Got the mast box mostly complete for my wing dinghy project, and it's nice and solid with no problems... except two.
Anyone have any good ideas on removing screws that have either been stripped out completely or heads broken off?
White oak is working well to make some really solid framework, but it's painful to work with. I burned myself accidently touching the drill bit, instant blister.
I've got two screws sticking out a bit, one with the head torn off, and the other stripped out before I could help it. They're redundant screws, their partners are nice and snug in their countersunk places. Thinking about hacking em off and puttying/epoxying over the holes and to heck with em.
I think I'll use a larger pilot hole bit for the rest of the frame to frame screws.
If they're sticking out, try grabbing them with vice grips and unscrew them. Or, just hack them off and cover 'em up. :wink:
Here's a trick for you, though it may or may not help depending on your situation. If the screw is up high enough use your cordless drill and put the end of the screw in the chuck then tighten up in the screw like you would a drill bit, then just reverse the drill and out the screw will come. Good luck, see you at Hartwell
Keith
Already tried the grips, that sucker's not moving.
That drill trick sounds neat, will give that a try, but if I can't move it with the grips, doubt I'll be able to spin it.
Is looking more like a hack off kind of deal to me.
Thanks for the ideas.
I remove a lot of screws each year (read many thousands) and there's really only one sure fire way to get it out and that is a bolt extractor. When removing old, de-zinced bronze screws the heads will strip just by looking at them. Drill the head or shank deep enough for a properly sized extractor and pull it out.
On occasion, I have a screw or fastener that is just to wasted away to use conventional means. I've invented a tool that will remove it. It's a holes saw without a pilot bit. The old fastener is the guide and the saw just removes all the wood around it as it buries. Yep, this does a whole bunch of damage to the surrounding area, but it's usually rotten, from the deteriorating fastener and had to be renewed anyway. Just plug the hole.
If the head ripped of as you drove it in, it's unlikely the shank will retract on the drill chuck on the way out.
Pilot holes in hardwoods usually have to be slightly larger then normal. This is especially true if an aggressive thread screw is used (like deck screws). Remember the clearance hole is just as important as a pilot hole, so drill for both.
Ahoy,
Piloting a ship is much like piloting a screw hole in hardwood. Well, maybe not, but at least, the comparison sounds reasonable.
If all else fails, why not just try a good power grinder? Grind the screw flush (or even a bit below the surface of the wood), fill with epoxy, and go on? I have never done something like that myself, but I have heard a nasty rumor that Barnacle Jim may have done that once or twice himself.
Paul's right about hardwoods. Oak is not pine. For our stringers we used hickory. It bends well, is harder than a mother-in-law's heart, and is especially useful for breaking the shanks of screws. Who could ask for anything more?
I didn't read the previous postings in great detail, but the best way I have found to remove screws is to use a dremel tool with a cut-off bit and grind a slot in it or you can drill two slots (phillips) and remove with a screwdriver (not a drill). Don't grind the slot all the way down to the shank though or you will break off half the screw head. Hope this helps. As for the ones with no head, I am sure they make a bit for a dremel tool you can just grind the screw to below surface then epoxy over.
Thanks for the tips, I've gone with the hack em off method and grind em down. Just need to fill the holes now, good thing this is in an area of the boat that won't be seen, not that it'd matter after epoxy/paint.