This article was co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle and by How.com.vn staff writer, Hunter Rising. Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with How.com.vn and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 669,774 times.
If you need to remove a broken screw or bolt, a screw extractor is the perfect tool to use. Screw extractors have reverse threads that grip onto the screw so you’re able to turn them and take them out more easily. We interviewed professional handymen to put together our helpful guide, so keep reading and we’ll walk you through using a screw extractor from start to finish.
Things You Should Know
- Put on a pair of safety glasses. Tap the middle of the screw with a center punch to make an indent.
- Use a drill bit narrower than the screw to make a shallow hole in the head.
- Turn the screw extractor counterclockwise into the hole to loosen and remove the screw.
Steps
Community Q&A
- QuestionCan you use this procedure if screw is just rusted into metal shower door frame?Community AnswerYes, use penetrating first. Penetrating oil loosens the rust. Then you should be able to drill the screw.
- QuestionThe meager instructions included with my Yamo screw extractor kit imply that I first drill a hole using the drill bit, but drill counter clockwise. Is this correct?Community AnswerThere are two kinds of extractors. 1. Self drilling extractors that you simply use on the screw in a reverse direction and it will drill + extract. 2. (The kind you have) where you drill a hole, normally as you would, and then you extract with the extractor in a reverse direction so that it pulls the screw out.
- QuestionHow do I extract the threaded remnant of a screw that broke inside something?Community AnswerYou could epoxy a small rod or weld it on and twist it out. But depending on what material you're working with, it could be tricky.
Tips
Warnings
- Avoid using a screw extractor on screws or bolts longer than 2 inches (5.1 cm) because they could damage the tool.[9]Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-use-a-screw-extractor/
- ↑ https://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/images/pdf/st11128i.pdf
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-use-a-screw-extractor/
- ↑ Barry Zakar. Handyman. Expert Interview. 16 July 2020.
- ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
- ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
- ↑ https://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/images/pdf/st11128i.pdf
- ↑ https://www.gfii.ca/images/Ezy_Out_Screw_Extractor.pdf
- ↑ https://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/images/pdf/st11128i.pdf
About This Article
To use a screw extractor, first 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 made and drill ⅛ to ¼ of an inch into the screw head. When you’ve drilled a hole big enough for your screw extractor, put the spiral end of your extractor in the hole and twist it counterclockwise until it won’t go any farther. Finally, continue twisting it 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!
Reader Success Stories
- "The Irwin brand extractor did not come with any instructions or guidance. This article was all I had to go off of. The screw broke asymmetrically, leaving a ledge in the middle, reducing the effectiveness of a punch. I followed the rest of the guidance and, slowly, using a power drill, extracted it."..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.