Technical > Home Improvement > Help- Stripped Screws

reply to ebgbjo

Re: Help- Stripped Screws

said by ebgbjo:

um, I generally use a butter knife as a screwdriver So I think if a dremmel is involved, better leave this up to my husband to do tonight when he gets home.

reply to ebgbjo
If all else fails, try using a power drill in reverse with the biggest bit you can get inside the hole. Press down firmly to get the bit to grip the screw and run the drill on high. so fast and The combination of the drill catching a spur in the metal and the high speed will often loosen it to come out. A little penetrating oil under the screw will help too.

That's what i use for laptop screws that get stripped and won't come out.

reply to ebgbjo
OK, I'm not going to read all the responses so forgive me if this was already mentioned?

Since there is so much meat left on the heads, use a hacksaw, sawzall, grinder with a cutoff wheel, etc to cut grooves so you can use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove them.
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Stop The Mindless Killings Stop Over Fishing

reply to ebgbjo
Meatheads used the wrong size driver.

Remember when you get them out, you're gonna have to find some new screws to replace them with. Don't want to try and put something back in that you're gonna have trouble getting out again.

reply to dolphins

reply to ebgbjo
I'm going with the vise-grips crowd.

Especially if you have some. Even the bigger meaty types. If that is a lockwasher underneath, it will give additional friction for the vise-grips to work. You only have to loosen the screw slightly to use a regular set of pliers, needle nose, channel-locks or even fingers..

Next up would be the hacksaw/mototool route to cut slots for a screwdriver or flats for a wrench to work on.

I've never gotten around to having to get a set of EZ-outs yet. I also just drag out the cutting torch for the intimidation factor........

At least if you are gong to buy something, get something that has more than one application:vise-grips.
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one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything

Lockwasher is larger than the head of the screw. It may work but for me it never has. All you do is twist the washer and or scar up the treadmill.

reply to Maccawolf

reply to ebgbjo
Stupid treadmill!!

Ggrrr

Anyway, after trying a few vise grips and pliers and the husband forgetting to pick up one of the suggested other tools, I ended up laying a foam mat on the floor, tilting the treadmill on its side and slid and pulled that heavy MFer through the dining room and kitchen, around doorway and down long hall.

Now all of bottom part is in the room I want it in and think if I tip it upside down that the front part will fit through.

reply to macsierra

reply to ebgbjo
Well, you get bonus "manly" points for coming up with a creative, brute-force solution to the problem. Keep it up and you may even earn a full-blown man card.

Don't forget that you can usually easily remove a door, if needed, just by popping up the hinge pins or unscrewing the hinges completely. Sometimes an extra fraction-of-an-inch of door clearance can make all the difference, as I've learned the hard way.

reply to Hall

said by Hall:

Hey, my wife would probably just suggest buying a new treadmill. Why *fix* things ???

reply to scross
umm this girl does not want a full blown man card..lol

Door off... damn thing wont fit in the door still because now base is too wide since I had to lay it on the side. Now in hallway sitting in front of office door

Starting to hate this treadmill. Going to see if neighbor has a dremmel, or a gun to shoot this stupid thing..lol

At least my upper arms got a workout, a little sore already. That thing weighs A LOT

reply to ebgbjo
Use a Dremel (or equivalent) to cut a new head into these screws and then unscrew them with a conventional screwdriver or drill with a screwdriver bit. If you do not have a Dremel, you can get a rotary tool made by Ryobi at Home Depot for around $40 which will do the same thing.

IMO, using un-screwer bits is an exercise in frustration. The Dremel, on the other hand, gets the job done.
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"Net Neutrality" zealots - the people you can thank for your capped Internet service.

Well neighbor is on the job now. He said he wouldn't recommend using a dremmel as it is hardened metal (IDK, he is in construction). He is going to a jobsite now to finish some work and coming back with some tool he says he has that will remove them.

The cutting disks work great on hardened metal, especially the ceramic ones.

reply to ebgbjo

Screw Strippers!!!

lol....