Which nutsplitter for rusted nuts on an old picnic table?

[Rich Engelhardt]

I need to remove, maybe 8, old rusted carriage bolts holding the wood to the metal frame of my mother in law's picnic table.
I'm pretty sure that they won't come off w/out a fight.
Since i'm going to replace the nuts and bolts anyhow, I don't care if they get destroyed.

I don't have a cutting torch so that's out.

I could probably take the recip saw to them,,,but,,

a.) That sounds like more of a project than I care to get involved in.
b.) That might chew up the pipe frame or at the very least, the black enamel on the frame and be more of a project,,,,etc.
c.) I don't feel warm and fuzzy mixing alcohol and power tools of any kind.......(this is sure to be a "spectator" affair....one where your's truly does all the work & the collection of people that have no jobs & thus all the time in the world to help out my mother in law, just sit around and watch....) 8, 9, 10 or more bottles of Sam Adams Noble Pils makes it easier to deal w/them....

Plan "B", instead of the recip saw would be a Dremel w/a cutoff wheel. Again, a.) and c.) apply..

Plan "C" is to use the air chisel. Since it's a pneumatic,,,,I may bend a bit on a.) It is more of a project,,,but,,,it's just violent enough that it cut's down on the c.) requirement...plus,,if it does ding up the black enamel, it gives me an excuse to swill some Pils while I sling a paint brush....& maybe splatter some paint on the audience...

Plan "C", is to use a nutcracker or nutsplitter.
I'm looking at what's available from Amazon & they go from a $10.00 cheapie to about $50.00 or more.
Are the $10.00 ones enough to bust a 3/4" nut?

[Myk Rian]

I have a HF 3" air cutoff tool for that job. $17.

[Shawn Pixley]

O can't tell you exactly, but the one I have that has never failed is a 30 year old SK that looks like the 10$ verion. It has never failed to split the nut.

[Bill Huber]

I have these and they are cheap but for no more they you have to do I think they will work out fine. I have busted some tough huts with them and they are still going. I will say the first think I did when I got them was to sharpen them, they were not very sharp.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...ct_34573_34573

[David G Baker]

Rich,
Liquid Wrench or another rust dissolving liquid may save you the trouble of cutting the nuts off. I use a small power grinder when Liquid Wrench fails.

[Scott T Smith]

Rich,
Liquid Wrench or another rust dissolving liquid may save you the trouble of cutting the nuts off. I use a small power grinder when Liquid Wrench fails.

+1, although the three best penetrating oils that I have used (in order) are Rust Reaper (best), Kroil, and PB Blaster. Usually I will soak the threads for a while, and try to spin the nuts off with an air (or battery) impact. Fast and easy.

If any bolt threads protrude beyond the nut, a wire cup brush in either a die grinder or electric drill will remove the rust and ease the removal of the nut. You'll still want to soak the bolt threads in the nut with a penetrating oil though.

[Bill Huber]

The big problem that I see with a wrench and penetrating oil is they are carriage bolts and you can not get on the head of a carriage bolt. that is why I would go with a nut cracker.

[Ed Hazel]

use either a pneumatic die grinder with a cut off wheel or purchase a 4 inch electric grinder and put a cut off wheel on it. Either one will work great and a lot more useful for other things than the nut splitter. You can get unit one for under $20.

[Dar Lounsbury]

Split one side of the nut with a cut off wheel and use a cold chisel in the slot. Nut will come off with no trouble after that.

Dar

[ray hampton]

a cut-off wheel will work if the nut is easy to get to, cut a groove on a angle so you can cut almost to the edge

[Jason Roehl]

Are you saving the wood? If not, I'd just grind off the carriage bolt heads with an angle grinder...BTDT on about a half-dozen picnic tables for my farming in-laws.

[ray hampton]

if you use a air chisel to cut the nuts, you may be surprise to see the nuts spin off

[Rich Engelhardt]

Well, I hosed all the nuts down yesterday w/some penetrating oil. I'll give them another bath next week and/or the week after with some Break Free.

I have some time to work on it since we only use the thing for our annual 4th of July get together.

I'd like to save the wood if I can. It's got to be nearly 40 years old & spent it's whole life outside.

[John Pratt]

+1 on the nut splitter from Northern Tool. I use them often at work. One of my jobs is to replace the wooden boards on bleachers around Fort Sill, OK. If the wood is fairly old and dried or rotten, you also might try hitting the wood right next to the carriage bolt with a maul. a lot of times the wood will split right at the bolt and you can just pop the wood off. Then the bolts/nuts are fully exposed and you can cut them off easily.

[curtis rosche]

try this one :P http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU1LXvlCvmI