removing some screws - yes, I need help hehe

[mo2]

OK, your probably wonderingv why I am asking how to remove some screws, well heres why

1. It's a slot head
2. It's probably already had it's 20th Birthday
3.It's glued in with white gloss paint

I have a cordless drill, and have not attempted to remove the 16 screws because I am worried I might ruin their heads making the job impossible, so what's the best thing to do

1)Try and risk ruining the heads?
2)Remove the paint around the screws?I've tried using a stanley, but it's solid
3)OR WHAT

 

[JohnD]

You do need to get the paint out of the heads. Your second-best screwdriver ought to do it. Not a stanleyknife as you would have to press hard and might break the blade. Once you have a slot clear you can put a biggish, well-fitting screwdriver in the slot and bang it with a hammer, it may break the grip. An old steel screw in wood is often a bit rusty and the rust sticks it in.

A hot iron applied to the head will loosen it, you would need a fairly big soldering iron or similar. the idea is to make the steel hot enough to smoke the wood. You might be able to do it with a blowtorch and a big bolt or something held in some big grips.

You can get a left-handed drill which is supposed to be good though I would be anxious doing it freehand. the idea is that the vibration and torque of the drill winds the screw out without you needing to drill right through the bolt (they are usually sold for engineers working on bolts seized in metal but ought to work in woodscrews). I saw a cheap version in Robert Dyas recently (in their stupid gadgets section). Whatever you do don't try a stud extractor or easy-out because it will snap off, embedded in the screw, and be a hundred times harder to remove.

p.s. for a difficult screw, don't use a cordless. Use a big manual driver, preferably with a ?cabinetmakers? shaped head, sort of flattened oval, not round, so it won't turn in your hand, and is a better fit to the hand that an engineers screwdriver handle, which is sort of fluted cylinder shaped, and intended for putting a blister in the palm of your hand.

 

[jbonding]

You do need to get the paint out of the heads. Your second-best screwdriver ought to do it. Not a stanleyknife as you would have to press hard and might break the blade. Once you have a slot clear you can put a biggish, well-fitting screwdriver in the slot and bang it with a hammer, it may break the grip. An old steel screw in wood is often a bit rusty and the rust sticks it in. [/size]A hot iron applied to the head will loosen it, you would need a fairly big soldering iron or similar. the idea is to make the steel hot enough to smoke the wood. You might be able to do it with a blowtorch and a big bolt or something held in some big grips.

You can get a left-handed drill which is supposed to be good though I would be anxious doing it freehand. the idea is that the vibration and torque of the drill winds the screw out without you needing to drill right through the bolt (they are usually sold for engineers working on bolts seized in metal but ought to work in woodscrews). I saw a cheap version in Robert Dyas recently (in their stupid gadgets section). Whatever you do don't try a stud extractor or easy-out because it will snap off, embedded in the screw, and be a hundred times harder to remove.

do this then try and turn the screw to tighten up, this will make it easier to undo.

 

[mo2]

You do need to get the paint out of the heads. Your second-best screwdriver ought to do it. Not a stanleyknife as you would have to press hard and might break the blade. Once you have a slot clear you can put a biggish, well-fitting screwdriver in the slot and bang it with a hammer, it may break the grip. An old steel screw in wood is often a bit rusty and the rust sticks it in. [/size]A hot iron applied to the head will loosen it, you would need a fairly big soldering iron or similar. the idea is to make the steel hot enough to smoke the wood. You might be able to do it with a blowtorch and a big bolt or something held in some big grips.

You can get a left-handed drill which is supposed to be good though I would be anxious doing it freehand. the idea is that the vibration and torque of the drill winds the screw out without you needing to drill right through the bolt (they are usually sold for engineers working on bolts seized in metal but ought to work in woodscrews). I saw a cheap version in Robert Dyas recently (in their stupid gadgets section). Whatever you do don't try a stud extractor or easy-out because it will snap off, embedded in the screw, and be a hundred times harder to remove.

do this then try and turn the screw to tighten up, this will make it easier to undo.

thanks JohnD - will try

Jbonding why would that help?

 

[2scoops0406]

OK, wait for the groans, but I've got some of these and they seem to work well.

 

[mo2]

the screws aren't damaged yet!

 

[2scoops0406]

How much does a new screw cost

 

[JohnD]

ah yes... that's the thing I saw in the gadgets section. Probably available at Woolworths and other purveyors of household goods too.

What do you think of them in use?

 

[2scoops0406]

Yeah, they sell 'em in homebase but....... they do work. Just remember to go slowly, other wise guess what, totally mashed screws which are very hard to extract !!