Looking for advice

[Ed in Tampa]

The cabinets have arrived and I'm in the middle of tearing up my kitchen so the ceiling can raised (it had a dropped ceiling) and new cabinets can be installed.

Now my problem as if the above wasn't enough

I'm trying to take out my old wall cabinets and two things. The installers stripped some of the screw heads and they ones they didn't strip they filled with Ackpunky that is like old old gum. You can dig and dig but it won't come out and if you try to back out the screws without the hole being perfectly clean you will strip out the screw. Don't ask.

Short of destroying the cabinets ( have my eye on them for my garage) any one got any idea of how to get them out? I can't get to the screws with a recip saw or I would just cut the buggers. I thought of a 3/4" hole saw to cut around the screw but I don't think a hole saw without the center drill would cut. I thought about drilling them out but there is a about ten or more and I'm on a dead line. Must have them out by the mornign of the Sept 18 the dry wallers are coming to fix the ceiling.

I tried the Sears guaranteed screw remover and that is a work in frustration. Any ideas?

They are healthy screws #10's or possibly 12's

Anyone need entertainment? I can use some help.

[a1gutterman]

The cabinets have arrived and I'm in the middle of tearing up my kitchen so the ceiling can raised (it had a dropped ceiling) and new cabinets can be installed.

Now my problem as if the above wasn't enough

I'm trying to take out my old wall cabinets and two things. The installers stripped some of the screw heads and they ones they didn't strip they filled with Ackpunky that is like old old gum. You can dig and dig but it won't come out and if you try to back out the screws without the hole being perfectly clean you will strip out the screw. Don't ask.

Short of destroying the cabinets ( have my eye on them for my garage) any one got any idea of how to get them out? I can't get to the screws with a recip saw or I would just cut the buggers. I thought of a 3/4" hole saw to cut around the screw but I don't think a hole saw without the center drill would cut. I thought about drilling them out but there is a about ten or more and I'm on a dead line. Must have them out by the mornign of the Sept 18 the dry wallers are coming to fix the ceiling.

I tried the Sears guaranteed screw remover and that is a work in frustration. Any ideas?

They are healthy screws #10's or possibly 12's

Anyone need entertainment? I can use some help.

Hi Ed,

Rethink your hole saw idea: You can still use the pilot bit, just offset the hole around the screw.

[a1gutterman]

Another idea: Can you chisel an area of wood away from the screws and then grab hold of them with a Visegrip plier?

[navycop]

How about a plug cutting bit?

[joedw00]

We use something like this at work http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr We call these easy outs. They work pretty good.

[JPG]

Flat head? Button head? ???head?

If you CAN get to them, grind the heads off. You will probably also be removing SOME cabinet wood. Maybe even grind slots in the head for a screwdriver? Narrow cut off wheel(~~ 1/16"?) Think roto-zip.

[a1gutterman]

How about a plug cutting bit?

This is a very good idea! IMHO, the best one yet!

[iclark]

Ed,

sorry, I'm in the wrong state to offer you a hand this week.

if none of the ideas above sound right, this could be your perfect excuse to run buy a Fein Multimaster set (or one of the equivalents). plunge cut a small triangular hole (point up) around the screws and it will look like you did it on purpose in the garage.

Ivan

[mickyd]

Billy can help you.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InGiAr3CPSw

Best price

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/ search for "grabit"

[billmayo]

Hi Ed,

Rethink your hole saw idea: You can still use the pilot bit, just offset the hole around the screw.

Excellant idea. I took some 2X4s and built a frame to set on the lower cabinets or floor to support the upper cabinets. I used cedar shingles as wedges between this frame and the cabinets to fully support the cabinets. I used this same set-up to install the new cabinets. I used a 1" hole saw (what I had available) offset to saw all the way through the cabinet for each screw that I could not get out. I left a couple of the screws that would back out to hold the cabinet until I sawed around all the screws with the stripped heads. Once the cabinet is removed from the wall, I used a chisel to split the 1" plug and used vise-grip pliers to remove the stripped screws.

I had no luck using any kind of screw extractor. They would only grind some metal off the screw head. Chiseling around the screw and trying to use vise grips only chewed up the screw head. The hole saw was quick and worked really well. I did not even plug or cover up the cabinet holes I made using the hole saw. I drilled new screw holes.