Got a stubborn bolt loose on a Seattle dock job by warming it with a heat pack from my lunchbox

We were trying to replace a worn-out flange on a saltwater intake line, and this one 3/4-inch bolt was just seized solid. I remembered I had one of those disposable hand warmer packs in my gear bag (the kind you shake to activate). Taped it right to the bolt head for about 15 minutes while we prepped other stuff, and it expanded just enough to break the corrosion bond. Has anyone else used weird non-tool items to get out of a pinch underwater?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendy_murphy168d ago

That heat pack trick is genius, I bet the saltwater corrosion made it a real bear.

dylan2658d ago

Reminds me how the simplest fixes often get overlooked. We just live with the annoying thing until someone points out the obvious.

chen.phoenix13h agoMost Upvoted

Totally feel that, it's wild how we just adapt to minor annoyances. My old car door used to squeak for months before a friend just sprayed some WD-40 on it. Felt so dumb for not trying the easy thing first. You get used to the hassle and stop seeing the simple fix right in front of you. It's like your brain just accepts the broken normal after a while.