Arrgh! How do you remove stripped screws on delicate components?

[DaveH]

Hi all,

One of the 4 screws on the drive cage of a friend's HP Pavilion n5135 notebook is bad, and in my efforts to get it off I am completely stripping the head....

How does one go about remedying this? Do I need a special tool, a locksmith, or something else? I've tried half a dozen screwdriver heads, and if they are the right size they slip... VERY frustrating..

Help or advice most appreciated.

Thanks, Dave

 

[TheHorta]

If you have a very steady hand, I would probably try to use a Dremel with a very fine drill bit that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw thread. Drill straigh down through the center of the screw gently until you just barely break through the bottom. Then you'll have to find something small and rigid that you can either remove it with or break it apart. You'll undoubtedly have to re-tap and replace the screw with a slightly larger one. If you do a good job (a few hours work) it'll hardly be noticeable.

 

[Gunbuster]

What type of screw head? you sure it's not a torx?

 

[Antisocial Virge]

I saw a tool on the home shopping network that could do it. ok ok ...you can stop laughing now. It was one of those things that you have to say "Why didn't I think of that" or "Why wasn't that invented sooner" It had two cutting edges that basically bit into the the stripped out part when it turned. Have no idea if they are in stores.

 

[Gustavus]

DaveH
If it is the head that you stripped and not the threads on the screw, there is a tool for doing the job -- called an EZOut or screw extractor. They come in sets covering a whole range of screw sizes but you can probably get one just for the screw size you need. They are tapered with a very coarse pitch left handed winding to them. You drill a small pilot hole in the screw, insert the EZOut and then rotate it as though you are backing out the screw. Because of the left handed thread, the extractor advances into the pilot hole and bites into the metal, backing out the screw. I have a full set - and wouldn't be without them. They work very well on screws that aren't corroded in place. On those you are wise to let some WD40 work for some time before trying to dislodge the stuck screw -- but on a piece of equipment such as you have, just drill the pilot hole, insert the proper EZOut and remove the screw. That is all there is to it.

Note added
I just went out in the shop and put a micrometer on the tip of a #1 EZOut. The tip diameter is .033" tapering on up to 1/8". The relevance of this is that you should have no trouble at all extracting screws as small as 4-40 with a #1 EZOut. I could remove even smaller screws, but I have a jewelers bench drill, but even hand held you should be able to remove 4-40, 5-40 or 6-32 with no difficulty. Good luck. Incidentally any tool supply place will have the EZOuts -- which they may simply call screw extractors depending on the manufacturer they handle.

PS
This has nothing to do with your problem except that it concerns getting something out of a threaded hole. Even with care and using cutting fluid, you will occasionally break a tap in the hole when cutting threads. Since taps are hardened, there is no way to drill them out or to drill into them. There are neat tools for doing the job that have either two, three or four hardened steel members that extend into the chip races along the sides of the tap and will allow you (in most cases) to back the broken tap out. Tap extractors really do look like Rube Goldberg invented them, but the first time you break off a tap in a machined assembly that you have put a lot of work into you will really appreciate them. I also keep a couple of sets of these on hand in the shop -- sure beats drilling around the broken tap, then overdrilling and inserting a chilled plug and then redrilling and retapping. Saves on the cussing too.

 

[ledzepp98]

<< &quot;...completely stripping the threads&quot; >>
<< &quot;I've tried half a dozen screwdriver heads, and if they are the right size they slip...&quot; >>

this is a bit confusing, are the threads stripped or is the head stripped? and like gunbuster said, if it's the head that's stripped, make sure it's not a torx or allen head (i assume you're using a phillips screwdriver?)

 

[ledzepp98]

oh, and if you feel comfortable using tools, Gustavus has the right solution for a stripped head

 

[DaveH]

ledzepp98, my mistake, it's the head, NOT the threads that are stipped.

I spent most of the last hour at the best hardware store around, and the tech guy there essentially echoed you, Gustavus, but your description is more complete. I should get me a set of those Alas, the hardware guy had a #2, but not a #1 EZ out. I'll see about getting one of those. What a great reply--thanks!

It is a phillips head screw.

Wow, I'm really grateful for all the great replies...thanks folks! You guys are really helpful. Even though it isn't fixed and has cost me too much time, I feel better already having a sense of what can be done with it.

I have a good remodler buddy who's a real craftsman and might be able to help with this..I'll check with him and go from there.

Thanks again to all of you! Any additional suggestions are of course welcome.

Dave

 

[Gustavus]

DaveH
If the screw is a flat head, there is nothing you can do but wait to get a #1 EZOut. If it is a bevel or round head and you are impatient to get the job done, there is a trick I have used several times. Tape the area around the screw head to prevent scratching the work area and use a broken piece of a metal cutting hacksaw blade to carefully cut a slot in the head. A piece three or four inches long is just about right. Make slow steady strokes. Getting started is the only problem, but once you get a groove started, it will guide the fragment of blade thereafter and it is easy from then on. This takes some care and patience but is easy to do. You can then use a flat bladed screw driver to back out the screw.

 

[DaveH]

Another good idea, Gustavus. That doesn't even sound hard for a guy like me. Alas, it is a flat head. I'll see about getting an EZout.

Thanks, Dave

 

[Gustavus]

DaveH
One last comment. Home Depot has the #1 screw extractor made by American Vermont for $2.09. If you have a Home Depot you might want to call them.

 

[DaveH]

Excellent...how you knew that I'll never know. Thanks Gustavus!

 

[MrChicken]

One last trick, use something like valve grinding compound in the screw head, it'll help the screwdriver get a little extra bite.

 

[murdock2525]

Everyone is right but lemme set something straight. I have done machine work my whole life. I was a gunsmith for many years and am used to very small delicate screws.
It is a job for a real craftsman. Go to a jewelry store or an automotive machine shop,A gunsmith, a place that makes eyeglasses........ Maybe a machinist at Napa auto parts or a sheet metal shop. Give'm a $20 bill..no worries and it will be perfect..........