Woodworkers Help Needed

[alamogunr]

I know there are several woodworkers on this forum and I need some help. I have a Porter Cable biscuit joiner that I bought as soon as I heard that Black & Decker was buying Porter Cable(I don't like B&D). After several years, I want to use the 2" blade. I have tried for a week to remove the 4" blade but am having no success removing the mounting screw. I have used Kroil. I have used a cheater pipe on the allen wrench. I have tapped on the allen wrench to try to help the Kroil get into the threads. Nothing works. I am at the point of buying a 5/32 allen impact socket to use with the Bosch impact tool but I am not optimistic that it will work either.

Any suggestions that I haven't tried?

[Handloader109]

Don't have a biscuit cutter any more, but are you sure it is right hand thread? Never mind, I checked on line manual... remove counterclockwise. Assuming you are using the spindle lock. I would hammer down on it if you just have to change it. Pair of vicegrips clamped on the hex wrench. Probably just really tight.

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[NyFirefighter357]

Are you going counter clockwise? If it's that tight I'd put an allen socket on it and tap it a few times with a hammer and see if that helps loosen it. I would use an impact as the short hard blows may break the bolt free.

https://youtu.be/usPOQzGhVKE

[country gent]

you might try a solder gun to heat the head and bolt some to expand and help loosen. but a drop of solder on the tip and then hold on the head for several minutes to heat it . I have used this on stuck scope screws and other screws and small bolts.

[Hossfly]

Watched a you tube on it and i would say heat it up several times and let the heat soak in several times then like Clint Eastwood you gonna have to get mean with it.

[alamogunr]

Heat is the only thing recommended that I haven't tried yet. I'll find some time this afternoon to try that. I don't have a soldering gun but I do have a 60W pencil. If that doesn't work, I can try the 250W iron.

I might add that when I first tried tapping the screw head with a hammer, I slightly deformed the hex socket so the wrench would not fit. Took a lot of scraping to get back to size. That screw is not very hard.

[Grmps]

“Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils.
torque required to loosen them.
This is what they came up with:
Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs;
PB Blaster: 214 lbs;
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs,
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs

(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50): 50 lbs.

[CASTER OF LEAD]

“Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils.
torque required to loosen them.
This is what they came up with:
Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs;
PB Blaster: 214 lbs;
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs,
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs

(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50): 50 lbs.

That's some good information to know right there. Thanks Grmps.- CASTER

[alamogunr]

“Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils.
torque required to loosen them.
This is what they came up with:
Nothing: 516 lbs
WD-40: 238 lbs;
PB Blaster: 214 lbs;
Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs,
Kano Kroil: 106 lbs

(ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50): 50 lbs.

That gets posted on various forums about 4-5 times a year. It is good information that I had forgotten about. If heating doesn't work, I'll try to find a small bottle of acetone. Several years ago you could borrow swmbo's bottle of fingernail polish remover but now mine uses acetone free remover. I'll ask at Walgreen's if they still have it.

[OldBearHair]

Sometimes I use a long straight allen wrench held w/visegrips after soaking with (ATF)/Acetone mix (50/50): 50 lbs. then proceed to put pressure on the setscrew in one direction then pressure the other direction. Alternate with hammer blows on the allen wrench. A lot of the time it will "break" while tightening then will come out easily. Good luck with that Alamogunr

[retread]

If it was assembled with a locktite type of thread locker, the heat should free it up.

[country gent]

I have some pipes with a slot milled in it on center line to fit over allen wrenches short ends this makes them a t handle and gives better torque. for small allens 3" long up to 8" long for big boys. If putting a lot of force on the allen don't use a ball end the ball will break off and its a pain getting them out.

[frkelly74]

A trick I use is to set the clutch so it will slip in a battery drill with the proper bit or wrench chucked up in it. Let it buzz some in the proper direction to loosen while holding the blade with vice grips. Tighten the clutch if it slips too easily. It is sort of like an impact driver that is adjustable. Feel your way along and treat it as if it were the drag on a spinning reel. This often works.

[Finster101]

It's also very easy to round out the allen head on the bolt if not careful. Patience is called for here. I have found that sometimes a Torx bit will actually fit better and provide more bite than an allen wrench. Not always but another option.

[Bazoo]

If it were my tool, in my shop, i'd put the impact driver to it. If you dont have the impact allen driver you need, you can make do, by cutting short length off an allen wrench and sticking it in a socket, and then using the socket adapter in your gun. If you've used your plate joiner a lot, it will have gotten pretty hot on the blade, and tightening as its in use.

Personally, I wouldnt heat it. If I wanted it hot, id use it a while and warm it up as much as I could before impacting the screw.

[Shopdog]

Impact; another way is to cut a short pce of Allen wrench,slide the right size box end wrench over it,then do the tappy tap on exposed Allen stub with a small hammer.

As posted above,it is imperative on "stuck" socket caps that the wrench not only fits but is very tight.To the point of a press fit with either a torx or sometimes going metric allen.Picking one that is a tiny bit large. And pressing it in.

Not advocating, as these are worst case fixes when normal procedure ain't getting it done.Good luck with your project.