Screw extractor - Pilot hole size and which size extractor to use

dickg1 · Post by **dickg1** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:45 am

mickyd wrote:. . . Is the tightrope walker versed in disassembly of the rigging and high wire platform?

Most certainly! A very good friend of mine is a fifth generation high wire walker (now retired). If you saw Mickey or Goofy on the high wire, you saw him. He worked with Disney, Ringling Brothers and circuses around the world. And not only is he versed in disassembly, but also in putting up his rigging. He has explained that he monitored and personally checked every step because his life depended on it.
Dick

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:32 am

JPG40504 wrote:If I were a tight wire walker, I would be very involved in all aspects of my 'rigging'! Point made re other 'professions'. FWIW the demolition guru better have an expert knowledge of structural engineering if implosion is involved!

dickg1 wrote:Most certainly! A very good friend of mine is a fifth generation high wire walker (now retired). If you saw Mickey or Goofy on the high wire, you saw him. He worked with Disney, Ringling Brothers and circuses around the world. And not only is he versed in disassembly, but also in putting up his rigging. He has explained that he monitored and personally checked every step because his life depended on it.
Dick

OK...OK. I'll change my tightrope example to "Does an eyes, ears, nose, and throat doctor perform brain surgery?"

And jpg...your point on the demolition guru...you need to take the inverse of it...a structural engineer won't know how to do demolition. You flipped the example I gave around.

Now tell me what I need to do to get those broken fasteners out of my ER's work and extension tables without snapping my extractor.

I didn't get one pilot holes centered enough to drill out furthur and chase it with a tap.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:44 am

It has been my experience with screw extractors that is easier to drill the stuck screw out or throw the whole thing away and get a new whatever.

Every time I use a screw extractor one of two things happen. The screw extractor snaps off and then I have to drill a harden piece of metal out instead of a softer piece. Or the screw extractor snaps off and I have to drag the whole thing to the trash because I can't get a straight hole drilled through the harden stuck piece of screw extractor.

If you can't tell, I'm not a fan of screw extractors.

Now did someone mention dynamite? I could get into that. Or how about the drop of Nitroglycern like they do on TV to blow their way into safes.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:56 am

How about putting a couple drops of that evapo-rust in the hole to try and loosen it?

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:18 am

beeg wrote:How about putting a couple drops of that evapo-rust in the hole to try and loosen it?

Been there, done that. Also soaked daily for a week with "Kroil". (Yet to find an app where that stuff worked for me. Cans an attractive color though.)

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:50 am

How about heat with a soldering iron. Then cool it fast.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 12:50 pm

Put the Kroil in the fridge overnight. Heat the screw with your torch or a soldering iron until it's really hot. While it's hot and the Kroil is cold, spray some Kroil on it. The drastic temperature change will make the metal move slightly. The movement will help pull the Kroil into the crevices. Repeat if necessary.

Actually, I have no idea if that will work or even if it's safe... I'm just pulling ideas out of my

.

Is the screw screwed into wood or metal? What about using something like JB weld to attach something to the screw (like an old screwdriver you won't miss) that would give you leverage to remove it? I've never had that much luck with JB weld. Again, just pulling ideas out of my

.

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:41 pm

beeg wrote:How about heat with a soldering iron. Then cool it fast.

I was thinking that process was next except I was going to use a propane torch. Any advantage to using a soldering iron VS. propane torch? Not familiar with that.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:54 pm

mickyd wrote:I was thinking that process was next except I was going to use a propane torch. Any advantage to using a soldering iron VS. propane torch? Not familiar with that.

I would think the advantage would be a more precise and targeted application of the heat with a soldering iron. Instead of the screw and everything around it getting hot equally, the screw would heat at a different rate than the surrounding material since the heat would have to travel through the screw. Maybe?

lv2wdwrk · Post by **lv2wdwrk** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:57 pm

mickyd wrote:I was thinking that process was next except I was going to use a propane torch. Any advantage to using a soldering iron VS. propane torch? Not familiar with that.

After heating, what about LIGHTLY taping with a hammer and punch or something similar. We used this process growing up on the farm and had a bolt that would not come out.