#TOOL TO GET BREAKAWAY BOLTS OUT HOW TO#

In response to the shortcomings of traditional anchor bolt removal methods, Product Design Specialties, an Oregon-based manufacturer of ergonomic tools and hazard mitigation equipment, began developing a simple anchor bolt removal tool. Oregon-based Product Design Specialties has developed an effective, easy-to-use anchor bolt removal tool And in some facilities, a hot work permit may be required due to the sparks generated by angle grinders or hacksaws, making a time-consuming task even more of a hassle. These methods can work well for removing anchor bolts a few at a time, but contractors looking to remove tens or hundreds of bolts quickly find these methods way too slow and frustrating. Of course, this all requires a lot of effort. Generally, that nub can be flattened with a hammer, although some larger nubs may need to be leveled with a grinding wheel. Others must be split with a hacksaw or cut-off wheel, leaving an above-ground nub. If the hole beneath the anchor is deep enough, some anchors can simply be pounded into the ground. Male concrete anchors can be much more difficult to remove. If needed, a hammer can be used to knock the anchoring tube below the floor, and in some cases these tubes can simply be pulled out of the hole entirely. Usually, a screwdriver, pipe wrench, or vise grips can unthread the protruding bolt, leaving the female anchor flush with the concrete. By applying a concrete-patching solution, the remaining part of the anchor and the hole can be covered, leaving a flush surface.įemale concrete anchors are generally simpler to remove. Instead, anchor bolt removal usually entails leaving some part of the anchor embedded in the surface, while the above-surface part of the anchor – be that a bolt, threaded rod, pinhead, or part of the anchor itself – is cut off or pulled out. Source: Wikipediaīut very few concrete anchors can be completely removed without damaging the concrete. Countless concrete anchors support the racks used in modern warehousing. Warehouses, for example, often need to relocate pallet racks – secured by either wedge or strike anchors – to make the most of inventory space. Most female concrete anchors can be removed with simple tools, but male anchors can prove troublesomeįrom renovation to electrical work, a wide variety of projects sometimes entail the removal of anchor bolts.

Tightening the nut on these wedge anchors causes the expanding clips to widen, forming a wedge. Hammering the pin in or tightening a nut over the threaded rod causes the anchor to expand and lock in place. Male concrete anchors combine the anchoring component and the fastening rod, bolt, or pin into a single unit.The brass-colored components on these drop-in female anchors expand as the bolt tightens, securely gripping the surrounding concrete. Some lock in place only with the use of a specialized setting tool, while others simply expand when joined with a male-threaded bolt, screw, or rod. Then, they force the expanding tube to widen within the hole. Installers place this female-threaded component into a pre-drilled hole. Female concrete anchors consist of an expanding sleeve or tube with female threads.Masonry workers categorize these fasteners as either male anchors or female anchors: While the amount of force these fasteners can withstand varies with their type, construction, and the characteristics of the concrete, all concrete anchors are designed to stay in place even when placed under a great deal of stress, making them difficult to remove. Other anchors are held in place by powerful adhesives. Sometimes, this secure fit is provided by components that expand as the bolt is drilled or threaded into the concrete. Designed to permanently embed underground, concrete anchors fall into one of two broad categoriesĬoncrete and masonry fasteners consist of a mixture of bolts, sleeves, screws, and other components designed to set permanently in concrete, brick, and other hard materials.

#TOOL TO GET BREAKAWAY BOLTS OUT HOW TO#

In this article, we explain how to remove concrete anchors, discussing anchors’ characteristics, the tools available for removal, and how removal approaches vary for different types of anchors. And even then, they often don’t come off completely. But when those anchors need to be removed, as they often do, the process can often be difficult and labor-intensive.

While some tried-and-true methods are still needed for removing concrete anchors, a new product vastly reduces the effort in many types – and breaks them off cleanĬontractors of all kinds rely on concrete anchors to provide secure and permanent placement for large motors, pipes, structural framing, and a whole lot more.

Tool to get breakaway bolts out