Removing stuck fasteners

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(General Advice)
(Miscellaneous tips)
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*If the bolt or stud breaks off below the surface, try this method. Using a high grade bolt of same size, grind off the threaded end until the bolt will fit into the hole and touch the broken bolt.  Using an electric welder, clamp the "electrode" bolt in the stinger. This works best if someone is there to help you by turning the welder on and off. With the stinger bolt inserted into the broken bolt hole and firmly against the broken bolt, have the power turned on just long enough to fuse the stinger bolt to the broken one. You might want to practice this technique on the bench to get the power and timing right. Once they have cooled for a few minutes, but are still hot enough to burn skin, place a wrench on the slave bolt and turn them out.
 
*If the bolt or stud breaks off below the surface, try this method. Using a high grade bolt of same size, grind off the threaded end until the bolt will fit into the hole and touch the broken bolt.  Using an electric welder, clamp the "electrode" bolt in the stinger. This works best if someone is there to help you by turning the welder on and off. With the stinger bolt inserted into the broken bolt hole and firmly against the broken bolt, have the power turned on just long enough to fuse the stinger bolt to the broken one. You might want to practice this technique on the bench to get the power and timing right. Once they have cooled for a few minutes, but are still hot enough to burn skin, place a wrench on the slave bolt and turn them out.
 
*For removing stubborn Philips-head screws, wet the tip of the screwdriver or screwdriver bit, a little bit of spit will do, and dip the bit into a bit of abrasive cleanser - like Comet or Ajax.  Use enough to cover the tip of the screwdriver. The abrasive in the cleanser gives the tip of the screwdriver a little added "bite" and it's less likely to slip out of the screw.
 
*For removing stubborn Philips-head screws, wet the tip of the screwdriver or screwdriver bit, a little bit of spit will do, and dip the bit into a bit of abrasive cleanser - like Comet or Ajax.  Use enough to cover the tip of the screwdriver. The abrasive in the cleanser gives the tip of the screwdriver a little added "bite" and it's less likely to slip out of the screw.
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*Intermittent pressure, such as an impact whench seems to be better suited to this job. A device that we built that works on screws that some one has stripped out the head. Get an aircraft rivet gun (note: not a tubing cutter, they're to fast) that has less than 2000 bpm (blows per minute). Get one of the rivit gun sets, and weld a piece of hex stock 3/4" to the working end of the set then weld an apex tip holder to the hex stock ( of course you need an air compressor 100lbs is just fine)put a Philips tip in the apex holder (prior to that grind a little off the tip as they usually are slightly too long; this will allow the tip to drop farther into the screw head so it will pick up what is left of the flutes in the head). Put the whole thing together and insert the tip into the screw head slowly pull the trigger on the rivit gun, while at the same time put pressure on the box end wrench you have installed on the hex part of your tool, making sure to keep pressure on the gun handle so it won't jump out of the work. One more word of caution -- even though this works almost 100% of the time it is possible (if the screw is into a plate nut) to drive the plate nut off its mount.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 01:39, 29 January 2007

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