After some piss poor planning on my part. I’ve got to remove a threaded rod that’s set in about 3″ of Quikrete anchoring epoxy. I’ve seen a couple of threads on other sites where they mention heating up the bolt with a torch and prying it out. Has anyone ever tried this? Any other thoughts?
From building boxes and fitting face frames to installing doors and drawers, these techniques could be used for lots of cabinet projects.
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Replies
m
I don't think I've ever had to do this-
but,
double nut the rod, turn it out?
It should come out with heat.
Why not saw it off?
Why not saw it off, if you've got to move it? If it needs to be in the same place, why remove it?
Can't saw it.
It's in the wrong place and I either need to get it out or below the concrete surface. This is on a pool deck....so there's going to be lots of bare feet.
Aha!
If it's big enough, drill down the middle of the rod. Keep increasing the bit size until the rod is gone.
Or get a diamond hole saw. Remove the pilot bit. Drill a hole in a piece of wood the same size as the hole saw and use this to hold the holesaw over the misplaced rod. Drill down a ways and break out the concrete, Cut the rod below the surface with a cold chisel and patch the concrete. You'll end up with a nice round patch.
Or, just heat it and the epoxy will melt.
I think the suggestion to lock two nuts together and try to "unscrew" it is worth trying, possibly in combo with torching it.
Or just cut it off flush, then grind down another 3/8" or so and grout.
Simple
Jeez guys, MarkH is speaking the truth...epoxy is a thermoset glue and softens with heat. Why go to all the trouble of drilling out the bolt, etc, when you can heat the bolt for a few seconds and pull it right out?
Because it's good mental exercise to come up with alternatives.... even if they're somewhat "off beat." This exercise provides most of the benefit of this forum.
It's about thinking
Because it's good mental exercise to come up with alternatives.... even if they're somewhat "off beat." This exercise provides most of the benefit of this forum.
Epoxy is not a thermoset glue. It is catalyzed.
Many epoxies are heat resistant or heat proof.
I'm suprised that no on has mentioned it yet, myself included, heating concrete can be dangerous.
Actually, some epoxies are thermosetting, but none are thermoplastic, which is what's needed to have plastic "melt" when heated. But standard epoxy is not that heat tolerant, and might soften when heated to 300F or so. Probably not enough to allow the bolt to be pulled straight out, but maybe enough to allow it to be "unscrewed".
And I think everyone was assuming that any heating would be done by applying the torch to the bolt, not the concrete. Epoxy is enough of an insulator that this would not result in serious heating of the concrete.
But it should also be considered that the "anchor epoxy" is very likely not epoxy, but rather some sort of polyester resin. Not that this makes much difference relative to the discussion.
Quikrete Anchoring epoxy woes
Have you tried calling Quikrete's Help line at 1-800-282-5828? I always say, try the manufacturer first because there is usually someone else who screwed up before me.
Success
Sorry, I meant to update everyone a couple of weeks ago. I double nutted the bolt and heated it up with a torch. Then backed the bolt out. Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
Thanks............
for coming back. Now there's a workable ending to the question.
Nice that you combo'd a couple suggestions.
thanks again.
You can heat it with a torch, but it's quicker to cut it off and put in a new one.
don
Success (post #207875, reply #14 of 16)
by mlawrence17 in reply to mlawrence17 [original] on Tue, 06/18/2013 - 08:46
Sorry, I meant to update everyone a couple of weeks ago. I double nutted the bolt and heated it up with a torch. Then backed the bolt out. Thanks for everyone's suggestions.