Frozen Screw

[Bates51]

I have been trying to remove a round head machine screw from the back of my speedometer and was not having any luck. Hit it with PB blaster twice a day for a week and it would not budge. My oldest son suggested freezing it for temperature differential. I have used heat before but this was a new one for me. It worked great.

 

[Ayers1]

I've never tried that. Next time I get a tight screw I'll try and see what happens. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Ray in La Mesa]

KOOL! A new technique to try.

 

[Brentwood Bob]

Thanks. Will try to remember. Will mention it at next club meeting.
Dry ice might be a alternative.
Used dry ice to cool a flywheel.

 

[Big hammer]

Thanks for the reminder !! Cooling for small hardware, delicate parts , also for when fire isn’t an option , like when working around gas tanks ! CRC cans the cooling spray and should be available at your local automotive parts store

 

[nkaminar]

Dry ice.

 

[Big hammer]

My GP uses dry ice , puts it in a reusable spray can , insulated of course , the dry ice turns into a pressure vapor , spraying on skin tags or such , maybe I should ask him to make a house call on my next stuck hardware issue !

 

[rotorwrench]

I used to do a lot of helicopter transmission overhauls. We had a small wood box that was held together with latches so it could be disassembled after introducing CO2 gas into the box to form a block of dry ice. We also had a big industrial oven and a deep freeze to aid in disassembly and reassembly of all the tight clearance bearings, shafts, and retainers. We were limited on application of heat so a person had to do it both ways to put things together. Dry ice was the only way to speed up the cool down process.

 

[KMBeers]

We have a large freezer where I work that runs at -85C which is just under dry ice temperature. I have removed hardware from quite a few things with it. Nice thing is the temperature is constant and you don’t have the dry ice melting. Need to have the screw and tapped holes different materials or it doesn’t work as well.

 

[Fordjunkie]

Have you tried a manual impact driver.

 

[JayJay]

Thanks for the reminder !! Cooling for small hardware, delicate parts , also for when fire isn’t an option , like when working around gas tanks ! CRC cans the cooling spray and should be available at your local automotive parts store

Used to use the Freon in cans sold for those Freon horns...