Inexpensive bolt extractor

Great use of the helicoil/ReNu insert!

bernard wrote:only one of the several embedded videos of this thread actually works.....is viewable when the play link is clicked on

Not sure why. Recent MP code upgrade may have broken the links?
Links:

youtu.be/ZxQKIYgXu-c

youtu.be/EHMXAvNG5Is

youtu.be/rCrwaSIHfmA

youtu.be/ItUJk9MKTi8

youtu.be/PLl59N-HIds

Hey all-

Removed a half dozen wedgies a couple weeks ago with the spinner tool. Seems like when really rusted, the spinning is almost not needed. Also ran across a few old redhead sleeve anchors that broke right off (5/16" core stud) under really low torque and dead flush with the rock....

Thanks GreggerMan!!!

I'd love for you all to come out to the NRG to try this. Kenny, Pat and myself have been working with things like this for the past few weeks. We've got some parts that someone from the AF gave Kenny. Our rock here is so ridiculously hard that almost everything breaks. We've tried the spinner doodad and a hydraulic punch version. Only success was with the doodad once. Every other time the bolt snapped. We've been out twice in the past few days and plan to go back out again and try it. Will let you know how it goes. Keep the good fight up.

If the wedge bolt is really rusty I usually attempt to pull it without spinning first. I try to pay attention to how much force I apply and if the wedge doesn't begin to slip at a few hundred pounds of axial pull I stop and use the spinner tool.
Harder rock does make it more likely to break the bolts since the diameter of the hole won't change at all due to 'crumbling' during the pull. With harder rock I would use more water during the spinning, and don't pull very hard on the drill while you spin - you want to gouge an edge on that wedge in one spot, and if you pull too hard the collar will grind up more of the shaft than you want.

Scott McMahon wrote:

Ok fuck that.

He doesn't remove shit unless he placed it so he could lead it and only then he removes them so no one else can climb it.

He just smashes them against the rock and leaves them there.

Chris Whisenhunt wrote:I'd love for you all to come out to the NRG to try this. Kenny, Pat and myself have been working with things like this for the past few weeks. We've got some parts that someone from the AF gave Kenny. Our rock here is so ridiculously hard that almost everything breaks. We've tried the spinner doodad and a hydraulic punch version. Only success was with the doodad once. Every other time the bolt snapped. We've been out twice in the past few days and plan to go back out again and try it. Will let you know how it goes. Keep the good fight up.

We've had some good initial success with the Hurley Jr. tool (which is similar to the Doodad), it worked well for pulling drop ins and wedges - spun the wedges first with Greg's spinner tool (thanks!), drop-ins came right out. Next time I come up to the New I'll bring one with me and we could give it a try and see how it handles the Nuttal.

My first try at wedge bolt extraction using a hand held, hydraulic, riveting tool used in the aircraft industry. The tool costs about $300 new but I found one on eBay for $70. The tool can generate 5000 lbs of tension. The total stroke is .8 inch.

Since power tools are not allowed in national parks or wilderness areas, I put together a spinner for the bolt using a speed wrench, socket and universal joint. The wrench parts are all held together with set screws so you can pull on it without it coming apart.

I used drilling dust mixed with some water as an abrasive. I need to get a ketchup squeeze bottle to put it in.

I made all the threaded adapters on my lathe. The only annoying part is that the threads built into the rivet tool are left hand so they tend to unscrew when you try to put things together. I'll have to put some thread locker on the threads.

https://youtu.be/FjNM8FhiYf4

Dan Merrick wrote:My first try at wedge bolt extraction using a hand held, hydraulic, riveting tool used in the aircraft industry. The tool costs about $300 new but I found one on eBay for $70. The tool can generate 5000 lbs of tension. The total stroke is .8 inch. Since power tools are not allowed in national parks or wilderness areas, I put together a spinner for the bolt using a speed wrench, socket and universal joint. The wrench parts are all held together with set screws so you can pull on it without it coming apart. I used drilling dust mixed with some water as an abrasive. I need to get a ketchup squeeze bottle to put it in. I made all the threaded adapters on my lathe. The only annoying part is that the threads built into the rivet tool are left hand so they tend to unscrew when you try to put things together. I'll have to put some thread locker on the threads.

I can't hear you on the video.

"I can't hear you on the video."

Yeah, I didn't have the camera set up right but I'm sure people can see what is going on.

Dan,

That is awesome and will be extremely useful! Thanks for putting in the effort to come up with a good way to spin without the use of power tools.

Nice work, Dan! This could be invaluable in wilderness areas.

I changed the tool a little bit and made a (hopefully) better video. This really isn't hard to do by hand nor does it take much time to do by hand.

https://youtu.be/-M__vbflqzI

After a first try, it looks like the tool can be used to pull button head anchors. I will need to work out some better fixtures.

youtu.be/cHwKpVxQwQE

I really like the fact that it has a release valve. I use a knock off greenlee hydraulic punch tool and you can easily break bolts with it if you use too much pressure. Nice work.

The force limit is nice but I don't know how to adjust it. When I got the used tool, I could only get 1800 lbs. I couldn't figure out how to adjust it so I contacted the manufacturer and they said they would adjust it for free. I sent it to them and they did adjust it but I still don't know how to do it.

What brand and model is the tool?

FSI D-180 Hand Riveter

Expensive tool new but I got this one on ebay for $60.

The Huck HK-150A Hand Hydraulic Riveter seems to be a more affordable version. I'd like to get a hold of one and see if it can be made to work.

Anyone have beta on pulling spinning 5 pcs in soft rock? I have come across a number of these bad boys and I'm unable to pull the shaft to get at the innards as it has blown out the back of the hole and just spins easily. I'm hesitant to funk them out as in previous attempts it has blown out the rock and left a greater eyesore. The hanger on the spinner is too close to the rock as well to just chisel off the head.

Thanks for any input!

Sam Feuerborn wrote:Anyone have beta on pulling spinning 5 pcs in soft rock? I have come across a number of these bad boys and I'm unable to pull the shaft to get at the innards as it has blown out the back of the hole and just spins easily. I'm hesitant to funk them out as in previous attempts it has blown out the rock and left a greater eyesore. The hanger on the spinner is too close to the rock as well to just chisel off the head. Thanks for any input!

Try clipping straight into the bolt and leaning out on it, then unscrew the bolt - it should either catch and let you unscrew the core, or it will just keep grinding rock out and you'll be able to pull the entire bolt cleanly (and then redrill to 1/2"). If you know ahead of time that you'll be dealing with one like this, bring a socket wrench so you can ratchet and save a lot of time repositioning the wrench.