6-32 screw extractor

[Smokedaddy]

I'm trying to remove a screw in a vintage microscope base. The head was broken off. I have successfully flattened the end with a Dremel and with a left hadnd drill bit drilled a 0.077" hole in the center. I haven't been able to find a 6-32 screw extractor. A link to one would be appreciated.

[deltap]

If your hole is reasonably on center, drill it out with tap drill and clean up with tap. Drilling works better with part clamped in mill.

[Illinoyance]

Screw extractors have a tendency to expand the screw making it tighter in the hole.

[J Tiers]

They sure do. And with smaller screws, you may end up with a residual screw, wedged tight in the hole by a very hard screw extractor's broken tip. Not a good thing.

[Stu]

You could try to find an appropriate sized left handed drill bit

[oxford]

If your hole is reasonably on center, drill it out with tap drill and clean up with tap. Drilling works better with part clamped in mill.

If it isn’t, just start working your way up though the sizes instead of going to the tap drill size. Keeping an eye out as you go you can see if you start breaking through into parent material, even if it is only on one side. Then get the pick out and start digging.

[mickeyf]

If you have a small enough Dremel, and can get at it, and it's not too tight (that's 3 'ifs!') you can cut a slot in it and unscrew it with the right size screwdriver.

[JRouche]

I'm trying to remove a screw in a vintage microscope base. The head was broken off. I have successfully flattened the end with a Dremel and with a left hadnd drill bit drilled a 0.077" hole in the center. I haven't been able to find a 6-32 screw extractor. A link to one would be appreciated.

I might have one. Lemme look. Yours to borrow for the 25C stamp. JR

[Paul Alciatore]

For a 6-32, a left hand drill bit is definitely the way to go. Of course, soak it in penetrating oil (Kroil) for about 24 hours first. Then use a center punch to make a dimple in the screw. And drill it backwards with the left hand bit. I have never had to actually drill out a screw with the left hand bit; they always back out first.

The minor diameter of 6-32 threads is about 0.096" and a number 41 bit will match that. But you can use a slightly smaller fractional size 3/32" which will be easier to find. McMaster has them:

https://www.mcmaster.com/drill-bits/...nd-drill-bits/

Edit: Upon reading your original post again I see you already tried an even smaller left hand bit. That is going to work against you as it leaves less meat for the 3/32" one to grip. Some shock treatment with the center punch at intervals during that soak in penetrating oil may help. In any case the 3/32" bit will just about drill out all of the minor diameter of the screw, leaving only the actual thread as a helix which can probably be removed with a pick. You could always follow up with a 7/64" right hand bit if you can not pick it out. That will remove all of the minor diameter plus a bit of the thread form. But should leave enough of the original thread to be used after following up with a 6-32 tap.

I have never seen a screw extractor for a number 6 screw and it would probably just break anyway. After all, the number 6 screw itself, which is larger in diameter, has already broken.

You could try to find an appropriate sized left handed drill bit

[rkepler]

I had something similar, trying to remove a socket set screw with a stripped hex socket. I found a product from a company called "Sock-it-Out" (sockitout.com) that sells little tapered hex drives for different hex sockets. Their AS-05 remover just fits into a .078 hole and so might be ideal.

Bad part: no way to get it directly from Sock it Out, I had to buy the small set from McMaster. I had them special order the set "JEN-0", the next one down from this one: https://www.mcmaster.com/2643A49/ but if you could get them to order the AS-05 extractor it'd work. The JEN-1 set that I linked on McMaster's site has the AS-06 that starts in the hole but bottoms out quickly, it might work but you'd probably have to tap it in further than desired (more expansion).

The tool did what it needed to do with absolutely no fuss. I just set it in the hole, tapped it in lightly and used a 1/4" hex socket screwdriver handle to pop it out. Kind of left me wondering what I was fussing over.

Also: with the penetrating oil add some heat. Sharpen the tip of a soldering iron and hold it down in the hole until the surrounding material heats. Let it cool, repeat until you're tired of doing it. Each cycle will help.

[J Tiers]

I've used the "Blue-Point" removers that are a splined hardened bar that you tap into a hole drilled with the special size drill in the set. Then a sort of nut goes over the bar, and you are supposed to be able to spin out the broken bolt with a wrench.

I was disappointed....... The splined bar stripped the hole, and partly stripped itself, even though the drill was correct for it.

Nothing is going to remove some bolts. Other than drilling them out, of course, assuming they are not hardened too far.

You may as well start out with the opposite-hand drill. Either they unscrew, or you finish drilling and pick out the remains. Eliminates the middle-man, and you won't have to deal with whatever mangled and distorted "thing" remains after the "extractors" fail.

[Dan Dubeau]

I've really taken a liking to the tig out method on the last couple, where you stick a nut over the hole, and build up some weld on the end of the screw/tap to join to the nut. Usually the heat expands the screw enough to break the bond, and the nut easily spins it out. I've successfully done it 3 times now, and almost can't wait to use it again it works so well. Easy outs, have got to be the worst product ever invented. I have had a bit of success in the past with lh drill bits, though. But anytime now is straight to the tig if I can get to it.