In the household, it is often necessary to do minor repairs. To fix a faucet, go door lock, repair a washing machine or vacuum cleaner - the range of possible tasks is quite wide. During repairs, sometimes you have to face a situation where you need to unscrew the old, tightly fixed, screw.
You will need
- - screwdrivers;
- - spanners;
- - hammer;
- - a chisel;
- - blowtorch;
- - soldering iron;
- - industrial dryer;
- - kerosene;
- - turpentine;
- - sulfuric acid solution;
- - a piece of zinc;
- - graphite grease.
Instruction manual
1
If the screw cannot be unscrewed and you are afraid to rip off its head with a screwdriver, try using the following methods. If the mechanism into which it is screwed allows, tap the screw with a hammer, substituting a screwdriver to it from different sides. Due to impacts, microcracks will appear in the thread area that can facilitate the inversion of the screw. When there is not enough strength to tear the screw from its place and the screwdriver scrolls in your hands, grab it by the flat part with a wrench. Thanks to this lever, you will repeatedly increase the force transmitted to the screw.
2
A good option is to heat a rebound screw or bolt in a blowtorch flame, followed by cooling with water. This method also provides the appearance of microcracks along the thread due to thermal expansion during heating and compression during cooling. Of course, this method is not applicable as often as far from every detail can be heated in this way. Alternatively, instead of a blowtorch, you can use a soldering iron or an industrial hair dryer, this option is suitable for small screws.
3
If it is impossible to unscrew the screw, pour it with turpentine or kerosene. If the screw is located vertically, make a flange of plasticine around it and pour kerosene into the resulting bath. Wait about an hour and try loosening the screw again.
4
In some cases, a radical option is possible - the screw head is cut off with a chisel, the threaded part is drilled if necessary.
5
If you are trying to unscrew the old bolt and have already torn off the edges of its head with a wrench, you should saw off the smaller size wrench with a hacksaw (or just a piece of a hacksaw blade). It is enough to saw off two faces. Then fill the bolt with kerosene, leave for an hour, and then try to unscrew again.
6
You can try to unscrew the large bolt with a hammer and a chisel. Substitute the chisel to the head of the bolt and try to rip it off with strong hammer blows. In many cases, this succeeds and then the bolt is easily unscrewed with a wrench.
7
There is an electrochemical option for loosening old screws and bolts. Make a plasticine rim around the screw head, put a piece of zinc in the resulting bath and pour dilute sulfuric acid. A galvanic cell is formed in which rust will actively dissolve. After a day, you can quite easily unscrew the attached screw.
8
As a rule, when installing new equipment, whatever it may be, grease the screws and bolts that may need to be unscrewed in the future. Use graphite grease for this - even after several years in very adverse conditions, the screw protected in this way will easily loosen.
Related article
How to quickly bring a boiling tap back to life
