Originally Posted by max-a-mill
so i got a piece of aluminum seatpost thoroughly stuck in an older steel frame i just got to try and fix up for my ladyfriend. my big wrench wont budge it.... and it needs to come out!
i heard from someone that it might be possible to melt the aluminum post out by using some sort of chemical??? anyone heard of this madness? or anyother good tips for dislodging a stuck piece of a seatpost?
Before going to destructive techniques, have you tried chemical penetrants like WD-40 or penetrating oils to "dissolve" the bond? Some of the claims on cans of this stuff are pretty bold. Not sure if it will work on aluminum-steel interfaces, but it's worth a try. After the penetrant sits, perhaps try tapping the seat post (in a direction in-line with the tubes) that with a hammer to shear the bond. If you're afraid the seat post will disappear into the seat tube, you can grab the exposed post with a pair of Vice Grips before you tap.
Good luck and let us know what worked.