"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I have a very old turnbuckle. One rod came out, luckily the one that is
threaded in the reverse direction of a common bolt, so I'll be able to get
a 3/8 common turnbuckle piece to replace it if I ever get it out. I
managed to twist the other one off. Now, it is down to a nub I can just
barely get hold of with Vise Grips. I heated it a couple of times
yesterday and dripped 3 in 1 oil in there and let it cool. I still can't
get the thing out. Trouble is, the long end is between the two forks of
the turnbuckle and inaccessible. I can drill a hole sideways through it,
but don't think I can put enough torque on it to get it loose. Any better
penetrants? Methods? Or am I going to have to carefully drill this out?
I'd like to save it, as it is somewhat of an antique.

Steve

In a case like this where you have a relatively thin outer section, placing
the turnbuckle on an anvil and hammering on it will stretch the outer metal
enough to loosen it. This is an additional technique which can be aided by
heat and penetrating oil. I was shown this by an old plumber as a way to
free frozen pipe threads and I have never had it fail where the outer metal
is suitably shaped and I could get good hammer blows with solid backup. Try
it some time when you have a loose bolt with a badly rusted nut on it.

Don Young