Help removing an old rusted rounded hex bolt

Submitted by nancytoby t3_11gbouo in DIY

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?

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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.

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JonJackjon t1_janx3wm wrote

try grabbing it with a vice-grip pilers. However soak the threaded part in some rusted bolt release agent.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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DragonsBane80 t1_jao296t wrote

Channel locks for pipes or even a pipe wrench

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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.

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[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.

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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.

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