Technical removing those rusty nuts

I have always drug out the old trusty fire wrench when facing this daunting task but last night I learned of a handy tool called a MAGNETIC INDUCTION HEATER, it's probably been around for years but I spend a lot of time under a rock and don't get out often.

After watch the product in action I was blow away, and it works without a open flame!

I saw it demonstrated on a you tube channel, Pudding Creek Rod Shop

The maker is KKSEVENS but like everything there are most likely several companies that make this product. HRP

See it in action:

 

I've seen the videos too and watched adverti*****ts for them but have no first hand experience nor do any of my mechanic friends.

I do find it intriguing and would love to play with one just to see how well they work !!

...

 

I got to see one first hand when I was still hauling parts for Napa a few years ago. Heavy truck shop, owner was a longtime personal friend. Called me over & said "You gotta check this out." I was nothing less than amazed. It didn't take long at all, maybe even faster than a hot wrench, depending on size. If I was a young'n, I'd have me one of those!

 

When in my career, I used one often to heat large bearings. You have to get used to the loud hum but works well.

 

We had one at the cl***ic restoration place I worked at, was an absolute god send when it came to new project teardown.

soooo much faster and cleaner than torches or any other means of getting stuck fasteners off.

really wasn’t too bad price wise considering the time saved.

was very similar to this:

https://www.sealey.co.uk/induction-heater-2000w-vs230/

 

Handy unit if you have enough use for it to justify the expense. With my luck ordering it from Amazon it would come through the Portland Oregon (troutdale ) Amazon distribution center and get stolen like the new Microwave I had ordered did Sunday night. I'm thinking that is the eight item that I have ordered from Amazon that disappeared after it arrived at that warehouse.

 

My thoughts exactly, the price is not that bad but at this point in my life I don't see me needing it that often. HRP

 

I suspect I should keep my distance so I don't goof up my pacemaker programming.

 

Definitely wouldn't need it enough to buy one, but very cool.

Besides, how am I gonna start myself on fire with that? That's no fun.....

 

If you don't use them they will rust!

 

Yes sir, there is a disclaimer about using this product if you have a pacemaker. HRP

 

I borrowed a Bolt Buster from a friend. After using it with success I bought one . It works great in areas where a hot wrench can’t be used . Just be sure that the insulation on the heating coils is in good shape. If the bare coil wires touch it shorts out the unit . Not good and expensive fix .

 

When I find myself in times of trouble, I find some Courvoisier and Barry White answers the call of duty. On a related note, WD-40 now offers a can with a retractable stainless steel flex spout that intrigues me. I have purchased a can but have not yet had the opportunity nor the occasion to deploy. The Courvoisier on the other hand...

 

I just checked the price ****** they’re not inexpensive!

Anytime I have difficulties loosening things I use my trusty 50:50 mix of ATF and Acetone…never let me down!

 

Courvoisier, I had to look that up...wasn't sure what to expect...

 

The Amazon prices make it pretty tempting to try one out.

 

I saw it on line for 149.oo bucks. HRP

 

There's a channel on YT that deals in vintage military armored vehicles: Mr Hewes, they recently had a big boy version of one of these machines to try out on some WWII metal.

It was serious business, I reckon one at that spec could very easily be used for the likes of steering arm bending and the like, very concentrated heat and as mentioned before no naked flames.

 

I just watched a video. I think it was on Puddin Creek's channel. He thought it worked ok.

 

On the other side of the spectrum, I needed to get the machine screws out that were holding the windshield frame together on my Austin Ruby and the car being English with weird English thread sizes (Whitworth?) I needed to get them out intact since I couldn't be sure of sourcing replacements. I ended up heating the screws with the number 0 tip of my Henrob torch since it put out a very small flame. Worked great.

 

Most of the time, heating the bolt or nut with an induction current will help to break it loose,
BUT
You've just annealed the faster, so if it doesn't break-free, it will break-off

 

Small screws like that are usually BA sized on Brit stuff

 

Ive seen the ads..looks impressive and also there are the low buck induction heaters on Aliexpress
Are we going to heat every suspect bolt before snapping it off?
Most are inclined to just put a helper bar on the ratchet for a stubborn nut
I heated up every weld nut to remove fenders from grill after snapping off the first 2,,,drilling and tapping out a couple broken bolts can burn an afternoon.

 

While blowing apart the '41 Plymouth with its rusty bolts and nuts I used heat and lubricant as has been mentioned above. but remembered the old trick of tightening first. It is counter intuitive and requires a bit of feel but I extracted a fair percentage of them and saved the broken bolt two step OlJaaz mentioned.
For stuck screws one of the best tools has been the Screw Buster from Eastwood. It uses the air hammer with replaceable bits and a handle to impact the Phillips door hinges. Here again slightly tightening and loosening frees them to accept lubricant. If access is available any of the protruding thread should also get a shot of the lubricant. Easy Peezy.

 

I've been having great success with Deep Creep lately

 

Nut splitter. Used one yesterday on a rusted stud imbedded in concrete. I didn't want to use heat for fear of compromising the integrity of the concrete. Didn't want to use an impact or try unscrewing it with a breaker bar for the same reason. Used the nut splitter and got it done without destroying the stud or the concrete. Think it was the first time I ever used it on a nut this large, it was a 3/4" nut on a half inch stud....worked out great! Used it once to remove the nuts off the rusted bed bolts on my heap. I didn't want the carriage bolts to spin in their square holes and screw up the bed strips...and I was able to reuse the bolts!

 

I was prompted by this thread to try an induction heater. I chose a mid priced 1200 watt unit and used it today on some bolts.
Rather than nuts these were bolts in the apron of the 1941 sedan deliver that sheared during removal. It did not look like they had ever been out and were screwed into essentially a nutsert. The first one came out easily since I had plenty to grip. Then I tried one that was almost flush. I didn't see how I could heat it with only one 5/16" thread showing, so I screwed a nut on it and heated it, then gripped that single thread and out it came.
This would have been an easy drill and extraction but this method took only one minute.

 

I bought one of the Amazon versions last spring. I think it’s 1400, maybe 1300 Watts, and works fantastic. I’ll likely never use the oxy acetylene torch again to remove a rusted fastener. The beauty is you don’t have to struggle at all deciding if you should break out the gas axe and possibly burn the place down. Just pull out the induction heater at the first sign of trouble.

From memory, mine was $140-$150, well below the $450 for the tool truck brands, and seems well constructed. I’d pay that in a heartbeat if it saves me from having to drill out one broken fastener.

 

Well, the basic principles were discovered in 1831, the first industrial induction furnaces for steel making (same principles) were put into use in the 1920's. The first portable ones seem to be a bit over 20 years old, though.