Author Topic: broken easy out in aluminum  (Read 4884 times)

Offline tom osselton

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broken easy out in aluminum
« on: September 20, 2016, 07:01:09 PM »
A neighbour called me today saying he had a broken bolt for the valve cover when I got there he had already tryed a easy out (off center) of course! It is in aluminum so can it be desolved or is there a better way? I have just read " removal of a broken tap in how do I " but am wondering if it will work seeing as there is no flutes for the alum to flow or would it be better with the nitric acid to disolve the bolt. Any thoughts?

Offline Ed ke6bnl

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Re: broken easy out in aluminum
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2016, 08:23:39 PM »
I have never tried it but got my wife to get me some alum, I hear it will dissolve the steel in aluminum BUT I believe it is a very slow process
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Offline NeoTech

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Re: broken easy out in aluminum
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2016, 03:10:31 AM »
Alum is the old clockmakers trick.. it attacks the iron in the steel and breaks it down. Specially in the thread part of it.. And you can use it as a fume or a bath.. But will take an overnighter basicly before you can break the oxidization and get the tap out.
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Offline Will_D

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Re: broken easy out in aluminum
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2016, 03:42:12 PM »
Hmm, I've had a 2/4 whit tap broken off in 316 stainless in Alum solution for 3 months or more and its not dissolved yet!


Spark erosion would be much quicker! Just costs shed loads!

What about a MM Spark eroder project?
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Offline awemawson

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Re: broken easy out in aluminum
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2016, 04:00:50 PM »
Will,

If it's small enough, post it to me and I'll pop it out for you on my sinker EDM
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline smiffy

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Re: broken easy out in aluminum
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2016, 04:21:02 PM »
I usually manage to drill them out wit solid carbide drills.  just needs a bit of care, over the years I have removed loads of them .
Easy outs I think are quite useless and  would never use them . A favorite trick on site was to drill a hole and use a allen key socket hammered into the hole ,this grips the sheared off stud and allows you to work the offending item in both dirctions to free it up

Offline tom osselton

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Re: broken easy out in aluminum
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2016, 05:17:49 PM »
Thats pretty much what I was thinking I have some left hand carbide drills that I could try when he is ready he's going hunting in about a week and does'nt really want to pull the head off his quad he's worried about snapping the exhaust bolts too. I told him to try cleaning it with acetone and use that silicone sealer for valve covers its a small cover so it should work, remember the old chevy valve covers that lifted the ends when tightened! In the mean time I may try a mock up in some scrap aluminum.