So . .. went one for two. The first seized bolt came right out — drilled a 1/16” pilot. Then used the heat gun and it pulled right out with a 1/8” reverse drill on low speed.

The second bolt . . . Not good, and I think the hub is likely lost. The bolt didn’t budge with the 1/8” reverse bit. I used the 1/8” extractor and got some movement. Then I drilled with a 5/32” reverse bit and took the 5/32” extractor. The bolt split down the middle, and I’m only able to remove half of it. The rest is helplessly crushed in the threads, and I think the extractor has widened the hole too much to recover. Not a great loss if that’s the case. If nothing else, I’ll have a wheel for some shop practice.

before/after . . .

There needs to be an unlike button.

You might still be able to install a bolt and use a nut on the backside. But dang, it is kind of hack-ish at this point.

Re-hub the wheel? You have the spokes & rim already.

1) You might be able to run with only 4 bolts. Use antisieze! Torque, accounting for anti-sieze!
2) You might be able to drill out the hole, thread with a size larger, and use an insert (like Helicoil).

Yes. Anti-sieze purchased and ready. The goal of the project was to remove the brake rotor to put it on another wheel. Certainly will use antisieze on that wheel.

It's been an educational experience for sure, so all is not lost. But really it would have been easier, faster, and cheaper to just buy new rotors!

I'm not sure the hole is still round though. At my work, we have a machine shop with a skilled machinist. I might see if they have a way to do this.

Re-hub is an option, but this is not a high-value wheel. It's a take-off OE from my Surly. There was recently a pair of identical wheels front/rear for sale in my area for $150 in new condition. Chatted the seller, and he had them up for 6 weeks with no inquiries. So if I re-hub it, it's to learn how to re-hub a wheel. I prefer that to a franked-wheel which is what this looks like.

Too bad. That first bolt came undone just they way I'd hoped (given the situation I put myself in).

If you can, take him a rotor too so he can easily see just how far off and out of round the hole is.

On the bright side, you get a new hub!

I unfreeze bolts with a Benzomatic MAPP torch.

It needs to get hot in the thousands of degrees, not hundreds.

Burned paint is better than a pretty scrap.

Then again, not jumping the gun from the very beginning all drill happy is better than burned paint.

Thousands of degrees and you’ll be more worried about molten steel than burned paint.

Omg dude, I apply it for just a few seconds. To actually melt it, it would take about a few minutes.

Regardless, I know what I am doing, I do it all the time on the curb finds I flip, and this thread NEVER happens to me.

A hot air gun can remove decals and maybe paint, but otherwise a waste of time on seized fasteners.

Icarus didn't burn because he flew too close to the sun. He burned because he flew close to the sun for too long.

Oh I’m sure you do. I don’t reckon it gets to (or needs to get to) thousands of degrees though, not even °F.

Right. Honestly, the whole thing got in motion because I was in a hurry when I first noticed they didn't turn as easily as I wanted. Should have been a lot more cautious then instead of rounding out the first bolt. Stupid. But over and done.

I just did the rear wheel today. Had it properly prepared (maybe over prepared with penetrating oil), and all 6 bolts came out as I'd expect they would. Had my pen torch in reach, but didn't need it.

Thanks all for the comments. New wheels on the bike now, and it's ready to roll.