Originally Posted by
oneclick
Here's how you get those chainring bolts apart.
Get a drill bit just the same or slightly smaller size than the slot on the back-side of the nut.
Mount the workpiece on a drill press and carefully drill a hole, centred in the slot, though the bolt and through the crank arm BUT NOT into the bolt. Measure and use a depth-stop.
Remove the crank, reverse the drill bit and stick the shank into the hole - through the nut into the crank arm. The nut is now locked to the crank arm and you can use all necessary force on the hex-key in the bolt-socket.
I'm trying to visualize this, but am failing miserably. "though the bolt and through the crank arm BUT NOT into the bolt"? First, why drill through the crank arm? Second, how to drill through the bolt, but not into the bolt? I realize that I can be a bit snarky at times, but I promise, this is not one of them. Also, wouldn't using a good vise be simpler?