Thoughts on removing a stuck screw

[garyphansen]

I would like to remove a screw that helps holds the saddle of my lathe. The head is buggered up. I ground a screw driver to fit but it will not budge. Would heat be OK or will it cause the cast iron to crack? Should I drill it and use an easy out. Any chance it is left hand? the outer one is right hand and will come out easily. Gary P. Hansen

[J. Randall]

If by outer one you mean 2 screws in the same hole, with the outer used to jam it, then both would be right handed. I would try an impact screwdriver if it were mine. James

[wierdscience]

What about an impact driver?They work wonders on those stuck filister head screws Honda motorcycles love so much.

I also have punched a hole in a piece of sheetmetal,placed it over the head followed by a flat washer and then mig welded a "stud" on top of the head and backed it out with vise-grips.It ruins the screw,but avoids all the cussing generated by drill bits and easyouts and the sheetmetal protects the shinney surfaces from the welding soot,spatter etc.Hope that helps.

[torker]

Gary, I get all the used dental burrs that my denist will give me. I use them in a dremel tool for deepening buggered screw slots. Then I use an impact screwdriver to remove them.
I also have an old screwdriver with no plastic handle on it. I stick this in the slot and give it a good whack with a hammer to help loosen it up.
Russ

[wierdscience]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by J. Randall:
If by outer one you mean 2 screws in the same hole, with the outer used to jam it, then both would be right handed. I would try an impact screwdriver if it were mine. James </font>

Oh man,the same idea,at the exact same time,from two different people on the same day we have just excluded ourselves from ever running for a seat in congress

[garyphansen]

That should have read (other). Gary P. Hansen

[garyphansen]

Torker: That's a good idea about deepening the screw slot. Then may be I will use a cheater bar on the screw driver. Does anyone think heat would be OK? Gary P. Hansen

[Ted]

If all else fails, take a flat washer with a hole about the same size as the screw head, lay washer down over top of the head and mig weld. Then place a nut on top of the washer and weld the bottom of the nut to the washer. Take a wrench and back it out. I have removed many broken bolts this way. Just be sure and weld the washer to the screw head only!

[Tin Falcon]

Gary:
Used to remove stuck scews from aircraft for the USAF/Air guard.
Clean dirt and paint from head. Get an apex bit to fit snug. Tap in if needed then use a speed handle with presure plate or chuck the bit in an old fashioned brace and bit. This will allow you to apply downward pressure to keep the bit from slipping out and alow you to put more torque on it than a screw diver. I very seldom used the drill and easy out. The real fun is the ones that someone broke off the easy out in.
Tin

[darryl]

Russ's idea of impacting on the screw head to help loosen the threads has helped me out a couple times.