Stuck screws

[Dauph]

Hi all,

One of my neighbours has asked me to replace the hinges on their back door because the top one has broken. The original screws are seriously stuck in the door frame. I tried using a mole wrench to turn the screw driver and managed to loosen two of the six screws, but the other four won't budge. I'm worried that if I use any more force I'll ruin or snap off the screw heads and make the problem worse.
Ideally I'd like to get the old hinges off and use the original recesses and screw holes to attach the new hinges.
Failing that... any advice would be much appreciated

 

[JohnD]

you may be able to loosen the screws by touching the heads with a hot iron, perhaps heated on a gas ring. The heat will travel down the shank of the screw. It can also be done with a fine blue flame from a torch. Leaving the hinge in position will help protect the wood from direct contact with the flame.

Stop before you see smoke.

 

[jj4091]

Or see if you can borrow one of these from someone https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/han...-129f235df603&istItemId=aqrxmltxl&istBid=tztx

 

[Nozzle]

If the screws you have loosened, you've taken out... then put new ones in back in their place. By lossening and taking out you have increased the tension in the remaining ones make them even harder to remove. You have to overcome the film of corrosion AND the extra tension in the remaining ones, otherwise. And replace with positdrive and use a proper posidrive bit.

The bloke who did the work at my palce insisted on using slot heads, and they are a nightmare for gashing up.

Nozzle

 

[foxhole]

Unlikely the new hinge holes will align.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Agree with refitting what's been removed and also slightly tighten the stuck ones
The action of tightening can help them release, as can just sticking in a screwdriver and whacking it- although not as good as an impact driver

 

[Diver Fred]

Clean all the old paint off the screw heads. Get a screwdriver that fits the in the slot completely, Give one firm hit to the screwdriver (about the same force as hitting a 4inch nail) and try to tighten the screw slightly. Once the screw has moved then you should be able to unscrew it.
If the slots have been rounded over then it is a case of drilling out, but you could try drilling a shollow hole and then use a screw extractor.

 

[Dauph]

Thanks for your replies folks. I bought an impact driver and that did the trick. We worked out that the screws had probably been in over 100 years.
Door working, happy neighbours and a few quid in my pocket.