Working on my BT3, can't get handwheel off

[JimD]

Blue locktite is not supposed to require heat, just a bit more force. It's hard to imagine plastic female threads holding much. The cross threaded suggestion makes sense to me. In that case, the handle may not be usable when you get it off. If you accept that conclusion, it opens up lots more ways to remove it. When I get frustrated enough, I tend to think of those other ways (reciprocating saw, very large hammer, lots of heat and a right angle grinder come to mind).

[d_meister]

I have some Liquid Wrench...
How the heck do you apply it to a horizontal bolt with a head larger than the shank whose head is recessed inside the handwheel, w/o turning the saw on its back to get a gravity assist and pooling of the oil? Squirt it all around and let it find its own way in?

Years ago, when I started as a mechanic, the parts manager demonstrated the characteristics of a penetrant by drawing a horizontal pencil line on the wall and spraying the stuff below the line. The next day, you could see that the stuff had crept UP the wall by about 2 inches. I repeated the test at home where the parts man couldn't mickey the results
Before you ask, the penetrant was "Maltby", the only penetrant that was an approved product in the Coast Guards stores lockers (at the time). I haven't seen it in years, but a quick Google shows it's still around. That test was shown to me in 1969!
Don't forget about the Popular Science penetrant test. I've tried the acetone/ATF homebrew, and it works!

[lrr]

I keep a heat gun in my shop, and a hair dryer might work if it cranks out a lot of heat. Try warming the handle,and then maybe apply the impact wrench?

The only other option I can think of is to lay the saw over, and make some kind of "dam" that holds penetrating fluid on the bolt long enough to get some penetration.

As a last resort, get out that drill and have at it!

[Bluto]

Just replaced the broken handwheel on my saw and the screw definitely has blue loctite on it. My screw came out easily but a 1/4" hex drive impact driver would be ideal to remove a reluctant one, impact drivers in general make that sort of job easy and it is an excellent excuse to buy one, use mine constantly for woodwork and mechanical jobs on cars, motorcycles, etc...the newer ones with lithium batteries are well worth a few extra $$$ for the light weight, fast charging, etc.