Removing a stripped stainless steel screw advice.

[Andrew E]

Looking for some advice here. Went a bit mad with the electric drill and stripped the head of the screw. I've tried the rubber band trick and I've tried using screw extractors albeit cheap ones, but I'm struggling to drill a hole in the head of screw.

The screw is countersunk so can't get any purchase on with pliers. The only other options seems to be to buy a rotary tool and cut a new notch in the screw head.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Jaguar 25]

The normal method would be to drill the head off the countersunk screw and then unscrew any other screws holding the item in place and, once the item is removed you have what's left of the screw protruding and removable using mole grips. You can't get enough purchase using pliers.

 

[DownWest]

If drilling a scew, then use a pre-drilled bit of metal clamped over the offending screw, so you keep the drill centred.
Depending on why the screw is not coming out, I would be VERY wary of 'easy-outs,' seized threads=tricky. Sheared off from too much torque, then not so much a problem.
Usually with this, I use the guide to drill a centre hole, then enlarge by degrees until I can just extract what is left of the thread as a spiral. The heat of the drilling usually loosens it if stuck.

 

[superheat6k]

Can you post a photo of the offending screw so we can better understand your predicament.

 

[Andrew E]

Thanks for the advice so far. Unfortunately all 4 screws which hold the object down have been stripped so it's not as simple as it may sound. The extractors which I bought from B&Q are making no inroads into the screw head.
I'm half tempted to buy one of those easy out kits from Amazon or a Dremel tool and cut a notch in the screw head.

I'll take a photo in daylight and post tomorrow. Cheers.

 

[NormanS]

Depends on the circumstances, but I have welded a nut, or similar, onto the head, then gripped the nut.

 

[Tam Lin]

A dremel is always nice to have!

 

[fisherman]

What material is the screw holding?

 

[skipmac]

At this point I see a couple of options.

1. Dremel. Use a cutoff disk and make a slot for a flat head screwdriver.
2. Cut off the head of the screw with a large drill bit, remove the fitting and use strong pliers to grip the exposed shaft of the screw to twist it out. If you don't experience drilling stainless short version, good sharp bit, very slow speed, high pressure.
3. EZ Out. WARNING!!!!! Before attempting this be aware that they are extremely brittle and prone to snapping off in the screw seriously compounding the problem. Get a proper sized drill bit, make a hole in the top of the screw, insert EZ Out and reverse. I do not recommend this method if the screw is screwed into metal as 99% of the time the EZ Out will break off.
4. Drill the entire screw out which will enlarge the hole. Either use larger screws to replace or use something like a Helicoil insert to fill the hole and get back to the original size screw.

 

[Andrew E]

Here's a picture. Theres 4 of them.

 

[fisherman]

Pry off the cup washer. Then either pull the ply off over the screw, or use a hole cutter to drill round it, but my fave would be use a thin angle grinder disc to put a slot in it, then give a sharp tap or two on the screwdriver as you unscrew it.

 

[RichardS]

Here's a picture. Theres 4 of them.

10 seconds with an HSS or Cobalt drill bit and the screw head will fly off. Then remove the washer and unscrew the screw stud with a mole wrench. The drill bit will self-centre in the crosshead.

Richard

 

[d4dunmor]

not much of that screw left !
is the head big enough to take two small holes 3mm at opposite edges of the screw using a guide bush /plate
then in a rod put two pins to correspond to the holes and use this to twist out . Worked for larger screws for me
little WD / little heat might ease it too

 

[Gordonmc]

As others have suggested, a Dremel or very thin angry-grinder blader to cut a slot and remove the washer, BUT before attempting to turn the screw put a soldering iron tip on the screw head and get it good and hot. That should give a thermal shock to the seal.

 

[huldah]

Heat treatment of tools have greatly improved, so this method may not work now. However, it was very effective. The idea is to creat a sharp burr on the tip of the screwdriver that bites into the bottom of the head slot and prevents the screwdriver camming out. This was achieved by bashing the screwdriver onto a grinding wheel. Hitting the tip end on with a hammer may work.

 

[Giblets]

Might be worth seeing if your electric drill has a torque setting for use when using as a screwdriver to prevent further mishaps.