Removing a DIFFICULT broken screw

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I need advice on how to remove a broken screw.

I've read instructions for several techniques. They all begin with drilling a hole in the shaft of the screw. But this is a #6 screw, so the shaft is quite small; when I try to get a hole started, the drill bit just slips off the shaft. A punch doesn't make a deep enough mark to get it started.

I've thought about drilling out the wood around the screw, but I expect I'd have the same problem: if I can't get the drill bit to stay centered on the screw, I can't drill a hole where I need it.

The screw is for a hinge that attaches a cabinet door to the frame. The hole is in the edge of the frame. The wood is old and very hard. I don't think I'd be able to remove the screw with needle nose pliers even if I could drill out enough of the surrounding wood to grasp the tip of the shaft.

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Comments (5)

rwiegand
3 years ago
Use a hollow screw extractor like the one in the picture -- you drill a cylinder out of the wood with the screw buried in it., break it off and pull it out. Then get or make a tapered cross-grain plug of matching size to glue back into the hole that the extractor made. Redrill for the screw and you're good as new. Don't be tempted to use a dowel for the plug as that presents end grain to the screw, which will have almost no holding power.
central_valley
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you, that looks like the perfect tool! I didn't even know it existed.

I'm puzzled about what to choose, though. On Amazon, Rockler and Woodriver are the only companies that offer these. Woodriver has 91% positive reviews, which is way below my minimum for a trustworthy seller. I know Rockler is a respected brand, but their positives are even lower.

Also, what size? I can get 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" tools. Rockler says that a 1/4" extractor handles up to a #8 screw, so it would be big enough, but a lot of the reviews say the 1/4" Rockler is brittle and breaks easily... probably because of the small diameter.

I assume that the numbers are outside diameter, but I can't find anything that says so. If I'm going to put a plug in the hole, that's kind of important!

And I can't find cross-grain plugs smaller than 1/2" diameter. The cabinet wall is only 15/16" thick; I'm nervous about drilling a 1/2" hole in it.
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klem1
3 years ago
Sometimes it's simpler to leave a screw as is,move over and drill a new hole in hinge for another screw.
central_valley
Original Author
3 years ago
That's difficult to do for a screw that holds a hinge in place.
rwiegand
3 years ago
I'd probably use the 3/8 because it's harder to get the cores out of the small holes. Never thought about brands-- there's been one in my toolbox for a long time, no idea where it came from. If you've got multiple screws in a hinge you can probably get away with using a maple dowel for the plug. Choose a longer screw for more holding power. AFAIK the diameter is itne OD.