help! completely frozen saddle screw

[tobereeno]

ok, so I'm cleaning and getting my '86 TLE back into tip-top shape. It needed some serious cleaning, and I'll want to get it buffed out by Murkat soon. Sperzels arrived so I'm ready to reassemble. I painted the sustain block with decent results, but left the saddles chrome.

The Problem: one of the saddle height screws, I swear must have been either superglued or welded in. I soaked the saddle in PB Blaster overnight - no luck. I filed the screw so I could get some serious pliers on it to turn the thing - no dice.

So looks like I've got to drill it out. However, I don't think screw extractors come in sizes as small as these tiny screws.

Ideas?

[murkat]

um, bring it over?

I got tools and a torch...

[Jimbilly]

If you can get the saddle off, try getting it pretty hot, I've freed stuck screws by holding a lighter underneath for about a minute, - hold it with some needlenose vice grips. I've used a propane torch on tougher ones, but sometimes heat doesn't work on really tough stuck screws. If it's still stuck I'd soak in in Kroil or some other liquid wrench type product for about a week, then apply heat. Hopefully it's a commonly available saddle if none of the above works. I had to replace the bridge on a Ric I had that was too far gone.

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

Did you manage to sort it?

[tobereeno]

it's still stuck in there. But the saddles are over at Murkat's; next time I'm over we might try having a go at it. I've set up the sustain block with Graphtech saddles that I shaved down by hand to fit, so the need to fix it isn't as pressing anymore.

[hamerhead]

Get it real hot and toss it in a small container of brake fluid. Works every time.

[tobereeno]

at that heat level...possibility of igniting the stuff?

[hamerhead]

Well, I probably wouldn't do it inside. Never had it happen, but I'm an incredibly lucky guy.

Oh - and use a small amount of brake fluid. You know....just in case.

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[Jimbilly]

How hot is real-hot? I suppose baking it in the oven at 450 would be an easy way to get it to 450, -if that's a good number. Then use tongs to carry it out back and drop it in the brake fluid. I think I'd wear a welding mask just in case anything surprising happens.