Shopsmith Forums

Please excuse my ignorance, but can someone tell me what these are and how they're used?

Easy out.....tool to removed broken off bolts. Drill hole in center of broken bolt and screw easy out in (lh thread). It tightens in hole and, hopefully, backs out remainder of bolt/stud.

heathicus wrote:Please excuse my ignorance, but can someone tell me what these are and how they're used?

Throw them away immediately!!! They are tools that will cause you to curse, throw things, have terrible destructive thoughts, not to mention cause rapid increase in blood pressure and heart rate.

Their use however does enhance your mental problem solving skills, such as how to find the center of a circle, what to do if Kroil doesn't work, how much heat can I apply to the part before it melts, what is the best way to burn this entire project up....

heathicus wrote:Please excuse my ignorance, but can someone tell me what these are and how they're used?

An elizabethan hemorrhoid treatment

Gotta agree with Mickyd... I've had more problems breaking easy-outs off than removing broken bolts.

tom_k/mo wrote:Gotta agree with Mickyd... I've had more problems breaking easy-outs off than removing broken bolts.

And I'll agree with the both of you!

I'm not certain that I've EVER had luck with them. I gave my set to a co-worker.

so called easy out is anything but easy out for me. while the theory seems right i have had very little sucess using them over the years. the forces from the easy out seem to make the broken bolt expand even tighter. i usually end up drilling the broken bolt out and retapping the hole.

mickyd wrote:Throw them away immediately!!! They are tools that will cause you to curse, throw things, have terrible destructive thoughts, not to mention cause rapid increase in blood pressure and heart rate.

Their use however does enhance your mental problem solving skills, such as how to find the center of a circle, what to do if Kroil doesn't work, how much heat can I apply to the part before it melts, what is the best way to burn this entire project up....

OK...my blood pressure is down now and I can relay some thoughts better. Just the sight of them set me off.


If they are being used to remove frozen, rusted screws, make sure that you've done everything possible to break the corrosion bond first, whether it be heat, penetrating oil, sharp blows with appropriate striker, combinatin of them all. If you snapped the heads off trying to remove the fastener, this probably won't work without conscientious addtional TLC as mentioned above.

If you snap of the head inserting the fastener due to pure over-torqueing where the underside of the head contacted the mating surface, and not due to crud or the fastener bottoming out in hole etc.they will be much more effective. Once the head is snapped off, the stresses on the threads are relieved and will usually screw out easily.

They have been around for a long time and do have merit but I think that there are procedural issues that need to be fully understood for them to be effective. It would be nice if an ez out guru could address the procedural side of it.

I found this type of ez out that I would trust more.

If what you work on and might need an easy-out for is always something like your Mark V and/or related equipments - I agree with the above emotional responses.

However, these babies can be real life savers when working on something like rusty bolts in trailer frames or trailer hitches - something that you might also need a sledge hammer to work on.

But, if you break one off there, you do have more trouble than you started with. These puppies are hard. Don't even thing about drilling it out. It is then time for a cutting torch.

[quote="colday"]And I'll agree with the both of you!

I'm not certain that I've EVER had luck with them. I gave my set to a co-worker. ]
Oh you must have really liked the guy Steve!!!:D Did you also give him some bamboo to stick under his nails while you were at it?