Removing stuck fasteners
(→Tips for broken-off bolt heads) |
(→Miscellaneous tips) |
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*If it is a stripped screw, either slotted or Phillips, try using a dab of valve grinding compound on the tip of the screwdriver. The valve grinding compound will help with friction to hold the tip onto the fastener when turning. | *If it is a stripped screw, either slotted or Phillips, try using a dab of valve grinding compound on the tip of the screwdriver. The valve grinding compound will help with friction to hold the tip onto the fastener when turning. | ||
*Use a piece of tubing that fits in the bolt hole (OD) with the center (ID) the size of the drill bit. This will keep the drill bit centered in the bolt, when you use the EZ out. | *Use a piece of tubing that fits in the bolt hole (OD) with the center (ID) the size of the drill bit. This will keep the drill bit centered in the bolt, when you use the EZ out. | ||
| − | *Where access allows, put a box end wrench over a stripped nut or hex bolt head, then use a | + | *Where access allows, put a box end wrench over a stripped nut or hex bolt head, then use a center punch on the corners of the hex to spread the metal and wedge it in the wrench. |
*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 | + | *For removing stubborn Phillips-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. |
| − | *Intermittent pressure, such as an impact wrench 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 | + | *Intermittent pressure, such as an impact wrench 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 b.p.m. (blows per minute). Get one of the rivet 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 Phillips 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 rivet 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. |
*If you break off the head of the bolt, grind the remainder out with care using a TrueBite carbide bit and a high-speed rotary tool (Dremel MotoTool or some such) - see http://www.truebite.com/remove/ for details and instructions. | *If you break off the head of the bolt, grind the remainder out with care using a TrueBite carbide bit and a high-speed rotary tool (Dremel MotoTool or some such) - see http://www.truebite.com/remove/ for details and instructions. | ||
| − | *Besides the Comet cleanser tip, another way to give a screwdriver more grip on a | + | *Besides the Comet cleanser tip, another way to give a screwdriver more grip on a screw head is to dip the tip of the screwdriver into a little valve grinding compound, then apply the screwdriver to the screw head. Works well anywhere you need a little more traction to get that stripped screw head out or sometimes can be used on a closed end wrench and slightly rounded off bolt head. |
==References== | ==References== | ||
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