Loading…
25
Spent 4 hours on a simple flange bolt because of a hidden corrosion weld
The thing was practically fused to the pipe on that old Gulf platform job. Anyone have a go-to method for that besides the grinder and a whole lot of patience?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
jade5406mo ago
Used to think heat was the only answer for that kind of seizure. A guy on my crew swore by a mix of penetrating oil and a sharp, hard hit with a cold chisel to shock it. Honestly, watching that combo break a bolt I'd given up on changed my whole approach.
6
logan2056mo ago
That shock breaks the rust bond before the oil even gets in.
7
olivia_bailey5mo ago
Man, that sounds like a nightmare. I had a flange on a water heater feed that was just one solid piece of rust. @jade540 is onto something with the shock method. My last resort is always a mix of Kroil and a few careful smacks with a small sledge on a brass drift punch. The vibration seems to work its way into the threads better than just soaking. Sometimes you just have to walk away for an hour and let the oil do its thing before trying again.
6