Hinges won't budge!

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We have some hinges that have not been used in probably over 40+ years. The hinges are over the door, that swings upwards. Want to use the building as a vegetable stand area. Have tried to loosen but to no avail...help countrysiders?

-- Suzanne (weir@frontiernet.net), January 09, 2002

Answers

Is there any way you could soak them in oil and let it sit. Also, my husband uses something called P-Blaster on things that are rusted shut or stuck. You spray it on and wait a while and then it usually comes unstuck.

-- M & M (amazinggraze@valkyrie.net), January 09, 2002.

Can you slip a needle (I mean a syringe and needle type) between the hinge joints and squirt in a lubricant? Gently tapping it with a small hammer may help the fluid flow further in too. Heat from torch will free it up but it's not too friendly to buildings!! Can you get the hinges off? Guess they could be replaced then! :^)

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 09, 2002.

After oiling, smack the hinge-pin with a hammer.

-- Kevin (kevinmail@earthlink.net), January 09, 2002.

Try WD-40. Spray it on, and work it in. Always has worked for me.

-- Bobbi (the_bee_lady@hotmail.com), January 09, 2002.

Heat, penetrating oil, and shock (hammering) are the way to loosen up rusted stuff.

Get a good oil, not just WD-40. I hear NAPA has some good stuff, or at least something that talks about getting through rust. Let it sit a while, days if you want to.

Pound on it with a hammer now & then. The vibration will crack up the rust, let the oil work in farther. Take your time with it.

Oh, if it's coated over with paint, wirebrush that out of the way, so the oil can get in!

If you can take the hinges off, soaking then is better, and you can be more aggressive with the hammer.

In this case, the torch heating probably wouldn't be good. ;)

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), January 09, 2002.



Kevin must be related to my husband! WD40 and a hammer, worked on our old hinges!

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), January 09, 2002.

Hose them down with a good penetrating oil several times over a couple of days then smack them with a hammer a couple of times and see if they'll open. If not, replace them. If they do, work them several times then use a regular lubricating oil on them.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 09, 2002.

PB Blaster is some great stuff! Make sure that the hinge pins are not bent, and make sure that you dont bend them when you hit them with a hammer.

-- clovis (clovis97@yahoo.com), January 09, 2002.

Besides WD 40 there is a spray called "Rust Eater" that is very effective. A rubber mallet is very helpful in these situations.

-- Anne (Healthytouch101@wildmail.com), January 09, 2002.

WD-40 and a Hammer, you could fix about anything!

-- chuck in md (woah@mission4me.com), January 09, 2002.


My uncle swears by eucalyptus oil as a penetrating oil - says it's far more effective than WD40. Makes some sense - it's even less viscous, and volatile enough that it should be getting in ahead of where liquid alone would penetrate. That and a hammer, of course, over a couple of days. However, replacing the hinges would probably give the most satisfactory overall result.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 10, 2002.

Thanks everyone....we'll probably try all of the above.

-- Suzanne (weir@frontiernet.net), January 10, 2002.

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