# Screws cannot be removed



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

You are probably going to need to pick up a screw extractor set. Craftsman still makes a nice one with different sized bits that is not too expensive (pic below). The extractors should work if the heads are just stripped. If you still have a real hardware store near you they will probably have just the size extractor you need if you do not want to buy the whole set. A box store will likely have a cheap Chinese set of 80,000 sizes all of which will be chewed apart faster than the screw heads the first time you try to use them. 










If the screws are spinning around and freewheeling on you, you have a different challenge. Let us know. We can help you but the approach is different.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

try an elastic (Americans call them rubber bands) on a screwdriver. A thin one, yet wide enough to cover the hole.
I've had luck with that simple trick


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Just use a drill bit the size of the screws shank.
Once the heads gone the door will come right off.
They use the cheapest, soft screws on those things.
Just drill a new hole for a new screw when it's time to reinstall.
This time predrill a clearace hole in the frame and a pilot for the screw.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

creeper said:


> try an elastic (Americans call them rubber bands) on the screwdriver. A thin one, yet wide enough to cover the hole.
> I've had luck with that simple trick


Lost you Jan? 'Splain please. Where on the screwdriver and what hole?


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Moved to tools forum.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

The best screw extractors I've ever used are like these.
http://www.sears.com/maxcraft-3-pc-...2094640903P?prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14

The other type suggested work great for bolts but not so much for screws.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

joecaption said:


> The best screw extractors I've ever used are like these.
> http://www.sears.com/maxcraft-3-pc-...2094640903P?prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14
> 
> The other type suggested work great for bolts but not so much for screws.


Forgot about those Joe. They do work well!


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

If you have 20 out of 22 screws out just get a thin flat bar behind the frame close to the screw and pop it free. Those screws are only an inch long and will likely pull out of there effortlessly and damage free.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

sdsester said:


> Lost you Jan? 'Splain please. Where on the screwdriver and what hole?


The hole being the head of the screw. In this case it is now round, So the elastic is laid across the head of the screw. A hand held screwdriver, as opposed to a drill, will ' bite ' the elastic and fill the void of the round shape.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I've removed hundreds of of those soft screws from storm windows, storm doors, silicone bronze screws from boats with the extractors I suggested.
Trying to drill a pilot hole right in the center of that small a screw is a real challange and most often the small drill bit snaps off when trying to use a bolt extractor.
Using the ones I suggested are left hand twist and dig in as soon as the drill starts and once they catch the screw just pops out.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

It might be too late to try this, but if the cavity in the head of the screw is enough shallower than the corresponding tip of the philips bit is long, the bit will bottom out before the blades of the bit fit properly into the screw head. If that is the case, and there enough of the head is still intact, you can grind the tip of the bit down a bit, in order to obtain full contact. I have several sizes of philips screwdrivers that I bought extras of, and ground the tips down a bit, years ago, for just this reason.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

creeper said:


> The hole being the head of the screw. In this case it is now round, So the elastic is laid across the head of the screw. A hand held screwdriver, as opposed to a drill, will ' bite ' the elastic and fill the void of the round shape.


Now I understand. Thanks.


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## Noel8 (Mar 10, 2008)

joecaption said:


> The best screw extractors I've ever used are like these.
> http://www.sears.com/maxcraft-3-pc-...2094640903P?prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14
> 
> The other type suggested work great for bolts but not so much for screws.


Could you explain how these extractors work? Never heard of this. BTW, those screw heads are really soft, that is why the drill shaped it into a round hole when u meet a little resistance. I suppose worse comes to worse, i can get a chisel ( instead of a grinder as someone else here suggested ) and snap off the heads, and the shank would just remain in the wood and then make new holes for new screws. Thanks to all ...DIY is great.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I use an impact driver not a cordless drill most of the time, but a drill will work.
Just put one of these bits in the chuck and run it in reverce.
There's a left hand twist on the tip that bites in as it's turning.

Two tools I'd never want to be without, impact driver and ossilating saw.
I've used my impact drive to get out old rusted screws, works great on tile board screws and deck screws, with the included adapters you can remove and install nuts and drive lag bolts.
I have three of the Ryobi brand drivers and never had a problum with any of them and there less then 1/2 the price for the gun and the batterys then other brands.


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## Noel8 (Mar 10, 2008)

*Can't remove screws*

I went to Home depot and there was not one employee there to ask questions. I saw this single spiral extractor by Ryobi and on the list it says #1...which means nothing to me. On one end, its threaded, but a passerby said I would need a drill bit in order to use this. I do have drill bits of all sizes....It does say to use a 7/64" drill bit...that I understand...but it goes on to say to use it with 1/8" to 1/4" bolts and screws. Now, i do not know what that means as far as the screws i have taken off. I am assuming that the screws are standard for outside screen doors? It also shows 3 demonstrations on how to use it...one is with a drill, the next one shows hitting it with a hammer, and the third shows turning it with a wrench. I don't get the hammer demo?


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