Stripped screw heads - how to get out

[Marlow Wilson]

This thread may be in the wrong section but power or hand tools seem involved (sorry if it's wrong)

I'm in the process of renovating a bar and can't get the screws on the footrail out. They are gummed up square head scews of an unknown length. I usually use a dremel tool and cut a notch but my dremel has gone missing. I went and bought srcrew excractors from the borg but they don't seem to really work. There were two types: one type (black and Decker I believe) had fine threads and the others, which I bought had the coarse threads. I asked some poor guy working in the power tool section but he had no idea, so I just bought the more expensive ones (made by Vermont America. they said free replacement and Bosch Tools on the back and I figured they looked better. I can't however seem to get them to work.

So my questions is what do you experts think? I can't get a sawzall blade in there and there are enough of them that drilling all the heads off seems too time consuming. I was hoping to get them out a bit to get a blade in there but now I'm stuck. I can post some picks as soon as my camera battery recharges.

If it comes down to it I can buy an new dremel and if it helps I have virtually every common tool.

Thanks,

Marlow

[Forrest Price]

Well, without pics, I don't know if this'll work, but can you get a short hacksaw blade in there? just cut a slot across the screw head and back it out with a standard screwdriver. I've used that method on more PK screws in airplane wings than I care to remember!

[Marlow Wilson]

that was my thinking too. I'm giving that a try (an employee is) as I type.

Thanks,

Marlow

[Bob Noles]

If a hacksaw blade don't do it..... Reach for the Dermel tool :)

[Mark Rios]

What I've done in cases like this is to carefully drill the screwhead off. I've started small and used successively larger bits until the remaining screw material is thin enough to pull through the hole.


Just a thought.

[Gary Keedwell]

I keep a few left-handed drill bits around (be sure to label them clearly). I run my cordless drill in reverse and usually before I'm half way in, the screw starts coming out. Like I said , label them or put in special place so you won't accidently use them as a regular drill.

Gary K.

[CPeter James]

I bought a set of left hand carbide drill bits that were supposed to be great for this at some WW show. They never worked very good for me. You said the heads were stripped square dive. I have very good luck with square drive. Do you have the correct bit? Can you clean out the square holes? Also, I have taken a square drive bit and ground the end down a little. They have a slight taper and that will increase the size a little to get a tighter fit after you clean out the holes.

CPeter

[Gary Keedwell]

Carbide is too brittle for that job. My HSS left-handed drill bits work fine.

Gary K.

[christopher miller]

arlow Wilson (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/member.php?u=8642) http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif vbmenu_register("postmenu_407944", true);
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Montreal/Ottawa CAN
Posts: 8


Stripped screw heads - how to get out
This thread may be in the wrong section but power or hand tools seem involved (sorry if it's wrong)

I'm in the process of renovating a bar and can't get the screws on the footrail out. They are gummed up square head scews of an unknown length. I usually use a dremel tool and cut a notch but my dremel has gone missing. I went and bought srcrew excractors from the borg but they don't seem to really work. There were two types: one type (black and Decker I believe) had fine threads and the others, which I bought had the coarse threads. I asked some poor guy working in the power tool section but he had no idea, so I just bought the more expensive ones (made by Vermont America. they said free replacement and Bosch Tools on the back and I figured they looked better. I can't however seem to get them to work.

So my questions is what do you experts think? I can't get a sawzall blade in there and there are enough of them that drilling all the heads off seems too time consuming. I was hoping to get them out a bit to get a blade in there but now I'm stuck. I can post some picks as soon as my camera battery recharges.

If it comes down to it I can buy an new dremel and if it helps I have virtually every common tool.

Thanks,

Marlow


Marlow Don t know if this will work but i was thinking if you could drill the hole deeper with the proper size drill. Then grind the end of the sq drive bit sharp , then grind the sides back alittle further.Lastly hammer the bit in , The bit should broach the hole a little deeper . Never tried it just a thought Chris

[Marlow Wilson]

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't have good luck with the hacksaw blade and only had one on hand which had seen better days. I know, I should have more on hand but seldom reach for the hack saw with my old circular saw equiped with a metal cutting blade and more sawzall's than I know what to do with. I'm going to give it a go with some new blades tomorrow held with one of those saws that holds the hacksaw blade leaving the end sticking out. If I don't have any luck I'll have to buy a new dremel tool. The drilling might be tried as well. Cpeter, I definately have the right bit, up here in Canada all we use are square screws (in construction that is) with drywall screws being the exception due to the design of the drivers.

Thanks and I'll keep you guys up to date.

Marlow

[Rick Thom]

Marlow, a couple of suggestions.
Sometimes the bit doesn't seat itself well and can't get a grip. Try giving the bit a FIRM tap with a hammer, then try backing it out with a screw driver. Make sure the bit is the correct size.
If that doesn't work, I generally just select a drill bit slightly larger than the screw shank and drill the head off, then remove the remaining part of the screw with vice grips.

[tod evans]

marlow, are these screws going into wood or metal? most sq.drives are really hard and a hacksaw blade might not even touch `em? before you reach for the dremmel try using an awl to loosen the crud, if your bit still wont bite hold the bit with pliers and heat it with a torch then tap in place with a hammer. i don`t know of many types of "gunk" that can withstand 500 degrees...if the screws are going into metal wacking them with a hammer (via bit) will help break the rust.....02 tod

[Marlow Wilson]

Thanks tod,

The screws to indeed seem very hard, and the torch idea is good.

I'm going to give it a try soon.

I'll post picks this aft.

Thanks again,

Marlow

[Matt Day]

What I've done in cases like this is to carefully drill the screwhead off. I've started small and used successively larger bits until the remaining screw material is thin enough to pull through the hole.


Just a thought.

I've done this many times and it works great. You might be able to just use one size bit which is the same diameter of the srew shaft and it will just pop off.

Have you tried this method yet?

[Chuck Trisdale]

I have the backout bits you are talking about that dont work. I have put them in the screw head and hit it with a hammet to get it to grip... then back it out. I have had trouble with them to some degree, but that has worked for me.

[tod evans]

i`d like to know what drill bits ya`ll are using to drill out square drive screws?8% cobalt won`t touch the screws i use, just smokes the bit..02 tod

[Marlow Wilson]

Job done.

I drilled out the heads of a few a the trouble screws and was able to get many of them out with a good cleaning and an impact driver (they are great by the way)

thanks to all who posted or put their minds to work.

I'd post some photos but there isn't a lot to show.

Thanks again,

Marlow

[Scott Vigder]

I went and bought srcrew excractors from the borg but they don't seem to really work. There were two types: one type (black and Decker I believe) had fine threads and the others, which I bought had the coarse threads.

I've had great success with screw extractors. Try using your drill at Max torque, Low speed and see if you can slowly feather it out.

[Marlow Wilson]

Scot,

The extractors used a tap handle, not the drill. In retrospect I should have looked more carefully and bought was that were drill driven.

Tod, because here in Canada we use all square drive for everything, the screws are not inherantly good being square. The good ones are available, but in this case they were pretty standard screws. They still did a number on the cheapo bit I was using. I never use my good bits for jobs like this because it not worth it.

Cheers and thanks,

Marlow

[Mark Rios]

i`d like to know what drill bits ya`ll are using to drill out square drive screws?8% cobalt won`t touch the screws i use, just smokes the bit..02 tod


Tod, you're right. I hadn't paid attention to the particular head type, just that it was a recessed/countersunk fastener. I don't ever recall drilling out a square drive screw but lots of regular phillips screws this way, flat hed screws, along with rivets or bolts in a auto/truck frame, bolts where I could no longer get a tool to them, stuff like that. Some where very hard, now that you mention it, and took a lot of time. :D Thanks for the correction.

[Per Swenson]

All right, I thought this thread was over so I went and took a nap.

When you get a screw that is a real problem. I find that if you drill

a tek 3 or if its a hardened fastener tek 5 self drilling screw

right into the head of the offending screw, let it cool, then back it

out by hand you will get results and your freinds will think

you're a genius.

Per