probably too late. Got two blades changed on a three bladed mower. One to go! He was using a 3 foot pipe with the pipe wrench before he gave up so it won't be easy. The other two bolts aren't pretty either!

Thanks
Jerry

 

[maverick]

Jerry- I've seen a set of sockets with internal teeth kind of like an easy out, at harbor frieght IIRC. Worth a shot
anyway. Don't mean to brag but my son-in-law is turning out pretty well.

Mike

 

[PhillyVa]

Jerry,

On tough moving bolts like that I use a Mapps or propane tourch to heat it real hot and then spray penitrating oil on...that will beak the rust on the threads loose and some oil will lube the threads. You may have to do it a couple of times if not done (hot enough) correctly.

Philly

 

[Captain Jerry]

Thanks Maverick, Ive seen the external EZouts but I don't think I ever saw one big enough and besides, it's Sunday. I keep saying its Sunday to remind myself to watch my language.

OK, I'm gathering up my tools:

Torch
Penetrating oil
Baseball bat

Anything else?

Jerry

 

[Tin Falcon]

Gee lets thinks here 7/8 bolt head just bigger than supplied in most standard wench sets the ones i have anyway. My guess is he does not have the proper sized wrench or socket. and is either too cheap or lazy to buy the right tool so resorts to the good old fitzall ethnic socket set.
I have bought my son proper tools for Christmas since he has been about five. A couple years ago I got him a nice deal on a full basic set of sears tools on a black Friday special IIRC $250 dollar set for $160 or something like that. last year a couple sets of gear wrenches. he is pretty good with mechanical stuff.

So here is my suggestion help him get the proper tools for the job. take him shopping,give a give card buy him some tools for birthday Christmas etc get your daughter involved if needed .

Buy yourself one of these. You could could call it an attitude adjusting tool AKA dead blow hammer these are great as they are designed not to bounce back when striking a hard object. Threaten to use it if he fails to use the proper tool in the future. problem solved.

Tin
PS you said this is on a Mower? is it a left handed thread holding the blade on and he tried turning it the wrong way .
Maybe an operator head space adjusting tool is in order? Oh yea you said you have the BB bat. LOL.
tin

 

[Foozer]

Sounds like a couple of new spindles coming up. Changing the blades on my mower is a task i dislike much for the reason your experiencing. I got one of those HF electric impact guns with sized socket just for that purpose. Mine on held on with a nut to the spindle(s)


Robert

 

[bearcar1]

A three foot pipe over the handle of a pipe wrench is some pretty serious leverage. And the bolt, round head and all still won't come loose? He may be turning the bolt ion the wrong direction to remove. (left handed thread?) That or that fastener hasn't seen daylight for a long, long, time and is rusted itself to the spindle. If the blade bar itself can be held firmly from moving, the application of heat until the bolt head itself is as close to glowing as possible (some intense localized heat) and then allowed to cool down to ambient temperature should free up the seized fastener. That is if it wasn't cross threaded in the first place, which from the sounds of things with your SIL, could be a distinct possibility. Best of luck, and I'll be watching the papers for any mysterious deaths in your area ;D :big:


BC1
Jim

 

[Captain Jerry]

Its off!

I went into his garage. He has a full set of Craftsman box/end wrenches up to 1" but its too late now. As I said, he insists on adjustable wrenches.

So I made a wrench out of a piece of 2" x 1/4" x 36" steel. Drilled a hex pattern of 1/4" holes and milled out the inner hex to be slightly undersize to the bolt head. Then used a file to bring it to a very close undersize fit and then used a BIG hammer to drive it over the bolt. Of course before doing this, I heated, hammered, and penetrated the bejesus out of it. Once I got my improvised wrench over it, the battle was won.

Its Sunday. I'm icing down the beer and heating up the grill. Its gonna be a great day!

Jerry

 

[MachineTom]

Good Show Dad, here's a old time fixer for rounded heads. Best results are with steel shim stock, but in the woods a soda can will work. A 6 point socket, or 6 point wrench, lay shim stock, thin pieces .002-.004 across the bolt head, position socket linied up with flats, with BFH, drive socket onto bolt, loosen bolt. Fine points learned, lay the shim across the two BEST flats, a few strong wacks on the head of the bolt will help loosen stuck bolts, do not jerk on the wrench when doing this, use a cheater if you need to. In this case if it were mine, I'd blow the head of the bolts off with a cutting torch, remove the mower blade and the bolt will most likely come out with vise grips, a saw would be slower but effective as well.

 

[kcmillin]

I know you already accomplished this, but I though I would share the method I use for rounded bolts.

I take a dremel cut off wheel and cut a slot in the top of the head, for a flat screwdriver, then proceed to remove the bolt with a screwdriver. pretty simple, though you would need a big screwdriver for a 7/8" bolt.

Kel

 

[bentprop]

A method bush mechanics use is to get a cold chisel and a hammer,and tap on the side of the bolt till you've got a moderately deep gash,then tap the bolt in the unscrewing direction.This will of course require a new bolt to re-install the item,but you shouldn't reuse a dud anyway.

 

[Captain Jerry]

Machine Tom

That's a good solution and I had thought of it, but since I don't have any shim stock, I gave up the thought. For some reason, I never think of soda cans as a substitute. It may have worked but this bolt was pretty round. I don't think I could have identified the best set of flats.


Kel

I have a big screwdriver but I don't think I could turn it. For smaller stuff I can usually get a pair of vise grips on it.

Jerry

 

[krv3000]

HI well this is my tip file or grind Wat remans of the bolt Head round in shape with a bit of a taper IE bigger at the bottom and thinner at the top get a nut the same sises or bigger drill out the nut to fit over the remans of the old bolt just enuf for you to hammer it home on the taper then you can ether brass braise the nut on or set to with a stick welder or MiG with stick or MiG set up on hi to get a good weld leev to cool and the old bolt shod cum out wit no problems

 

[steamer]

Thanks for the Tip Kevin.

I know I've rounded over plenty of hex bolts, and then grabbed the vice grips.

This would work better!


Dave

 

[Ned Ludd]

Hi Guys,
When faced with a rusted bolt and you do get it to move DON'T go yippee and try to continue to turn it if it is still reluctant to move freely. It is better to work it backwards and forwards, while applying lube. till it starts to move more in the un-do direction. Quite often you get the bolt to move a little then it seizes and the head shears off, but working back and fore really helps.
This is the voice of experience speaking here.
Ned

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Damn---Somehow I'm always late for the party!!! When I seen the title of your post, what came to mind was round headed carriage bolts. Its only after reading all the subsequent posts that I realized you meant "Hex head bolts with the corners rounded off".----Gotta be an age related thing-------

 

[steamer]

Hi Guys,
When faced with a rusted bolt and you do get it to move DON'T go yippee and try to continue to turn it if it is still reluctant to move freely. It is better to work it backwards and forwards, while applying lube. till it starts to move more in the un-do direction. Quite often you get the bolt to move a little then it seizes and the head shears off, but working back and fore really helps.
This is the voice of experience speaking here.
Ned

....hmmm...about that point I get the "Blue" wrench out... ;D

Dave