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Now what?


new2this

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Hello,

 

I was trying to change out the gumball wheel for a candy wheel in a Seague 3000 triple head and I am heavy handed.  I pressed down to hard with the screw driver trying to unscrew the screws.  How do I remove screws once I damaged the head (the screw driver can no longer grip the screws)?  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated?  Thanks.

 

TCoop

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Go to Sears tool dept. and ask for screw extractors. They come in different sizes and more than likely this is not a very big screw. You will probably also need a drill to drill a small hole in the center of the screw that is ruined. Then the screw extractor goes down into the hole and with tappered edges designed to grip the metal it will turn the screw out. If you don't have a Sears go to an Ace or True Value hardware store and they will have them as well.

nam

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You'll need to drill the hole with a drill first. Then you might be able to lightly tap the end of the extractor to push it tightly down into the hole. Then hopefully you will be able to turn the extractor with a pair of plyers. This should be a very small extractor and would probably just zip it right out without any problem anyway. Remember it needs to come out counter clock wise or reverse on your drill if you're using a drill.

nam

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I am an industrial mechanic and have dealt with lots of broken bolts, screw and rounded off screw heads. You are in a rough spot because you are most likely dealing with plastic and a steel screw in a confined space so your options are limited. I would suggest trying to fit an allen wrench in the rounded out hole or a star driver in there. Sometimes you can get an allen wrench in to a rounded out hole and get it to turn. Sometimes a slotted screwdriver can make a tight enough fit to turn the screw too. I usually deal with metal on metal so I would normally just hit the screw a little bit with a hammer to make the screwdriver fit tighter into the rounded out hole.

Easyouts AKA screw extractors are an option of last resort. If you fail to get your drill perfectly aligned you will ruin your plastic threads. There is no telling if you will even be able to get your drill into where you need it, much less perfectly aligned.

In the future, make sure you have the proper fitting screwdriver. The screwdriver should barely touch the bottom of the screw hole and be snug on all the edges. I have to admit, those smaller screws can still easy to round out.

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Well, it seems as if everyone has their own solution. My solution is to us a Dremel and cut a slot in the top of the screw. Depending on your particular conditions you may cut into the metal or plastic the screw goes through; not to worry, if you have done a clean job the screw should come right out - replace the screw and you are back in business. If you cut into the machine, just get a longer screw with a large enough head to cover the cuts.

 

 

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