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Broken screw

bryanjnkns

bryanjnkns

Oct 18, 2006
439
3
Tulsa
#1
i just recently purchased an old frankenjazzbass and there is a screw that has broken, leaving it still in the wood. how would i go about getting it out? I wouldn't really worry about it if it weren't for its location. any help is greatly appreciated
 
#7
Thor said:
Is there any metal at all left sticking out or is it totally
flush with the body?

If you have anything to grip, use a small Vice Grip, clamp it
on and back it out.

If, not, just sand it down and touch it up.
Click to expand...

Its flush with the body, if not down in there alittle ways. Iv thought about just ignoring it, but its a screw that holds the bridge down. Haha.....i really feel like a numbskull!! I did the toothpic and glue thing with all the screws for the bridge because i felt they were a little loose. And so, as i was attempting to tighten the last screw i noticed it kept going and going and going. And i thought to myself..."this is what i was trying to avoid." Turns out the screw was really old and from the heat and pressure, i broke the head clean off. And there in lies my problem. The bridge thats on it now is the five hole.(well four now) Could i replace it with the three hole and be done with it. or will that somehow damage the integrity of that area?
 
#10
GlennW said:
Since the bridge covers it, here's what I'd do. Find a drill press and get a new 3/16" or 1/8" metal cutting bit (the bigger one would probably work better - the hard part will be keeping the drill bit from walking off the screw), drill a hole taking out the remainder of the screw, cut a piece of wood dowel to length and glue it in the hole, let dry, drill the correct size hole for a new screw.
Click to expand...

Now that sounds like a plan! Thanks for all your suggestions!
 
#12
Rather than try to drill the screw get a piece of brass pipe from a hobby store just larger than the screw. Buy some dowel the same size. Cut the brass pipe to length and file teeth on one end now put this in your drill and use it like a hole saw. It will follow the screw. IT will take a litttle work to get the bottom to release but not much . Glue in the dowel and you are now good to go.
Jimi
 
#14
Jimi Cleek said:
Rather than try to drill the screw get a piece of brass pipe from a hobby store just larger than the screw. Buy some dowel the same size. Cut the brass pipe to length and file teeth on one end now put this in your drill and use it like a hole saw. It will follow the screw. IT will take a litttle work to get the bottom to release but not much . Glue in the dowel and you are now good to go.
Jimi
Click to expand...

Hydraulic brake line is perfect for what you describe.Being made of steel, it wont wear out so quickly. It can be chucked in an electric hand drill and run counterclockwise and once in a while the "bit" grabs the shank firmly enough that the broken stub backs right out. If not, drill it completely out. Clear out the hole often until its into the wood a little and then not so often. By not letting the chips out, heat will build up and help the stub to break loose.

The idea is to use a tube with an ID a tiny bit larger than the screw shanks OD.

Even with a drill press, drilling down the center of a screw shank ain't going to be easy, if even possible. It almost has to be done with a hollow bit.
 
#16
Jimi Cleek said:
Rather than try to drill the screw get a piece of brass pipe from a hobby store just larger than the screw. Buy some dowel the same size. Cut the brass pipe to length and file teeth on one end now put this in your drill and use it like a hole saw. It will follow the screw. IT will take a litttle work to get the bottom to release but not much . Glue in the dowel and you are now good to go.
Jimi
Click to expand...

Several stores sell them ready-made. If you go to www.rockler.com and type screw extractor into the search engine, one will pop right up.
 
#17
Greenman said:
I believe the head of the screw has to be still attached to use these extracters.
Click to expand...

There are three sizes in the set. One of the sizes will usually fit the size of the shaft. While an attached head is easier to work on they will work on shaft alone.

N.B. Once the screw starts to move you keep moving the screw. Try to avoid stopping until there is enough screw shaft above the work to be able to attach a pair of vise grips, just in case.
 
#18
Jimi Cleek said:
Rather than try to drill the screw get a piece of brass pipe from a hobby store just larger than the screw. Buy some dowel the same size. Cut the brass pipe to length and file teeth on one end now put this in your drill and use it like a hole saw. It will follow the screw. IT will take a litttle work to get the bottom to release but not much . Glue in the dowel and you are now good to go.
Jimi
Click to expand...


Excellent. I build models from time to time and have
stuff like that around. Great solution!
 

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