How to Remove a Stripped Screw Head

How to Remove a Stripped Screw Head

It happens to even the best DIYer: the simple process of removing a screw becomes a struggle when the screw refuses to budge and the head of the screw becomes stripped. But not all is lost. Let's look at some ideas you can try to remove that stripped screw. Use the Right Screwdriver First, double-check that the screwdriver bit you are using is the correct size and type for the troublesome screw. Using a bit that is too small or too large can increase the possibility of stripping the screw even more, especially if the screw is made of a softer metal. And obviously, do not mix and match bit types and head types - using a Phillips bit on a square head is just asking for problems. Before getting too complicated, try some simple fixes first. With your properly-fitting bit, apply a fair amount of pressure inwards towards the stuck screw as you slowly attempt to unscrew it. Sometimes this gentle but firm pressure combined with the unscrewing motion is enough to get stuck screws moving again. Sometimes you can get a stuck stripped screw to move by simply adding a bit of material between the screw head and your bit. The rubber from a rubber band can potentially work well for this. Cover the head of the stripped screw with the rubber and then insert your screwdriver bit directly into the screw head. This can sometimes add enough friction between the screw head and the bit to get the screw turning again. Another option is to try removing the screw using locking pliers. This only works if the head of the screw is already above the surface of the object you are working on; if the head is still flush with the surface, the pliers wo not have anything to get a grip on. But if the screw was already partly freed before it stripped, it can sometimes work to grab onto it with locking pliers and use the pliers to unscrew the screw. If the screw head is just too damaged for removal, then the serious DIYer can potentially create a new way to grip the screw by modifying the metal on the head with power tools or by purchasing a screw extractor. Heating the screw is another possibility. Always take care when working with tools and think safety first.

— — — — — —

How can I drill out a screw with no head?

The link in John Daltonu2019s answer has a lot of good suggestions. You donu2019t mention whether this is a wood screw or a machine screw.If it is a wood screw, when you try to drill it out your drill bit will try to wander off the center of the broken screw. To avoid this, use a center drill in a drill press to start the hole. Then switch to a twist drill to finish drill out your screw. Center drills have beefy shafts with smaller tips so they wo not flex and jump off the broken screw. A drill press with the work piece securely clamped to its table will resist sideways movement.If it is a machine screw try a screw extractor. This requires drilling a small hole into the broken screw and the using the extractor with a tap wrench. The extractor is very hard, strong, tapered and its flutes have a reverse twist. As you turn it into the hole counter clockwise it grabs the screw and (hopefully) backs it out. Use some penetrating oil and let it soak in before you attempt this. Because the extractor is so hard it it brittle and can snap suddenly breaking off in the hole. Then you have even more trouble since the extractor is as hard as a drill bit and canu2019t easily be drilled.Good luck! As a teen I broke a tap off in a hole in my caru2019s engine head. That was a puzzle!How can I drill out a screw with no head?

— — — — — —

Screw head shapes

Pan head A low disc with a rounded, high outer edge with large surface area Button or dome head Cylindrical with a rounded top Round head A dome-shaped head used for decoration. Mushroom or Truss head Lower-profile dome designed to prevent tampering Countersunk or flat head Conical, with flat outer face and tapering inner face allowing it to sink into the material. The angle of the screw is measured as the full angle of the cone. Oval or raised head A decorative screw head with a countersunk bottom and rounded top. Also known as "raised countersunk" (UK) Bugle head Similar to countersunk, but there is a smooth progression from the shank to the angle of the head, similar to the bell of a bugle Cheese head Disc with cylindrical outer edge, height approximately half the head diameter Fillister head Cylindrical, but with a slightly convex top surface. Height to diameter ratio is larger than cheese head. This eliminates the need for a flat washer.Some varieties of screw are manufactured with a break-away head, which snaps off when adequate torque is applied. This prevents tampering and also provides an easily inspectable joint to guarantee proper assembly. An example of this is the shear bolts used on vehicle steering columns, to secure the ignition switch.