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Got stuck for three hours on a simple bolt because of a stripped nut
Was on a job in the Gulf last week, doing a basic inspection on a platform leg. Had to remove a small access panel, just four bolts, no big deal. The first three came off fine, but the fourth nut was totally rounded off, probably from some old corrosion. Thought it would be a quick fix with some vice grips, but nothing worked. Ended up having to carefully cut it off with a hacksaw in tight quarters, fighting the current the whole time. What should have been a 10 minute job turned into over three hours of messing around. What's your go-to method for dealing with a rounded bolt underwater when you can't just torch it?
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betty_shah1mo ago
@tyler822 that underwater welding guy is talking sense about the left hand bits. They work about 30% of the time on land, but underwater the torque just doesn't transfer right through the water. I've tried the extractor sockets too, but they usually slip on rounded nuts underwater because the rust turns the metal into butter. Best luck I've had besides cutting is using a Dremel with a cutoff wheel to grind two flat sides on the nut then clamp a 6 point socket on it. @miller.susan angle grinder is the only real tool for the job down there, just have to brace yourself against the current and take it slow.
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tyler8224mo ago
I mean, that "fighting the current the whole time" part sounds brutal. I read a forum post a while back from a guy who does underwater welding. He swore by these special left-hand drill bits for rounded bolts. The idea is you drill into it and sometimes the bit catches and spins the whole thing out. It seems like it would be a nightmare to set up underwater though, idk. Maybe a bolt extractor socket could work if you can get it on there. Your hacksaw method sounds like the only real option sometimes.
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miller.susan1mo ago
Broke three cheap extractors on a truck frame once. Angle grinder finally worked.
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