Tips for removing stripped or damaged screws
 

Looking for any tips or suggestions to remove screws with broken tips in them. Thanks

dremel a notch in the top and remove with a flat head screw driver

Dremel, like stated above.

If the screw head is just stripped, take a torx bit slightly larger than the stripped screw, and tap it in gently. Then unscew it. Works like a charm usually, unless it's loctited in, or screwed in really tight.

You want to use a cutoff wheel for the Dremel. For future reference if it's locktighted in and it feels like it's to tight use a solder iron and place the tip on the screw to heat it up first. It will melt the lock tite and prevent breaking the tip.

a screw extractor normally will work as well, can pick up at your local hardware store

Before you go making a mess of the chassis try one of these first:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

1) Apply a little heat to the stripped screw, you can use a soldering iron and some oil to help with the heat transfer, oil should help get up to 120c. This will help loosen any loctite etc.

2) Attempt to use the Automatic punch attacking the screw at a tangent from all point around the perimeter of the screw.

3) If 2) two fails, make only a small notch to get purchase and try again

4) If 3) Fails, go hard and slot the stubborn ^*&^*& with a Dremel!

(NOTE: if it's a 1.5mm metric, it's equivalent is slightly bigger and works most times.)

Thanks to all.
Really would prefer not to cut into the aluminum chassis (c4.2) inless its a must.
I tried to heat with soldering iron, and that's when I broke my 2nd tip off in screw:flaming::mad:
I have a $50 screw extractor kit (craftsman), but the problem is the tip is in center of screw, which doesn't really allow the extractor to work properly:rolleyes:
Blis-I don't think I'm following you on what to do with the punch:confused:..punch perimeter of screw, then what? Thanks again

You are at the point where the mandatory two-beer break is in order.;)

Maybe heat it, dremel a notch just to the side of where the broken tip is? Usually an EZ Out works well, but with the tip there that really sucks. I don't see any easy way to get it out without marring the chassis at least a little, at least to get a notch big enough to give a screwdriver something to actually bite on.

Yup, 2 of something,that's for sure:sneaky:;)
Its looking like I might be bust'n out da dremel.
Damn these sae screws:(,
And no more loctite for me on these small screws,will be trying fingernail polish next. My 9yr old daughter won't miss the"cool guy" blue,I'm sure of it:p:lol:

have you thought about glueing on a cheap allen or something? i had a stubborn screw once, and i used some epoxy, or ca glue(don't remember which) and glued in a cheap allen wrench. i was able to (after the glue was all hardened) turn out the screw.

Brilliant:batman:
Worth a shot for sure. Wonder what would be strongest?
Conveniently I now have 2 broken tip .063 (1/16) I could use:rolleyes:

make sure you clean off the parts to glue.

You could try a Left Handed drill bit. Sometimes they grab and the screw comes out. If they don't grab you will have a hole for an extractor.

I had one of the servo mount screws seize on my Centro, and I was able to use a drill with small bit to drill a pilot hole. I then went to a larger bit to separate the head from the rest of the screw. Once the mount was out, I used a pair of pliers to walk the screw out the rest of the way.

My only issue with using that method or the extractor method, is that the tip of the hex drive is broken in the screwS. (2 of them)

Some pics

Kind of going of Panda's idea(glueing old/broken Allen driver to damaged screw),could I solder a driver to screw,then try to back out?

Just an update;
Went ahead and used dremel to cut small groove in screw then back out with flat head(with very little damage to chassis)
Per one of the cool and knowledgeable guys from lhs (superior hobbies), after I removed one screw I was able to spin the rear bulkhead itself instead of trying to spin screw. Sounds simple enough, but people including myself tend to over think things sometimes. Figured I would post this incase someone looks here in future with similar problems.

Pics

With some loctited motor mount screws on my nitro i can just grind of the head of the screw till it leaves it with a little nub sticking out of my engine mount. I was also thinking, get the same sized countersunk bit and just countersink the screw head till it is = with the hole.

Well you all pretty much covered most of the ways I have dealt with this, but I will add the semi-obvious: When using a cutoff wheel to make the notch, a smaller diameter, or worn down wheel will have much less tendency to cut too far out into the chassis when cutting the necesarry depth.

Now, I would like to envite you all to use a term that I have coined/created that describes the particular syndrome which typically causes these afflictions........

Crankititis-n./(Crank-a-ti-tis) A condition in the mind and wrist that causes one to tighten bolts or screws to the point that attempted removal typically causes some form of breakage or stripping, and subsequent swear words. Also known by it's original name of Crankitootightinitis.

I too suffer from Crankititis.

Your Welcome.

:lol:
Nice work man:cool:, I concur.
Might wanna throw in "tumuchaloktite"(to-much-a-lock-tight)