Removing round headed bolts from frame?

[infiniteblue]

I'm in the process of stripping down my Masamura Super Deluxe in preparation for a customization project, and I've encountered a small problem. The frame comes with these rounded "Pin" bolts, that have no apparent way to keep them still while I remove the nut in the back.

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The bolts themselves have a very small lip on them, but it's still not enough to grip onto. I don't want to ruin the bolts as I don't think replacements are going to be easy to find, but I also need them off so I can remove the laminate from the frame. (I'm not a fan of it and would prefer a more natural or painted look, so the plan is to put on some sort of similarly thick wood face on it.)

Anyone have any ideas on this? Does WD-40 actually work in loosening bolts, or are there other options out there?

Thanks!

[CarlW]

I'm guessing you tried everything and the bolts are spinning when you turn the nuts in back.

It looks kind of like a carriage bolt; in that there is a dome head on the bolt. I have removed these nuts but they were not rusted and I didn't need to grip the bolt.
I don't remember if they are true carriage bolts.

Again, my bolts are not rusted. I just tried removing them now using linesman pliers and pulling while loosening the nut. It spins a little but I gain a few threads each time. I'm just pressing the head of the bolt with my fingers. I'm guessing that didn't work for you. WD-40 does work but is messy.

You can grab the threads with pliers and loosen the nut but the threads will be damaged. It might be possible to hold the bolt and then remove the nut, thereby fixing the threads.

You can buy carriage bolts like that in a lot of sizes including metric. Fastenal has them online and ACE Hardware has them, by me, in Illinois...

Good Luck !

[infiniteblue]

The bolts themselves are not rusted, they're quite clean on the nut and threads. All of the other bolts (some with round heads) came out with no problems but these two are giving me nothing but grief.

[rockston]

I would take a dremel tool with a thin cutting wheel and cut a slot in them

[jodini]

Here's what I would do...take a vice grip and grab the end of the bolt. Loosen up the nuts and if you encounter that they stop when you get to the part where you gripped them, then I would screw the nut back in (but keep it loose) and dremel off the part you gripped with the vice grips. Worse case...you replaced the screws.

[pachiwall]

If you can find 2 nuts of the same thread (M6-1.0?) Thread them on just enough to get both on, loosen the 1st while tightening the 2nd. this will jam them together tightly. Now hold either of these (or both if the flats line up) while loosening the offending nut. Of course, this only works if the bolt is long enough to have threads between the 2 "jam" nuts and the offending nut that you need to loosen. Once the stuck one is loose enough, back the 2 "jam" nuts away from each other, and remove all 3 nuts. This will hold the bolt still without damaging the threads.

[Moparformances]

use a dremel on the back side cut a slot so ya can insert a flat screwdriver (at the ends with the threads not the face).. then use a screwdriver and an open end wrench to remove the nut.. this way you can reuse them and done mess up the threads

[browne92]

Since you don't care about the laminate, try using a knife blade shoved between the bolt head and the laminate to give a little more tention. Since the threads are clean, it should take off once you get it started.

Edit: Maybe even pop off the laminate around the bolt to get enough room to get a pair of wire cutters underneath the head of the bolt and grip it that way.

[Skydanz]

use a dremel on the back side cut a slot so ya can insert a flat screwdriver (at the ends with the threads not the face).. then use a screwdriver and an open end wrench to remove the nut.. this way you can reuse them and done mess up the threads

Ditto. That's always worked for me.