Hi,
RE: Snapped Bolt Thread in Cast Iron Housing
We have a multi fuel cast iron stove.
It has a door with a window (as normal), and either side thin oblong windows.
After three years of use, all the glass is in a bad way, and one has cracked in half.
After removing the door so it could lay flat, I then spent many hours trying to free the
pathetic four bolts with each head as a mix of Philips/Flat, that hold the main door glass
against metal clips.
Drenched over and over with WD 40, wacking the screw/bolts really hard, they were not shifting.
Mole grips could make a purchase - but still no go. Very rusty with grude.
I then tried Mapp Gas Blow Torch and that finally released them, so I could remove the glass,
and after cleaning the door up will be able to fit new glass with new fittings.
But things have not gone so well with the two side windows.
First, so difficult to reach the top & bottom screw/bolts on either side through the
removed door opening.
So couldn't get hammer in for flat head screwdriver, so tried WD 40 again, and finally
went to heat.
On the top on either side they finally came out BUT "both bottom ones" were solid.
So with Mole grips, managed to get a hard purchase on both bottom screw/bolts,
and then moving really, really slow they both moved a fraction and then immediately
just snapped.
>>> Of course this has left both threads in the cast iron. <<<
With the two top bolts removed, I can see that;
The threaded part of the bolts, are only 5mm wide and 10mm in length + the head.
If somehow I can remove (unscrew?) the two snapped threaded bits, without damaging
the threads - I can then use the new screw/bolts I've got.
Appreciate any advice/help - last time I did metal work was 1967 so a tad RUSTY.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Stephen
RE: Snapped Bolt Thread in Cast Iron Housing
We have a multi fuel cast iron stove.
It has a door with a window (as normal), and either side thin oblong windows.
After three years of use, all the glass is in a bad way, and one has cracked in half.
After removing the door so it could lay flat, I then spent many hours trying to free the
pathetic four bolts with each head as a mix of Philips/Flat, that hold the main door glass
against metal clips.
Drenched over and over with WD 40, wacking the screw/bolts really hard, they were not shifting.
Mole grips could make a purchase - but still no go. Very rusty with grude.
I then tried Mapp Gas Blow Torch and that finally released them, so I could remove the glass,
and after cleaning the door up will be able to fit new glass with new fittings.
But things have not gone so well with the two side windows.
First, so difficult to reach the top & bottom screw/bolts on either side through the
removed door opening.
So couldn't get hammer in for flat head screwdriver, so tried WD 40 again, and finally
went to heat.
On the top on either side they finally came out BUT "both bottom ones" were solid.
So with Mole grips, managed to get a hard purchase on both bottom screw/bolts,
and then moving really, really slow they both moved a fraction and then immediately
just snapped.
>>> Of course this has left both threads in the cast iron. <<<
With the two top bolts removed, I can see that;
The threaded part of the bolts, are only 5mm wide and 10mm in length + the head.
If somehow I can remove (unscrew?) the two snapped threaded bits, without damaging
the threads - I can then use the new screw/bolts I've got.
Appreciate any advice/help - last time I did metal work was 1967 so a tad RUSTY.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Stephen