How to remove toilet seat?

I started to take the oak toilet seat off, but it's always hard when they use the standard plastic nuts to get a hold of them. This time it's worse because the bolt is rusted, but using my fingers and using a vice-grip pliers, I couldn't even start it turning.

Any suggestions?

I thought of using a soldering iron to melt through the plastic? ?? Should I use an electronics iron, which might make a nice thin cut, or should I dig out my tincrafter's iron, used for gutters etc., much bigger?

Are the fumes poisonous?

Is a socket wrench likely to fit? I'll have to hunt for my deep sockets.

They sell tools for this purpose. I've seen two models.

formatting link
formatting link
Worth buying? The first one looks sort of flimsy and one rater said it was flimsy. The second one was only 10.nn yesterday and now it's 12!

Reply to
Micky
Loading thread data ...

I would cut them off with a Dremel or hacksaw blade.

Reply to
Retired

Do you have a multi-purpose tool? Or a Dremel with a cut-off wheel?

Might be perfect for cutting the nut.

Even a handheld hack saw blade might work.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I have a Harbor Freight imitation Dremel, but I don't remember if it has a cut-off wheel.

There is no way a hacksaw blade would fit in there and move more than a half inch.

Thanks.

Reply to
Micky

I don't remember what a muli-purpose tool is, so I probably don't have one.

Maybe.

Same suggestions as Retired, so maybe I should think about even the hackswa blade again, but OTOH I'll bet it's been a long time since you've seen how crowded it is where the nut is.

Reply to
Micky

Cut from the top side. You may have to cut more, but you'll have a lot better access.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

Do you mean the part I can see while standing? It's an oak and brass seat so that part is brass. I guess if I'm always careful I won't scratch the porcelain, and when I get to 1/8" I can break.... No. The cut can go all the way to the porcelain and each half will sill be attached to the rest of the bolt. And I'm sure the top part is bigger than the hole so it won't come out, even if I can beak off half.

And the second hinge is only 10" from the cabinet, so I can't pull the saw from the cabinet side, and the toilet tank will keep me from sawing straight from the other side, so I can saw at an angle but then the seat will keep my hand up which means the rest of the saw pointed down and bumping into the tank. I think I'm correct here.

Thanks

Reply to
Micky

MUlti tool:

formatting link

The once or twice I've worked on such a device, a deep socket six point set did some good.

Please let us know what works.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Sorry, I should have said "multi-function" or "multi- tool", AKA an oscillating tool. Doesn't have to be HF, but that's what I have.

formatting link

You do what you have to do.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

a sawzall makes quick easy...

cut the bolt and be done fast

Reply to
bob haller

Yes.

You won't scratch the porcelain unless you try really hard. There may be some discoloration on the porcelain from contact with the saw blade, but all that's needed to clean that is a little elbow grease and some all-purpose cleanser.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

I found a guy on the web who said he used a stake knife [sic] and a cigarette lighter. and it worked well.

I ended up using an electronics soldering iron. The whole thing took

30 minutes. I put down a big mirror at an angle for a good view, and an LED flashlight, and once it was really hot it melted the stuff fairly fast, but otoh, it was so hard to see what I was doing, hard to point the iron and the flashlight in the right direction, hard not to move right when I want to move left, down when I want to move up, especially on the second side where I couldn't get my face down low enough to look directly.

I cut one line all the way through the thicker part near the toilet, by drawing back but also pushing the tip up to the toilet. No risk of breaking the toilet with this little thing, like there might have been with a propane torch.

I had to cut another line 70 or 90^ away, then pry the small piece off and then the big piece.

The side with more than a foot to the bathtub was easier than the side next to the cabinet.

I had to rest in the middle because I'm fat and it was a very awkward position, esp. on the cabinet side, and to give the bathroom fan time to exhaust the gas.

The nuts had 4 ribs, meant for fingers I guess, but because there are

4, a 6-point socket wouldn't work. A 12-point might but it would have to be just the right size. And deep. I think all my deep sockets are 6-point, but I'm not sure???

This is a seat without separate bolts. The bolts are part of the hinges. And I think if cutting this plastic with a Dremel, it would have been hard to get in the corner, next to the bolt and next to the toilet. And you know how tough some plastics are. I recommend the soldering iron and maybe a gas mask.

The plastic was the almost clear stuff

The fumes were white and just swirled around, didn't rise much because a soldering iron doesn't cause a draft. They didn't smell very bad but I don't think that's a measure of how poisonous they are.

If this post ends in the middle of a sentence, you'll know the fumes were poisonous.

Probabl wouldn't have worked and I saved 6 or 12 dollars.

Reply to
Micky

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.