aaargh....please don't tell me i am the only one...

[Gordon Thompson]

....to snap a screw head off when screwing in a faceplate.:mad:

dang screw is almost all the way in, less than an eighth inch is protruding, can't grip it with anything.....

any good strategies to getting the dang thing out?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You are not the only one. I use a chisel to loosen some wood around them and then grip it with some vicegrips. Usually works.

[Richard Madison]

Assuming that you removed the faceplate, Ken's suggestions should work. If not, grind the broken screw flush, rotate faceplate a bit, drill pilot holes for the screws this time in new locations, and try again.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

One of the reasons I don't use a faceplate.

There is a screw remover called "The Gripper." Itt'll get it out.

Bruce

[Scott Conners]

Depending on the size of the screw shank, you can drill a hole in it and use an easy-out. I've certainly done it, and usually use the same method as Ken - dig it out with vice grips. I've started using a cordless impact driver to put screws in now, which is easier than a normal drill to control final torque.

[Bill Bolen]

Nope, never had that happen! Mine always break off coming out!!..Bill..

[Brian Brown]

Been there done that. I drill 8-10 holes in a circle around the screw, pick out the wood with a chisel or awl, and grip the screw with vice grips.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Drill some holes close to the shaft (gives it room to move) and then use vise grips to work it loose.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Gordon you can use a brake line or similar tubing, grind or file the end so it has some teeth, then drill with that tubing down till you are almost as far as the screw is deep, you can then grab it and break it out easily, HTH :D

To clarify, you drill around the screw, so the screw is inside the hollow drilling tube, works like a charm :)

[Richard A. Rivera, M.D.]

WoodCraft has a screw extractor in different sizes. it is a hollow drill bit that cores out the screw and wood. You can plug it for a finished piece, or if it is of the face plate side, you are probably going to carve that face away, but at least you dont have to worry about a piece of metal in the blank. I have the 5/16 version,part number 124211

[Gordon Thompson]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll work on it tonite, and let you know. :)

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use the same thing Richard does and then just rotate my faceplate. Most times unless I get careless and in a hurry I will drill small pilot holes.

[Wilbur Pan]

Only one to snap off screw heads? Not as long as I keep turning wood. ;)

I use Brian's method as well.

By the way, I recently switched to using #12 screws when using a faceplate, with pilot holes, and I haven't snapped off a screw head in a while. What type of screws are you using?

[Montgomery Scott]

I don't recall ever snapping a screw. I always pilot drill the holes to near the shank diameter of the screw and use size 10 to 12 stainless screws. They do not need to be very long either. 1/2" of engagement is adequate if you are using four or more screws.

[Reed Gray]

Sheet rock screws are more prone to snapping off. Also, your screw gun has a clutch, and a lot of people will set it to max torque to get the screws in. Most of the time, you need to be in the meduim range for torque. Too much torque will snap the heads off, ream out the screw slot, and wear out the screw bit much faster. I chisel out around the screw, and then use the vice grips, or have turned circles on either side of the screw (providing that you have a tenon or recess on the bottom), then chip out around the screw, and again use the vice grips. You probably weren't even the first person to do that yesterday.
robo hippy

[Gordon Thompson]

Sheet rock screws are more prone to snapping off. Also, your screw gun has a clutch, and a lot of people will set it to max torque to get the screws in.


EEEEK!! you were in my garage last night!! :eek:


guilty, and guilty......

[Toney Robertson]

I NEVER use sheet rock (Drywall) screws. They are way to brittle plus they are not made for this kind of use.

Use cabinet screws or other high quality hardened screws.

Toney

[robert hainstock]

Is what I use, and Square drive screws to reduce the problem, and never drywall screws. Buy my screws at McFeelys.:)
Bob

[Kyle Iwamoto]

If you're snapping off screws, IMO, you're doing 1 of 2 things. 1) using a screw too small and crappy. I use metal (not wood) hex head screws, they are really strong and easy to get in and out. No stripped phillips/allen or square drive screws. Drill a pilot hole the right size, beeswax the screw. 2) you could be tightening the screw way too much.

That being said, after I break them off :eek: I grind them flush and rotate the plate too. I think it's easier than drilling more holes and trying to wrestle that screw out. And it's free, no need to buy an extractor. But then again, you can never have enough tools....

[Gordon Thompson]

i got it out....drilled holes around it, and using needle nose vice grips was able to unscew it....lesson learned about crappy screws, and using the torque setting on the drill.....:o

[Jim Underwood]

Use cabinet screws or other high quality hardened screws.Actually it seems to me that the hardened screws that are more prone to snapping off as they are more brittle. I would caution against it and would tend to use a normal grade screw with a square drive (if you can find such an animal). I have normal Philips head screws in mine and haven't had a problem with them. (I'm assuming they are a mild steel.) I have rarely popped a head off of regular screws, but have broken countless hardened screws right off...

Also a general rule of thumb is to use the size screw that just fits the holes in the faceplate, ensuring that they are of sufficient strength (and cross section) to not to shear off, or pull through the hole, and to hold the wood.

Of course I rarely use a faceplate anymore since I got several scroll chucks. For really big pieces though, a faceplate is most secure (correctly used of course).

[Toney Robertson]

Actually it seems to me that the hardened screws that are more prone to snapping off as they are more brittle. I would caution against it and would tend to use a normal grade screw with a square drive (if you can find such an animal). I have normal Philips head screws in mine and haven't had a problem with them. (I'm assuming they are a mild steel.) I have rarely popped a head off of regular screws, but have broken countless hardened screws right off...

Also a general rule of thumb is to use the size screw that just fits the holes in the faceplate, ensuring that they are of sufficient strength (and cross section) to not to shear off, or pull through the hole, and to hold the wood.

Of course I rarely use a faceplate anymore since I got several scroll chucks. For really big pieces though, a faceplate is most secure (correctly used of course).


Quality screws don't snap off. I have never snapped off the cabinet screws I use in any application.

Drywall screws do with regularity.

I have never used them but Mcfeellys (sp) screws have a good rep.

Toney

[Jim Underwood]

Cabinet Screws? I guess I haven't run into them before. Why would regular screws (not drywall) from the hardware store work just as well? Do you have a link to the particular screws that work for you?

[Dana Berenson]

Reed is right, Bill Grumbine specifically says not to use drywall screws in his video. He suggests SPAX screws which I use exclusively for tasks like this.

Good luck

[Toney Robertson]

Cabinet Screws? I guess I haven't run into them before. Why would regular screws (not drywall) from the hardware store work just as well? Do you have a link to the particular screws that work for you?


Jim,

Almost any hardware in this area has cabinet screws. The ones I use are made by Hillman. They are black just like drywall screws but with a heavier shank. Almost all the ones I use are #8. I could not find a link to the particular ones that I use.

Regular flathead wood screws are soft steel. I like to use hardened ones. YMMV.

Toney