Broken Screws...

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

cowfoot

Established Member
Joined
7 Jun 2016
Messages
252
Reaction score
5
Location
Buckinghamshire
Happy New Year everyone, hope 2017's going well so far.

Here's a problem - I made a chest last year and fitted brass hinges with brass screws.
Several of them snapped off below the head and are embedded.
I've since sussed put that it's better to fix the same size zinc screw first then swap them over (with a bit of wax to ease them in)...but is there any way to drill out or otherwise remove the broken ones still lurking?
 
Find a piece of steel tube that will just fit over the screw's threads. File saw teeth into the end. Put it in the drill and carefully drill around the screw. You'll have to prise out the screw and fill the hole with a plug before redrilling the hole.

Edited to add: I found an image of what I described. I expect you can buy them ready-made but I've never looked.
broken-screw-extractor.jpg
 
There's a good discussion on how to make your own version of one of those extractors here

what-metal-is-a-telescopic-aerial-made-of-t96804.html

You don't need hard steel for a one-off - I made one from very soft brass which worked.

Alternatively, for a bigger screw, an old fashioned shell bit will drill a hollow hole round the screw like this

IMG_3705_zps6etdoycq.jpg


IMG_3706_zpsxsbbnwkl.jpg


IMG_3707_zpsnhgwdxou.jpg
 

Latest posts

Back
Top