How to Remove a Screw With a Stripped Out Head Using Tools You Have At Home
Screws with damaged heads that are embedded in wood or metal seem impossible to remove. Sometimes the very act of removing screws strips out the head and leaves nothing for screwdrivers to grip. When that happens, the screw can go in no further, nor can it be removed easily. Fortunately, there are a few options short of buying an extractor to remove the screw, and those options include the use of tools found in most standard toolboxes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Locking pliers
- Hacksaw
- Screwdriver
- File
- Adjustable wrench
- Square-driver bit (optional)
- Power drill
Instructions
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Snap a pair of locking pliers around the head or shaft of the screw if any part of it is sticking up. Locking pliers are adjustable with respect to how tightly they can grip objects. Make sure they have enough grip strength so they will not slip as you turn them. Rotate the pliers counterclockwise slowly and gently to avoid tearing off the screw head.
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2
Cut a new slot in the stripped out head using a hacksaw. Cut the new slot at a right angle to the old one so you can use a Phillips head screwdriver when you attempt to remove the screw. On larger screw heads, try cutting the slot with two blades mounted in the hacksaw frame so that a wide slot will be made. That way, you can use a larger screwdriver, which will provide more torque to turn the screw.
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3
File away material from the screw head in order to create two flats that run parallel to one another. Once the flats are in place, turn the screw gently with an adjustable wrench.
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4
Mount a square-driver bit into a power drill if such a bit is in your toolbox. This attempt at screw removal does not have a high degree of success, but it works sometimes. Push the bit into the damaged head as much as possible and squeeze the power drill's trigger so the bit just begins to rotate. Too much power and the bit will dig further into the already damaged head. Once the bit lodges and the screw rotates out, continue removing with the power drill or use locking pliers to finish the job.
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