How many use a mini ductor?

[BearCuda]

Was wondering how many of you have used or own a mini ductor and how well it's held up. I've wanted one for a long time but they're so darn expensive. At least the price has been coming down. I'm sure I'll take the plunge soon and get one.

http://www.theinductor.com/index.php?m=50&s=24

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

I had to look up what it was.

 

[bazzateer]

Looks pretty cool.

 

[mopar01]

My boss has one. For nuts 5/8 and smaller it works good.

 

[Alinnh]

We have one at the shop I work for. I really didn't think it would work that great when we first got it. After using it boy was I wrong. I've used it for brake line fittings, egr valves near plastic intakes.
Then I used it on rear leaf spring bolts that were frozen in the springs. It heated the ends of the bolts cherry red without burning the rubber bushings.
Hit the bolt with the impact wrench and out it came.
The one thing I wasnt sure of was one of the guys I work with had an older Toyota in the other day for a fuel filter. The lines were rusted just enough where you couldn't budge them. He put it on the fitting for 30sec and it came free. I guess if it got the fuel too hot it would be like having vapor lock.
The unit is a plastic housing and you have to be careful with the screws the the heating wires connect to, it fells like if you make it too tight it may brake.
It basically paid for itself already so I may buy one for my home shop.

 

[south_paw]

Absolutely love this tool. I got to try out an inductor pro max for a few days. I used the pad attachment to remove thick undercoating from a car I was restoring. The undercoating came off clean and easy. Also works great on removing seam sealers and windshield adhesives. Couldn't justify buying it back then but if I ever restore another car, I will pick one up. The time savings is well worth the price.

 

[Carguy99]

those thing are the shits… dam cool heat O2 EGR wheel lug nuts and not damage the wheel... one thing you have to watch is they work so fast I find 10- 30 seconds more than enough…

 

[Diesel Dan]

That is very cool but I don't do enough at home to justify the $600 purchase at this point.

 

[Bill Bowman]

I've got a larger one, The Inductor, http://www.theinductor.com/index.php?m=52&s=33

It works great, however,as mentioned, kind of costly. Bill

 

[KGB Pilot125]

have them at 3 of the 5 shops we have they are amazing. Paid for itself the first time on a PT cruiser lug nut while we were demoing it.


They have paid for themselves many times over, and no chance of blowing up the shop by know it all techs who think they can use acetylene torches

 

[metaleltr]

I love ours, i used to be a ******** torch guy, i have barley touched the torch since we got it. Used it just the other day with a huge coil to heat a 36mm axle nut.

 

[Kev442]

http://www.boltbusterinc.com/bolt-buster-kit/

$369.99. Anyone have one of these?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I had to look up what it was.

Me too. But once I did the first thing I thought of was how to use one to remove the ******** rusted-on bolt that hold my headers on my old 283?

Nuts would work because the heat causes them to grow in size breaking the rust bond. Would the same happen on bolts in a head or would the extreme heat cycle crack the bolt?

 

[Diesel Dan]

Nuts would work because the heat causes them to grow in size breaking the rust bond. Would the same happen on bolts in a head or would the extreme heat cycle crack the bolt?

Maybe but I haven't seen it.
For example we have these 8" diameter studs on presses and they don't get torqued by traditional methods. The nut is run up tight to the cap and then the rod is heated so it expands and then you turn the nut another quarter turn and let the rod cool and it contracts. The stud has a 1.5" dia. hole 48-60" deep where you insert a calrod to heat it. However if you use too short of a calrod the stud won't properly stretch and the threaded end will get too much heat but it has never fractured a nut.

 

[trackwelder]

Would this tool work on rusted brake bleeder screws?

 

[Higgins]

Yup,

If they will take care of the rusted / frozen brake bleeder, i'm in for one!!

AL

 

[Tarheelgarage]

I will be waiting until harbor freight has a chinese clone for 19.99 before i buy one.

 

[MScott]

If you are interested in building one, this guy builds a metal heater from a transformer he scavenged out of a discarded microwave. Looks like you would have to experiment to get the right heat level without melting the nut or bolt.

 

[metaleltr]

If you are interested in building one, this guy builds a metal heater from a transformer he scavenged out of a discarded microwave. Looks like you would have to experiment to get the right heat level without melting the nut or bolt.

That used the resistance in the metal to melt by passing a high electric current through the metal. Where as the inductor uses alternating current through induction to heat the metal. I would not try the youtube method on anything I wanted to save.

 

[WVBrady]

Does anyone have any idea how much and how quickly the price will come down? I would think that the technology would not be that complicated, but I don't know how much time is left on the patent or if a different design could do the same thing.

I remember from my economics class that the holder of a patent will try to maximize profit by starting with a high price that only people that really need it will pay and then gradually lowering the price until they pick up all of the people like me.

 

[metaleltr]

Well it already has somewhat in 2008 the bolt buster model was being sold and manufactured by induction innovations, at that point in time it sold for $479.99 in the Autobody Toolmart catalog. As we see above the bolt buster sells today for $369.99. This model is no longer sold by induction innovations. Today however the induction innovations Mini ductor II sells for $549.99 through Autobody Toolmart. The lowest current price i have found on this model is $506.63 through toolman central.
I doubt that we will see this product in the sub $300 range.

 

[BearCuda]

Here's one for as low as $452 on Amazon. I don't think you get the warranty support like you would through a tool truck though.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007QV5IHG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[srmofo]

Ive wanted one of these for along time, but with a few exceptions the old hot wrench does the trick.

Unfortunately I had one of those exceptions this week. I was replacing a rear subframe on an econobox. The fuel tank was molded into the subframe, all one assembly. It wasnt a bad job really except for the junkyard part it was replaced with was in rough shape. The bolts for the toe adjustment arms were frozen inside of the bushings. These were within cm of the tank.

aafter screwing around with them for a few minutes, i ended up getting the saw-zall out and cutting the bolts. I think if I could have heated the bolts and then quenched them it would have freed up. One of them came out afterwards just from the heat/vibration from the sawzall. If it had been in the car, there would have been now way to cut them out, so heat would have been the only option at that point.

Considering Im getting out of the biz I dont think I will ever own one, unless I pick one of these up instead of a torch outfit for the house. I have all the tools that a torch already does so its really a wash either way

 

[Higgins]

$ 369 on Amazon plus free shipping!

AL

 

[kleinergti1]

I have one and love it. Works great on exhaust bolts/nuts. I also found on doing vw front wheel bearings you can pull the race right off the hub once heated with the inductor. Mine has held up well from a few drops under the hoist. I also have the pad for it as well which helps on cutting quarter windows out of cars when parting them out.

 

[Rusty32]

I don't always heat up bolts , but when I do I use the mini inductor. Stay hot my friends.

 

[MN4x4]

I didn't even know what one was until I read this thread, but now I HAVE to have one!

 

[fatboy99]

I bought one last year It was the demo my Snap On dealer had he made me a great deal on the mini ductor and the element kit. I went to the mfg web site and registered my warranty. At Christmas time I got a really nice Christmas card from them signed by all there employees !! I was Amazed. I've bought thousands and thousands of tools threw my carer and have NEVER got a card from any company before.

 

[pbon]

An unbiased recommendation…..

 

[RPH]

I have one plus I worked in the industry. Process works.

 

[scooby074]