Bolt ? Small Screw dilema

[Sarge 3,464]

Be really careful using electricity to remove a bolt - if done absolutely correctly it works fine , if one little thing is out of place you'll end up fusion welding it in the hole....

 

For slotting smaller screws like the 10-24 and similar sizes , try using a nearly worn out fiber reinforced disk , or the HSS slotting saw on a Dremel . The Foredom units are basically an industrial moto-tool with a much larger motor and cable driven hand wand - they are vastly more powerful than any Dremel and much easier to work with on delicate objects , yet still have the power to do the work . Good quality solid carbide cutters are getting hard to find , if you want to go that route for use in harder materials stick with US made bits . Just be aware , carbide is amazingly brittle due to it's hardness and can snap easily when side loaded too hard .Use double cut tools on ferrous metals (iron/steel , ect) and single cut tools for non-ferrous metals such as aluminum . Sticker shock soon to follow - I've paid $15 for one lousy double cut flame head long radius cutter in 1/8" shank , just used it yesterday to finish removing the last brass machinery tag off the head unit on the Clausing drill press - those are some of the hardest steel rivets I've ever encountered .

 

Sarge

[PSully 61]

16 hours ago, WHX9 said:

Amen to that!

Yes it was interesting Thread Sully, even had a video of a guy doing it on a rusted in twisted off dog point and it came right out. Be danged if I can find it.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=battery+to+remove+broken+bolt might be in here

Some of those videos were pretty good. I don't get the first one though where he drilled a hole that was off-center, then re-tapped it.

[Jayzauto 89]

This will be an add on tip to Sarge's.....I've used the same trick, minus the high-tech tooling, as all I have is a Dremel*.  But sharp, name brand screwdrivers are a MUST on this type of work, not the 3/$1.00 rubbish.  I use Snap-On* as I have boxes of them.  And I will grind down the sides to fit inside a carb well if necessary, when working on Main Jets.  Others have suggested using Gun-Smithing screwdrivers, as they have the strength to do such work. Again, this is a tip, more for the inexperienced than the posters that have already been successful.

 

GLuck, Jay

[WHX?? 49,485]

Jay..... gunsmithing  screwdrivers have a more defined ground tip and more detailed sizes that even the best snap-offs don't have. I sometimes hate to resort using mine for horse play as if you booger one up it might be ruined for 'smithing work.