Removing stubborn seized wheels

[meow2222]

I'm still puzzled that you didn't try acid. Oil doesn't do anything by long soaking, once its there that's it.

NT

[Cursitor Doom]

But acid attacks metal, so it might have dissolved the wheels along with the rust! I gave up and fitted castors because it suddently occured to me I was being daft trying to keep it "original" - i'ts only a bleedin' welder FFS, not a vintage car! The next owner will most likely just melt it down for its scrap copper content anyway. ;-)

[The Other Mike]

The acid, if carefully chosen would attack the rust well before the parent metal and is a damn sight cheaper than new castors.

[newshound]

Whilst I agree that the right acid should not attack the metal *much*, it's the time it takes to penetrate and work all the way through which is the problem, given that you rely on diffusion to remove the metal ions derived from the oxide and replace them with fresh hydrogen ions from undepleted acid.

[Cursitor Doom]

I can't actually claim the kudos for the "final solution" - some other highly practical chap here suggested it. If I'd disolved them in acid, then I would not now be the proud owner of four industrial grade, hurricane-proof paperweights.

[Cursitor Doom]

Not if it doesn't work, which given the extent of the neglect the welder had suffered, would be the most probable outcome. Actually, HD castors don't cost much at all. I got four 250kg castors off fleabay for 15 quid. The original wheels were just on stub axels; they're fixed so just to turn the whole thing through a few degrees means endless back & forth grunting and shoving. They should have been produced with castors in the first place, IMHO.

[Vir Campestris]

I'm failing to see why dissolving the wheels would be much worse than his actual solution.

Andy