How To Use Harbor Freight Screw Extractor

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Cleaved or stripped screws bring projects to a screeching halt. Anyone who does DIY work encounters this problem eventually, then having a screw extractor saves you a lot of time. The extractor is similar to a screw but has a reversed thread. To use it, you drill into the middle of the screw, place the extractor inside, and plow it counterclockwise. When the screw comes out, you lot'll be able to return to your project right abroad.

1

Put on safety gear. Using a screw extractor involves drilling into metal. The terminal thing you want is a flying shard of metal in your center. Vesture rubber goggles made with polycarbonate lenses.^[i]
ii

Marshal a center punch over the spiral. A center punch is a metal cylinder that looks like a pen. You can find them at any hardware store. With one hand, hold the metal tip against the center of the screw head.

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3
Indent the spiral by hammering in the punch. Option up a hammer in your gratuitous hand and use it to tap the top of the dial. Strike it very lightly. If you did it right, you'll come across a modest divot in the screw. This guides your drill chip into the center of the screw.
- If the screw is in a tight space, use a modest metal drill bit and a right angle drill. Exist careful that the chip doesn't skid while you're drilling.
4
Apply a drop of thread cutting oil to the screw. Thread cutting oil is sold in big jugs at hardware stores, simply you only need a drop. Tip the bottle over to splash a little bit onto the spiral head. Cutting oil lubricates the metallic, which means less time spent drilling and less wearable and tear for your drill bit.
- If you don't accept this oil, you tin can try a drib of motor oil, WD-40, or some other lubricant. Household oils will help but offer less protection to the drill bit.
5
Add together a drop of penetrating oil to rusty screws. Penetrating oil is needed for rusted screws or ones attached to metal surfaces. It loosens the screw, making it easier to remove. Add together a drib of it onto the spiral caput on summit of the thread cutting oil.
- If yous don't accept penetrating oil, acetone may work too.

i
Select a drill fleck slightly smaller than the screw. Hold the drill bits upward to the screw or fastener you need to remove. The correct one will be slightly less wide than the screw head. When you observe the right ane, attach it to your drill.^[2]
- Yous can buy individual drill bits from hardware stores at a pocket-sized cost or buy a whole gear up with varying sizes.
ii

Line the drill scrap up with the eye of the screw. Place the drill bit in the divot you created earlier. Motion slowly as you begin to drill. Too much force will harm the spiral. Focus on holding the drill chip steady so it drills straight downwards into the spiral head.^[3]
three
Drill a pigsty for the extractor. You will need to drill somewhere betwixt ¹⁄_viii inch (3.two mm) and ¹⁄₄ inch (half dozen.4 mm) into the screw head. The depth depends on the screw extractor you accept. Hold up the extractor to compare it to the pigsty you drilled. If the extractor doesn't fit, continue drilling to widen the hole.^[four] ^[5]
- Make sure the drill bit merely drills within the screw or else you could damage the threads.

1

Insert the extractor into the drilled hole. The spiral end of the extractor goes into the hole. You can tap information technology with a hammer to make sure information technology's in at that place, but don't strength it. The loose end should have a tap handle, which looks similar a T, for you to hold onto. Twist the extractor counterclockwise until you tin't turn it anymore.^[six] ^[7]
2
Twist the extractor with a wrench or drill. Grip the top of the extractor with a wrench. Proceed to twist it counterclockwise until the screw pops costless. Many extractors are designed to work with drills. Attach the costless end of the extractor to the drill and turn on the drill to plough the screw counterclockwise. It'll come up out without much resistance.^[8]
- When using the extractor with a drill, make sure the drill is set to rotate in reverse!
- If the screw is stuck, rigorously twist the extractor in both directions to break information technology loose.
3

Heat the screw if information technology is stuck. If you accept a propane or butane torch, lightly heat the spiral for a minute or ii. This tin can just be done if you're working with non-flammable materials such as metal. Endeavor the spiral extractor again. The rut expands the metal, making information technology easier to pull out.
4
Pull the screw out with pliers. Regular pliers may work, but clamping pliers go on a ameliorate grip on the screw. Twist the screw and try to pull it out. Heat also helps here in making the screw easier to pull out.^[9]
- Y'all might also be able to drill further into the screw to weaken or pause it. Be careful to avert dissentious the material effectually the screw.
- Spiral-extracting pliers can be purchased at your local hardware store and are meant for removing screws.

Add New Question

Question

Can you use this procedure if screw is just rusted into metal shower door frame?

Yes, use penetrating first. Penetrating oil loosens the rust. So you should be able to drill the spiral.
Question

The meager instructions included with my Yamo screw extractor kit imply that I beginning drill a pigsty using the drill bit, but drill counter clockwise. Is this correct?

There are two kinds of extractors. ane. Self drilling extractors that you but use on the spiral in a opposite direction and information technology will drill + excerpt. 2. (The kind you take) where y'all drill a hole, ordinarily equally you would, and then you extract with the extractor in a reverse direction so that it pulls the screw out.
Question

How do I extract the threaded remnant of a screw that broke inside something?

Yous could epoxy a pocket-size rod or weld it on and twist it out. But depending on what material you're working with, information technology could be tricky.

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Use WD-forty to help the screw come up out easier.
If a screw extractor doesn't work, try twisting the spiral with pliers to remove it.
If you lot tin can't get something out with the extractor, you may be able to drill the bolt out completely and re-thread the hole with a larger bolt.

Prove More Tips

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E'er clothing safety goggles when drilling into metal.
Don't forcefulness the extractor. If the spiral feels stuck, end so the extractor doesn't break inside it.
Think to work slowly and apply as little pressure equally possible on the screw. Damaging the screw or extractor makes the situation a lot worse.

Things You'll Need

Safety glasses
Ability drill
Drill bits
Center punch
Hammer
Screw extractor
Thread-cutting oil
Penetrating oil for rusted screws
Wrench

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Article Summary X

To employ a screw extractor, showtime align a center punch over your screw and hammer the punch to make an indentation to guide your drill bit. Then, attach a drill bit that's slightly smaller than your screw to your drill. Next, put the drill bit in the indentation you fabricated and drill ⅛ to ¼ of an inch into the spiral head. When you've drilled a hole big enough for your screw extractor, put the spiral terminate of your extractor in the pigsty and twist it counterclockwise until information technology won't go any farther. Finally, go along twisting information technology with a wrench until your screw pops loose. To learn how to use thread cutting oil or penetrating oil to make using your screw extractor easier, read on!

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