I am assembling a headboard for a bed I made out of Lyptus and I stripped the heads of two 2 1/2″ #8 woodscrews in the process. The screws are partially countersunk (the heads area about 1/16″ below the surface of the wood) but did not make it all the way in to achieve a snug fit. I would like to remove the screws so I purchased a reverse spiral bit and got it to catch in the screw head- only to have it snap in half when I tried to turn it manually (with the help of lock jaws).
I realize now that drilling a wider pilot hole, waxing the threads, and using a square-head screw will probably prevent this from happening in the future- but how can I remove the screws that are stuck in there now? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. For reference, the screws are common zinc-coated Phillips-head wood screws.
Thanks,
– Peter
Replies
Is there enough of the shanks protruding that you can get one of those needle-nose ViceGrip pliers onto them to turn them out?
The worst case scenario is using one of the hollow type extractors that cuts a core around the screw. The drawback is, that you've then got to cut a face-grain plug to glue into the hole, then re-drill & countersink.
http://www.constantines.com/browseproducts/Screw-Extractors---hollow.HTML
Peter and others. When you know or at least think that you are going to have a real problem getting a screw out, one of the best things that you can do is to heat the screw. You will be amazed at how easy the screw will come out then.
If you can use one of those small pencil torches without scorching the wood, this will provide a good heat source. A soldering iron is another good source.
The heat will shrink the fibers around the screw, and liquify any resin turning it into a lubricant.
A cheaper and maybe a more effective tool than buying one of those hollow extractors (basically a tube with teeth cut into it) is to go to your local hardware or automotive store. Buy a large enough roll pin. Use whatever, a Dremel with a cutting wheel, file, etc, to cut a triangular notch out of the end of the roll pin right where it is split.
Essentially you're making a miniature hole saw.
I've bought the commercially available extractors and I think I've split all three sizes. The tube is so thin that just lightly hand tightening the drill's chuck cracks 'em.
A dremel comes in handy when the head is stripped. Use a cutting wheel to reslot the head of screw, carefully getting the slot centered on the head or shank. Sometimes the head snaps off anyway. Then its time to reach for the needle nose vise grips.
Use a small drill to start a hole in the center of the head, down in the chewed up slot, drilling about 3/8 inch deep, then start increasing the drill diameter. Start at 1/16, then go 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, and if needed 5/16. At some point the hole will be bigger than the shank of the screw and the head will come loose.
Once the screw heads are gone you will be able to pull the pieces you were assembling apart and then remove the screws by turning the headless shanks with a Vise Grips. Of course this will only work if the joint isn't also glued together.
John W.
That's a really good idea but unfortunately the lower part of the headboard has a rail which is mortised and glued to the frame so I can't pull it apart. There's also no room to put needle nose pliers around the head although I've considered cutting the sides of the head with a dremel or similar tool to enable me to grip it with pliers.
- Peter
OK, why not just remove the head of the screw, which will allow you to drill in a short distance and properly plug the hole, and then move over and drill new screw holes?
The longer the screws have been in the wood the harder they will be to back out, you will probably trash the piece before you back them out at this point.
John W.
John,Have you ever seen or tried those bits intended to extract screws (not the hollow bit that fits over the screw head)?Last week I saw a set of two such bits at my local tool outlet -- was intrigued, but decided to pass, at least for now, since they were priced at $20 (for the two bit set).
Peter,
Do what John said to remove the head of the screw.
Next,
Drill down adjacent to the shank of the screw as far as possible with a small drill (1/16"), and go all around the circumference, leaving as small a web between each drill hole as possible.
You should then be able to lever the screw out (or buy another easy-out /reverse spiral bit, which should encounter minimal resistance) and plug the hole. The next screw head should completely hide the plug.
Cheers,
eddie
As i understand it Peter, you didn't strip the screw threads, but you did gnarl up the screwhead slots.
Why not do what I do, and use your dremel to cut a new slot for the screwdriver using a thin disc grinding wheel.
Use the wheel against a piece of old grindstone 'till it wears down to a smaller diameter, then cut new slots across the screw heads.
If you have an old auto battery, it is possible to momentaraly short circuit a screwdriver to the screw thereby welding it to the screw.
In either remedy,once you manage to back it out a bit, squirt a little oil around the thread, then tighten it down/back it out/ tighten/loosen in increments and you'll get that puppy out.
Next time you fasten two pieces of wood together, drill a full lenght pilot hole through both pieces as deep as the screw is long THEN, enlrge the outter hole with a 'clearance diameter larger drill .
The spot welding trick requires one wire attached to the shaft of the screwdriver and another wire attached to an icepick
(Which digs into the edge of the screwhead.)
First press in the icepick, then the screwdriver THEN,as soon as the flash occurs, quickly yank out the icepick.
I used to remove broken off keys from locks with that trick!. Steinmetz.
First off, what exactly do you mean by "reverse spiral bit", and why were you trying to manually twist it (almost guaranteed to break it)?
If this is one of those so-called "Easy Out" bits, I have some bad news. Those things are made from hardened steel, and cannot be drilled. You can try to remove the broken part with a small carbide bit in a Dremel, and start again (been there, done that).
If the bit you used is HSS, and a broken part is stuck in the screew, you might have the same problem (I don't think High Speed Steel can drill through High Speed Steel, can it?).
I think the best approach is to flatten the area in the middle of the chewed-up head with a Dremel, so that a center punch can do a clean job of marking the middle. Then use a reverse twist drill, in a reversible drill, the same size as the recommended pilot hole for the screw in question. You start drilling out the screw, but usually at some point enough of the stress gets relieved that the remained of the screw comes out.
Peter,
I think your best bet is to try heating the screws, as someone else suggested. I suggest adding the heat to the screws by holding a 1/4" rod that's 6 or 8" long on the head of the screw, and heating the rod with a torch. This will give you more heat than a soldering iron. Get the screw good and hot, and then let it cool off. Hopefully the phillips slots are only boogered up on the "going in" side of the slots, and you can put enough torque on them to back them out. If not, then take John W's idea and drill into the heads a ways, then try an "easy out", after the heat treatment.
Alternatively, can you pry the joint apart enough to saw the screw shanks in two with a hacksaw blade? This will allow you to get the top half of the screws out of the way, so you can redrill a pilot hole at a slight angle, and put new screws in beside the remains of the old ones.
Good luck,
Ray
You folks sure are helpful! Thanks! I have totally stripped the Phillips head of the screws in both directions and since I have a piece of a HSS easy-out bit (a misnomer if I've ever heard one) stuck in one of the heads I think the heat solution combined with using a dremel to cut a new screw slot in the existing head makes the most sense. Sounds like I have some more tools to get- like a rod, torch, and dremel. Of these, the dremel is the most expensive. Would a cold chisel work instead or would I risk damaging my headboard by pounding a cold chisel onto the screw head?
- Peter
Peter,
I don't think the cold chisel will do anything except further booger up the head of the screw.
Regards,
Ray
I've never had any luck cutting a new screwdriver slot in the head with a dremel. But I've only dealt with frozen bolts in metal; wood might be easier. It's difficult to make a slot with sharp vertical sides, which is what you need to make so that the screwdriver can transmit alot of torque without camming out.
Those "easy-outs" are cheap, but I've never heard anyone say anything good about them.
Barryo, Did you try those little abrasive wheels They come in a few thicknesses. I use a worn down wheel so as not to chew into the wood. If needed, you can put two wheels on the mandrel to make a wider slot.
Most screwdriver tips are ground slightly tapered or wedged shaped. I Hollow grind mine and they won't cam out actually, they cam in! Steinmetz
If the screw is accessible from underneath, you may be able to use a thin pry bar to allow a hack saw blade to get between the two pieces of wood. Wrap some tape around the end of the blade and wear a glove. It will take a little patience and short strokes but you should be able to cut the screw. The hack saw blade will scratch the wood so you want to make sure it doesn't rub where it might show. It can help if you position the teeth for pull stroke.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Thanks for your comments. The screws do not protrude out enough to enable use of any sort of pry-bar and the screws are on the outside posts of the headboard so they will be visible.
Because I have received so many thoughtful responses, I figure I owe it to you all to inform you of my course of action. I don't own a dremel or torch and I broke off the one easy-out bit I purchased in one of the two stripped screws. This weekend, I tried unsuccessfully to drill out the broken off portion of the easy-out bit that is stuck and so I've decided to leave well-enough alone. The screws seem to be holding the headboard securely and are recessed about 1/32" - 1/16" below the surface of the posts. Not enough space to add a plug, hence my desire to remove them. However, I think I might try making a cover for the holes out of matching stock and slightly recess an earth magnet in the cover so that it clings to the screw head and holds the cover flush with the posts. When I eventually purchase a dremel and torch I may tackle removing the screws following the advice I've received from you all.
Thank you,
Peter
Hargor freight sell a little torch for under $10. Surely that is not too much to have solved this problem.
If this is in a flat area, veneering that section may cover your mistake.
Good luck
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled