Stuck Gib Nut
Q:
I managed to round-over a gib nut on my planer’s blade holder. I’ve tried everything to free that nut. Any suggestions?
A:
AYou can free a stuck nut by striking it with a center punch (available at hardware stores). Center punches are made of hardened steel and are designed to make a dimple mark in metal as a starting point for a drill bit. In this case, they work quite well for coaxing a stubborn nut loose.
Place the point of the punch on the flat of the gib nut so a light hammer blow will turn the nut in the desired direction. The point on the punch will dig into the soft gib-nut head and force the nut to turn.
This story originally appeared in American Woodworker August 2006, issue #123.
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