How much heat is needed?

Chuck

I'll tell you about an alternative which works also. There is a penetrant called PB Blaster. That is absolutely the best penetrant we have seen by far. I never had any more luck with penetrant than I do with super glue until someone gave me a can of that Blaster. It worked so well that we have it in our line. You can get it anywhere I think. If you ever wind up getting it from me, I'll see that you get your money back if it's not the best you've seen too. I think we sell it for about $2.25 a can. Call 1-800-325-1568 and ask Sharron or Cathy about it if interested. You can also contact someone at our site>Link
steve>Link

I have tried Kroil. I have a can of it in the shop right now. I like the Kroil for it's ability to creep into cable sheaths and so forth. I don't find it to be as good in rust frozen applications as the Blaster.

One day I decided to rebuild the old hand pump out at the country place. The pump cylinder probably hadn't seen the light of day for at least two decades. When I saw all the rust blisters, I immediately fired up the old gas ax and put the heat to it. I had my big pipe wrench with a 3' cheater on it and could 'not' bust that thing loose. I sprayed some blaster on it and let it soak in for about twenty minutes. That nut popped loose on the first tug. I went through the same thing with a frozen adjuster screw on a garden plow someone gave me.

That's what began my lobby to add this to our line. The guys that call on the farm accounts sell tons of it. When I can remember that we have it, I sell it to the industrial accounts of mine. I'm not good at remembering the things outside of our welding and metallising line. My job description has changed in a way that doesn't cause me to think along those lines. I was in a wire drawing mill in Rockford Illinois today to discuss wear solutions for their wire guides. The thought of introducing them to something outside the realm of wear prevention never dawned on me. I was having too much fun with the project at hand.
Steve

I like to use the "hot wrench" on anything that's seized. My experience is that if you force a cold nut, it will probably break the bolt, round off the nut, or strip the threads. With a little heat, the nut should come right off with no damage.

If worst comes to worst, use your torch to cut the nut off.

Most welding supply shops will make you a pretty good deal if you buy the whole setup from them. Aga Gas, which has shops all over the place, sells some nice equipment at reasonable prices.

(Safety warning be really careful with pipe wrenches/cheaters etc. If things break or otherwise 'let go' you can get hurt.
(It's usually best to use the proper tools..)

If she don't go...

Heat them as best you can with a propane torch and douse them with Joy's Rust-Solv, Kroil or some other such 'real' penetrating oil as they cool down... The heat will draw the oil into what's left of the threads...
(oil like WD-40 isn't very useful here)

Let them sit until completely cool... If you have patience, repeat the cycle a couple times. Give things another try.

By now, you've already had a pipe wrench on them, so what the heck, take a singlejack, (small sledgehammer)
Aim carefully and give them a solid whack on a corner of the nut to drive 'em counterclockwise.

Then take a heavy punch or thread another nut on the stud, and give a similar whack on the top of the stud.

This usually gets things going... try again...
If not.. well...

Got a welder ? Weld a lug on them and beat them off...

Not that ? well... Got a torch ?

best of luck.

Be sure to let the metal cool before you put too much leverage on that bolt. Heating causes the bolt to expand and then contract, crushing the oxidation that is binding it. Use some good penetrating oil on the cooled bolt and it should come out for you.