emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,805 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Thu Feb 21, 2013, 5:13pm Subject: removing corroded screws - need help
Below is a photo of my 3 year old grill in my "outdoor kitchen" (built-in on the covered patio).
The burners are both cracked, and if you can see in the photo, to get them out I have to remove two screws which are corroded in place.
I've applied liquid wrench liberally at least 4 or 5 times (over the past two days), tapped them (read as banged on) with a hammer, via a slotted screwdriver pressed against where the screw head hits the plate and also directly downwards using a phillips head, heated them with a butane torch until the liquid wrench was smoking and flecks of metal started to glow...and yet it still feels like I'm going to strip the heads if I apply more twisting force. They simply won't budge!
Does anyone have other ideas? I could really use some help, as this is the only thing keeping me from installing the replacements. The screws at the other end, where the gas comes from the valves turn quite easily.
Posted Thu Feb 21, 2013, 5:22pm Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
Ditch the screws and get new ones. Electric sabre saw them off or if you have a small enough blade and room reciprocating saw. Thats one way to get it out. Or cut the burners out where they adjut next to the bracket. The screws will probably just fall out after that (well half the of each screw will).
The screws, if that corroded anyway, are junk and need to be replaced.
Len
"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,805 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Thu Feb 21, 2013, 7:59pm Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
Thanks Len.
No reciprocating saw...other than my Milwaukee Sawzall, but I do have a Dremel and about 200 accessories, including a steel blade set I just picked up recently. I've been thinking I may have to drill them out, but then I'd ruin the holes in the support bracket and have to fabricate a new method of securing that end of the burners. Heck, maybe I can get a nut on the underside of the bracket, and just run a bolt through. I guess my real goal is to get the old burner off while preserving the threads in the support bracket for when I install the new burners...I'll probably have to give in and accept that won't happen.
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,225 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Thu Feb 21, 2013, 8:44pm Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
How about drill out, then tap the hole one up and use SS bolt. I am assuming that there is enough material to tap, or a weld nut on the back. Or stimulate the economy a little and get a new one. They are designed to fail you know.
MerleApAmber Senior Member Joined: 13 Nov 2012 Posts: 175 Location: Atlanta Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Breville BES900 Grinder: Baratza Preciso + Esatto Vac Pot: Yuma Drip: bah-humbug Roaster: Hot Top 2K P
Posted Thu Feb 21, 2013, 8:52pm Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
Have you tried heating the assembly and then differential cooling the screws? I'm thinking something like canned air allowed to go liquid cold might just go cold enough fast enough to get you going.
Posted Fri Feb 22, 2013, 5:06am Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
Dear Emradguy,
If I am not too late I will tell you what always worked for us when I worked as a farmhand.
Pour Coca-Cola on the screws, 2 or 3 times if necessary, waiting an hour or so after each time.
Always worked on various farm equipment. Glad you 'torched' the screws to burn off the liquid wrench. The oily LW will stop the Coke from penetrating. Use regular, 'classic' Coke - I think its the phosphoric acid in the soda that does the work.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,805 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Fri Feb 22, 2013, 8:22am Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
MerleApAmber Said:
Have you tried heating the assembly and then differential cooling the screws? I'm thinking something like canned air allowed to go liquid cold might just go cold enough fast enough to get you going.
Hmmn, I do have a few cans of compressed air, but I would suspect it would be difficult to isolate the cold to the screw, even with the plastic tube inserted in the nozzle. It's worth a shot though.
Buckley Said:
Dear Emradguy,
If I am not too late I will tell you what always worked for us when I worked as a farmhand.
Pour Coca-Cola on the screws, 2 or 3 times if necessary, waiting an hour or so after each time.
Always worked on various farm equipment. Glad you 'torched' the screws to burn off the liquid wrench. The oily LW will stop the Coke from penetrating. Use regular, 'classic' Coke - I think its the phosphoric acid in the soda that does the work.
Definitely not too late...Interesting thought. I think Coke is cheaper than Liquid Wrench too.
D4F Said:
How about drill out, then tap the hole one up and use SS bolt. I am assuming that there is enough material to tap, or a weld nut on the back. Or stimulate the economy a little and get a new one. They are designed to fail you know.
Tapping one up would require more tools I don't have, and I'd have to at least widen the holes on the new burners' brackets. Welding on a nut to the grill's support bracket has it's own set of problems, as I'd then have to remove the grill's support brackets to get to the underside of them for the weld job (which is a skill I don't have - yet another problem with this method). And to replace the grill because I can't get these screws loose...just seems wrong!
But hey, now I have a new plan of attack! First, I burn off the rest of the Liquid Wrench, per Buckley's comment. Then, while the brackets are still super hot, I hit the screws with a blast of compressed air, per Merle's comment, and see if I can loosen them. If that doesn't work, I try Buckley's Coca-Cola suggestion, and if that doesn't work, I drill out the screws and either use sheet metal screws to anchor the burners, hold a nut under the holes while I put in a bolt, or maybe just grab some wire and tie the pieces together like I'm using string. And now that I think about it more, why do the burners have to be screwed down at both ends? Seems to me a less permanent restraint where these support brackets are would be sufficient.
...will report back!
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! If anyone has any more to offer, please feel free. I won't be able to work on it until tomorrow or Sunday anyways.
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,225 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Fri Feb 22, 2013, 10:28am Subject: Re: removing corroded screws - need help
emradguy Said:
Tapping one up would require more tools I don't have, and I'd have to at least widen the holes on the new burners' brackets. Welding on a nut to the grill's support bracket has it's own set of problems, as I'd then have to remove the grill's support brackets to get to the underside of them for the weld job (which is a skill I don't have - yet another problem with this method). And to replace the grill because I can't get these screws loose...just seems wrong!
Not suggesting that you weld, but that the metal was either thick enough to have threads, or that there was already a "weld" nut on the bottom if thin metal. Then a Harbor Freight use "disposable" tool/tap. I forgot the Coke trick, hopefully that will work. Just minor surgery, oops, you are a Rad :)
lol, yeah, but I actually first matched in gen surg....just hated it enough to get out after intern year. :)
The more I think about this project, the more inclined I am to just drill out the screws and use some simple method of stabilizing the burners (like just dropping a too small screw or bolt through the holes. Since the grill is built-in, I don't really have to worry about them moving. I just need something to prevent me from accidentally damging them during a cleanout. I figure, next time I have ruined burners it'll be time to replace the whole unit, as you suggested earlier.
A bit of difference in stereotyped personalities. Hmmm, split personality or multiple personality :) Sorry, I will leave this line and not continue to hijack.
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