Looking for help on how to get this screw out that keeps spinning...

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
Also here is a pic of the lip I am talking about between the drivers on the inside, making the access to the rear of the screw hole such a bitch.

CZSe94N.jpg


And there is another lip where the "vent" is on the top right of that pic.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
maybe we need a better picture of the backside. (The speaker enclosure, not yours) in that video, it looks wide open.
There is no access inside the speaker enclosure from the rear. It's completely sealed.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,125
780
126
Someone probably already suggested this: slip tip of flat head screwdriver under head of screw and supply upward pressure as you unscrew it.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
Someone probably already suggested this: slip tip of flat head screwdriver under head of screw and supply upward pressure as you unscrew it.
Already tried and the T nut just spins.

I've used one of those metal L shaped things that you rip door trim off with to get leverage and force upward force on the speaker while turning and it still spins.

I did that with a drill spinning the screw and it started to make the T nut start to go through the wood on the underside. It wasn't gripping anything it was just starting to rip right through the wood. Started smoking and shit.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
You said you couldn't get a drill to the back due to it being too tight...
It's not just that, it's not being able to see either. Once I start putting my hand in the way of the camera with tools, I can't see anything.
 

Lanyap

Elite Member
Dec 23, 2000
8,289
2,385
136
No idea what you are trying to say.



I think he means get a sharp, long, metal cooking skewer or something similar like a flat head screwdriver and come in from the back of the speaker box like where you took the video with your phone and stick the sharp end in the particle board between the teeth of the "Bolt Dropper Pronged Tee Nut" and wedge it against something on the inside of the speaker. You also might want to put a drop of WD40 where the the screw is inside of the Pronged Tee Nut to loosen it up.

Thunder-Group-SLRK008-8--Stainless-Steel-Round-Skewers-4-DOZ-26447_large.jpg



Skewering the speaker (2).jpg
 

Attachments

  • Skewering the speaker.jpg
    Skewering the speaker.jpg
    73.9 KB · Views: 4

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
I think he means get a sharp, long, metal cooking skewer or something similar like a flat head screwdriver and come in from the back of the speaker box like where you took the video with your phone and stick the sharp end in the particle board between the teeth of the "Bolt Dropper Pronged Tee Nut" and wedge it against something on the inside of the speaker. You also might want to put a drop of WD40 where the the screw is inside of the Pronged Tee Nut to loosen it up.

Thunder-Group-SLRK008-8--Stainless-Steel-Round-Skewers-4-DOZ-26447_large.jpg



View attachment 36407
Ah okay I see what you mean. That could potentially work. I tried using a screw and nail with my vice grips holding it tight, and wedging it in there, but that didn't work.

The problem too is that when I'm turning it to loosen it, in that pic above you quoted, the t nut is turning clockwise. So it's turning against the smooth part versus getting caught by the teeth if it was turning counter clockwise.

But perhaps if I did have something like you mention that was long enough I could get up in there and just press it hard into there, it wouldn't matter.

I also just looked up that dremel flexible shaft like this thing here:


Now I could see that possibly working for me since it's so low profile. My brother has a dremel and I'm seeing him tomorrow so I can borrow it from him.

Do they make those for normal drills too?

EDIT:

Hmm quick HD search shows this.


I think 12" should be long enough for this.

I am thinking if I can even just drill THROUGH the t nut disc part, and keep the drill bit through it, that may be enough to let me turn the screw since it'll basically be like a nail going right through it.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,741
18,041
126
Ah okay I see what you mean. That could potentially work. I tried using a screw and nail with my vice grips holding it tight, and wedging it in there, but that didn't work.

The problem too is that when I'm turning it to loosen it, in that pic above you quoted, the t nut is turning clockwise. So it's turning against the smooth part versus getting caught by the teeth if it was turning counter clockwise.

But perhaps if I did have something like you mention that was long enough I could get up in there and just press it hard into there, it wouldn't matter.

I also just looked up that dremel flexible shaft like this thing here:


Now I could see that possibly working for me since it's so low profile. My brother has a dremel and I'm seeing him tomorrow so I can borrow it from him.

Do they make those for normal drills too?


There are flex shafts for regular drill, but problem is you have to hold the trigger of the drill. Dremel has an on/off drill which is useful for this type of work.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
There are flex shaft for regular drill, but problem is you have to hold the trigger of the drill. Dremel has an on/off drill which is useful for this tyoe of work.
Ah I could see that being useful for sure. But holding the drill trigger shouldn't be much of an isuse I don't think since it's not like I can fit 2 hands in there anyways and need both for this

Also check out my edit above.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,741
18,041
126
I don't think that will work since it is much thicker than the dremel one, meaning it is harder to position your drill and the shaft inside the cabinet so you can get the bit to where you need it and hold it in place.

With the dremel you can hang it on a hook stand or just back of chair and just hold the "pen" and grind your way through the broken screw.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
I don't think that will work since it is much thicker than the dremel one, meaning it is harder to position your drill and the shaft inside the cabinet so you can get the bit to where you need it and hold it in place.

With the dremel you can hang it on a hook stand or just back of chair and just hold the "pen" and grind your way through the broken screw.
I see. I may go to HD and check it out and grab both of them and if the one doesn't work I can use the dremel one after I borrow my brothers.

Do dremel kits typically have stuff that just let you attach any old drill bit? Or they have their own?

Like if I were to get a dremel inside to try and do stuff, I'd either try to drill right through the disc of the t nut to hold it in place while I turn from above, or try to drill a nail or screw into one of the "gaps" right between the teeth of the disc so it will hold in place while trying to turn.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,741
18,041
126
I see. I may go to HD and check it out and grab both of them and if the one doesn't work I can use the dremel one after I borrow my brothers.

Do dremel kits typically have stuff that just let you attach any old drill bit? Or they have their own?

Like if I were to get a dremel inside to try and do stuff, I'd either try to drill right through the disc of the t nut to hold it in place while I turn from above, or try to drill a nail or screw into one of the "gaps" right between the teeth of the disc so it will hold in place while trying to turn.


Smaller smooth shaft. Your brother should have the bits though, he may even already have the flex shaft as part of the kit.

Example.

 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,741
18,041
126
Wait a minute - that WHOLE toolset is $40? I guess "dremel" is just the name?

I asked him if he had it and he doesn't think he does. He hardly uses it and I think someone gave it to him. He said he has a ton of bits though.


Dremel is the brand name of the major brand, kind of like Kleenex. Proper name is rotary tool.

I have a crap ton of bits and discs for mine.

It's worth 40 bux no doubt. Wear gloves to save you from debris pelting.




Even cheaper one


I have no idea about quality of course.
 
Last edited:

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
Dremel is the brand name of the major brand, kind of like Kleenex. Proper name is rotary tool.

I have a crap ton of bits and discs for mine.
Damn I wish I could find something like that in store right now, I'd just buy one. HD has one but it's online only for $40.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
So I ended up getting the driver out. But it was after one of the bits from the POS drill bit set I got from Home Depot broke while I was drilling and made me slip real quick and I ripped the driver partially.

I wasn't even able to completely drill the screw head off, but I drilled it down enough that I could wiggle it through the hole on the driver that was holding it down. You can see when I slipped it got a bit of the foam and then you can see it ripped the actual driver a bit. So that is just f'ing great...

Hr4CDCX.jpg


iodj1Ee.jpg


So I'm returning this bit set to HD tomorrow. It was $35 too and was cobalt so I thought it would be fine. I went back/forth a lot with different sized bits and was dipping in wd40 often, not letting it get too hot either. But here is now it sits now, which is fine because it's thin enough that it's down below the wood so I can set the driver back on it and just ignore that screw hole. You can also see a bit of the black finish rubbed off when I was wiggling the driver out but I don't even care, I keep the screen all the time anyways and you can't see it with it on.

XbMHam0.jpg


I hope I can either find a replacement driver of the exact model, not sure though since it's 10+ years old. Or I'm wondering if that little rip will make any difference or much of one at all since this is a rear surround speaker and it's not like a ton of noise comes out of them anyways.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,741
18,041
126
You can also try a re-cone kit. Example




Replacement driver should be available if it is only ten year old.


But try it first, it may sound ok, worst case put down a bead of silicon caulking, the high silicon content one and see if that works.
 
Last edited:

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
Well I fixed the problem with the 2 drivers not working. It was just a connector that was disconnected. It's a pretty taught wire when connected so I'm guessing it somehow slid off. But now everything is working.

I only tested it out with the test tone on my receiver cause my son was sleeping so I couldn't blast a movie. I will try it out and see if I can notice anything bad from the speaker and if so maybe give one of those sealants a go.

I may contact the speaker builder and ask him if he has a replacement and how much it costs, only if I can tell a difference.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,667
6,551
126
And btw @sdifox I just ordered that rotary tool you linked from Amazon because I know at some point i'll need one.