Un-seizing screws

[Nine of Hearts]

The glass in my stove cracked earlier this year (I suspect because I had foolishly used an oven cleaner on it - another one chalked up to Mr Experience. I can now tell Jimi, "yes, I am") so I got a replacement, looked at the four philips screws holding the old glass in place and thought, "this should be quite simple...".

 

Ha ha ha ha.

 

Things tried so far:

Brute force.

Mole grips.

Copious amounts of WD40 (I must get some penetrating oil).

A few "gentle" taps with a hammer.

 

I have access to an impact driver, but I'm thinking impact driver + iron casting, perhaps not a good combination. Also thought blowtorch on door? Any tips from the forum before I have to drill the ****ers out?

[stagedamager]

Heat is good but gently father than fiercely!!!!

Dan

[Justme]

Shear them off with brute force (or grind them off)& then drill & tap a new hole.

[Chris Pink]

The metal will be likely fused. Get a 5mm drill in a pillar drill (important) and drill the centre of the screw with everything clamped solid. You will then either have a coil of screw thread that will come out or a 5mm hole to re- tap.

 

Be very careful though, there's at least 6 ways you could die if you take this advice.

[lemontoes]

On mine (squirrel), I gave up trying to loosen the screws. As long as the clips still move you should be able to slide the glass in.

[Nine of Hearts]

The metal will be likely fused. Get a 5mm drill in a pillar drill (important) and drill the centre of the screw with everything clamped solid. You will then either have a coil of screw thread that will come out or a 5mm hole to re- tap.

 

Be very careful though, there's at least 6 ways you could die if you take this advice.

 

This is a very nice idea, but it would (I presume) involve taking the door off. The door is held on by four phillips screws, and guess what?

[RobinJ]

The glass in my stove cracked earlier this year (I suspect because I had foolishly used an oven cleaner on it - another one chalked up to Mr Experience. I can now tell Jimi, "yes, I am") so I got a replacement, looked at the four philips screws holding the old glass in place and thought, "this should be quite simple...".

...

I have access to an impact driver, but I'm thinking impact driver + iron casting, perhaps not a good combination. Also thought blowtorch on door? Any tips from the forum before I have to drill the ****ers out?

Presumably (like mine) we are talking about the door which lifts off, so can be placed on a solid surface and clobbered with an impact driver!

[i got three of the four out and drilled the last one!]

 

I concluded (after trying to figure out where the rope went) that it cracked because of direct contact with the metal due to severe degredation of the fibregalss!

 

When reinserting the new glass I folded the flat rope around the edge of the glass and placed the clamp so that the glass was sandwiched, applying copper slip to the screws in the hope (if I had to) it would be easier to remove!

(sshh - don't want to say that after 8 years its still there!)

[bizzard]

Be careful drilling out the screws,centre punch the bit of screw first cos if the drill bit slips off onto the cast iron it will gouge it badly as cast iron drills easily as a powder,better to drill fresh holes alongside.

[Nine of Hearts]

If I do resort to drilling these out, re-tapping and using new screws, using steel screws into cast iron just seems to me like asking for the things to seize. Would brass screws be a no-no because of the lower melting point?

[RLWP]

If I do resort to drilling these out, re-tapping and using new screws, using steel screws into cast iron just seems to me like asking for the things to seize. Would brass screws be a no-no because of the lower melting point?

 

That would be a sensible solution. Unless your door glows a nice, bright yellow/gold when in use you are way off the melting point of brass

 

Richard

[Grace and Favour]

Have you tried 'tightening the screws a tad, before you try to loosen then - it can just break the 'hold' sometimes.

[zenataomm]

In these situations I always swear loudly, throw my tools around and inflict as much collateral damage as is possible.

It's not called Destroy It Yourself for nothing.

 

The job doesn't go any easier however I end up feeling like a victim and not so guilty for having caused the problem in the first place

[Nine of Hearts]

In these situations I always swear loudly, throw my tools around and inflict as much collateral damage as is possible.

It's not called Destroy It Yourself for nothing.

 

Yes, I should have included that in my "things I have tried" list. I resorted to words that would startle a hardy sailor, and the obstinate threads still remained tightly locked.

[Barry]

You're not holding your tongue right between your teeth

 

Try the other side and twisting it a bit

[Guest]

Presumably (like mine) we are talking about the door which lifts off, so can be placed on a solid surface and clobbered with an impact driver!

[i got three of the four out and drilled the last one!]

 

I concluded (after trying to figure out where the rope went) that it cracked because of direct contact with the metal due to severe degredation of the fibregalss!

 

When reinserting the new glass I folded the flat rope around the edge of the glass and placed the clamp so that the glass was sandwiched, applying copper slip to the screws in the hope (if I had to) it would be easier to remove!

(sshh - don't want to say that after 8 years its still there!)

 

Unfortunately we are not see above.

 

What this thread has taught me though is I'm defo. going to lift ours off (ours does) and bring it home to attack fix it, I've noticed our Morso glass is cracked and the rope needs replacing.....

[ditchcrawler]

Try a soaking with "Proper" penetrating oil first, it may work. WD40 is not that good for that sort of thing.

[DustyDave]

I drilled mine out with a proper Bosch metal drill bit. Of course I messed this up so ended up putting larger screws in. A little copper slip when putting the new screws in should have meant I could remove them again. I sold the stove so never found out. All this was based on advice from local stove centre.

 

Dave

[simon&jan]

Dont do them too tight , you might need to get them out again !

[sharpness]

I had a similar problem once but not on a stove. Liberal heat then penetrating oil, the oil appeared to be drawn in to the thread as it cooled down, then came out easy peasy. Worth a try?

 

Steve

[smileypete]

I have access to an impact driver, but I'm thinking impact driver + iron casting, perhaps not a good combination. Also thought blowtorch on door? Any tips from the forum before I have to drill the ****ers out?

Decent screwdriver bit (think Wera) in a T-bar.

 

Chisel the screw a bit from the side

 

WD40, heat, more WD40, more heat, cursing etc etc.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Barry]

Why WD40? - it is designed as a water displacement medium for electrics

 

Why not a specific penetrating oil?

[smileypete]

Why WD40? - it is designed as a water displacement medium for electrics

 

Why not a specific penetrating oil?

Sure, if it's around, otherwise I'd try heat + WD40.

 

Heat will thin down oil, diesel might do it though a bit pongy.

 

Still could do with a decent screwdriver bit and a small T-bar, and a bit of chiselling from the side to help break any 'seal'.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[bizzard]

Paraffin is a better penetrative than WD40. Proper penetrating oil has a very distinktive smell unlike any other oil,and is available at proper engineers stores, Rocal is one make that do a specialized range of oils,inhibitors and so on.

Castrol used to make an excellent penetrating oil called ''Looseol''it had a little Graphite in it also. Some '3 in one' light oils are quite good too.

[ditchcrawler]

Paraffin is a better penetrative than WD40. Proper penetrating oil has a very distinktive smell unlike any other oil,and is available at proper engineers stores, Rocal is one make that do a specialized range of oils,inhibitors and so on.

Castrol used to make an excellent penetrating oil called ''Looseol''it had a little Graphite in it also. Some '3 in one' light oils are quite good too.

When we were in dry dock at Braunston I wanted some and couldn't believe the problems I had getting it. A trip to Daventry in the end for it. I seems a lot of people now think WD 40 is penetrating oil for some reason.

[RLWP]

How odd. Plusgas still seems to be widely available

 

Richard