Sadly, the shop where they're letting me work on this bike doesn't have a torch license, though the use of one came up repeatedly in problem-solving discussions. Once we got a look at how much these threads had bonded to one another, however, it's possible using a torch still may not have worked. There were a few sections of the thread where it had simply become one big blob of aluminum; absolutely no separation between the threads at all. Not even anything for WD-40 to work itself into! CleanStreak was applied liberally before any drastic measures were taken and worked on the drive side, but not on the other.

Also, I was nervous enough using both a Dremel and an angle grinder for the first time in my life in one day. A torch might have put me over the edge!

And anyway, I'm going on tour in less than two weeks. Gotta get 'er done!