So I went to unscew the screws...

[tiber]

So I went to install the rear heat shield on the VC Defiant.

PB BLASTER doesn't seem to be helping. It's pretty much formualted for steel to steel or steel to aluminum annealing. Cast Iron - she don't work.

Seems like taking a blow torch to the metal isn't going to work either as it'll probably crack the cast iron.

Ideas?

 

[jeff_t]

Never used a torch on a stove, but it doesn't seem to hurt cast iron exhaust manifolds.

 

[Fsappo]

If your talking about the phillips head screws you remove from the back of the stove and put the spacers in the old holes (aka older VCs) I used to use a screwdriver with the best fit possible, a little WD40 soak for a couple of hours first, and tap the handle of the screwdriver with a hammer while trying to turn the screw.

 

[tiber]

Actually franks that's all VC Defiants, they haven't changed the design any according to the shop and it's probably easy to install it when the stove is new and unfired. The guy warned me they got baked on and I was like HOW BAD CAN IT BE?

Oh god. Why aren't these things bolts?

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

So I went to install the rear heat shield on the VC Defiant.

PB BLASTER doesn't seem to be helping. It's pretty much formualted for steel to steel or steel to aluminum annealing. Cast Iron - she don't work.

Seems like taking a blow torch to the metal isn't going to work either as it'll probably crack the cast iron.

Ideas?

torch often does wonders

 

[tiber]

so is the general consensus that a blowtorch won't crack the cast iron?

 

[Fsappo]

I've torched tons of VC stoves. Providing they have already been properly broken in, the torch wont hurt it.

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

so is the general consensus that a blowtorch won't crack the cast iron?

just use a small lp torch, and dont get anything red-hot
i've never cracked cast using a torch, but it could be possible i suppose

 

[tiber]

just use a small lp torch, and dont get anything red-hot i've never cracked cast using a torch, but it could be possible i suppose

I wasn't going to try to weld it.

Thanks guys!

 

[Highbeam]

On motorcycles with phillips head screws holding the engine halves together I have used a cool impact driver that looks about like a fat hot dog with a screw driver point on one end and a flat on the other. You seat the screw driver head onto the stuck screw and then hit the opposite end with a hammer. Not only does the impact of the hammer push the driver bit into the screw but the hammer hit compresses the hot dog which is threaded to provide a twist to back the screw out and of course impact forces to knock the screw loose.

All else fails, you can drill and tap for a bolt next time.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

How long did you let the penetrating oil soak in? Impact drivers with a correctly sized bit sometimes works.

Drilling and tapping sucks. I'd be trying to melt wax into it first.

Matt

 

[tiber]

Post a picture of your bizarre spring tool. I work on cars as a hobby and I've seen a lot of tools but I've never seen that.

The PB BLASTER which is normally a favorite has been soaking in for two days by the time I get home tonight. It's been soaking long enough it's evaporating and the wife is complaining about the fumes rolling off of it.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

For what it's worth, pick up some wintergreen oil at a pharmacy. Couple of drops on the screws, and let it soak in overnight. That'll do the trick, and it smells good. Had an old gunsmith turn me on to that one, and it works.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Post a picture of your bizarre spring tool. I work on cars as a hobby and I've seen a lot of tools but I've never seen that.

The PB BLASTER which is normally a favorite has been soaking in for two days by the time I get home tonight. It's been soaking long enough it's evaporating and the wife is complaining about the fumes rolling off of it.

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000723.php

 

[Highbeam]

That's pretty much it. I think mine was very old and worked great to break loose those dang metric phillips head machine screws.

 

[tiber]

Sears had it on sale for $20, IT WAS THE BEST $20 I EVER SPENT.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[BrotherBart]

Sears had it on sale for $20, IT WAS THE BEST $20 I EVER SPENT.

Thanks for the tips.

Guessing that you bought the impact driver?

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Sears had it on sale for $20, IT WAS THE BEST $20 I EVER SPENT.

Thanks for the tips.

Guessing that you bought the impact driver?

And that it worked? and I might add, after the Dremel, probably my best tool purchase ever. Mines even GERMAN, bought in Germany, and you know their tools are better... ;-)

 

[tiber]

yeah impact driver, not the torch. the torch would have been a bad idea since the stove was covered in liquid wrench at this point and i didnt want to light it off or get soot all over the house. i bought one of the drivers from sears and palmed it a few times and it got all the screws freed up.

 

[Highbeam]

That's great news. It's an odd ball tool that you might not see your entire life and then when you need the tool, discover the tool, and it solves your problem you wonder why you never knew about it.

 

[spirilis]

yup I bought one of those impact drivers for $25 at sears a few years ago, it worked wonders on my motorcycle's CVT transmission casing. first attempt I used a slightly small bit though, and it stripped the screw head badly that I had to drill it (luckily got the rest of it out with lockjaw pliers, no tapping required...) but once I put the correct bit on it was great.

 

[DAKSY]

That style impact driver has saved my butt more than once, especially on wood stove disassembly.
When you reassemble, use NEVERSEEZ or a similar anti sieze compound on your threads...
It'll make the next disassembly a little easier...

 

[WES999]

Those impact drivers are great little tools. I bought one about 40 years ago for working on motorcycles, it was the only way to remove those Philips head case screws ( made of hardened peanut butter). I still have it today.

At work I run the mold repair shop, many times an impact driver is the only to remove frozen flat head screws.
The shock, torque and downward force work to loosen the screw without stripping the head, otherwise it is drill and re-tap.