Rusted Screws - how do I remove
- Thread starter darrenh
- Start date
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If all else fails, you could always drill them out, carefully.
Roughcaster.
Roughcaster.
Or try an impact driver!
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Maybe a putter, a sand wedge, the options are endless. 
Roughcaster.
Roughcaster.
I have an impact screw driver that usually does the trick. I wouldn’t advise attempting to drill out the complete screw, the chances of keeping the drill bit in the centre are almost zero & then you’ll be left with over size holes. Assuming your referring to the hinge screws; use a drill bit almost the same size as the screw head just drill off the heads, remove the door & then remove the remains of the screw with a pair of mole grips. If all else fails grind the old screws off flush, fill in the hinge holes with wood filler & fit the new hinges in a slightly different place.
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These are the times when an Impact driver pays for its own. The impact action on slow revs loosens the rusty old screw without doing too much irreversible damage to the screw head. Glad I bought one! If they are rusty pozi/Phillips heads, I sometimes can hammer in an old thin flat screwdriver and use that to unscrew has helped me out on a few occasions.
I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned soaking them in good old WD 40. Then give them a little tap, or a slight tighten, before unscrewing them.
Or a little heat will loosen them.
Also remember to unscrew them slow and not fast - especially as a powered driver will most likely snap the head off
Or a little heat will loosen them.
Also remember to unscrew them slow and not fast - especially as a powered driver will most likely snap the head off
impact driver - priceless.
Just saw an advert for a JML product which takes out screws where the heads have been damaged, it cuts into the screw head grips it and screws it out, I know their around £9.99 and they come with a few other accessories like a hole saw etc but it looks like a handy bit of kit, just put it in your drill driver and away you go.
I was thinking of getting one myself for my tool box just in case!
I was thinking of getting one myself for my tool box just in case!
LOL - do you stand there watching these screens in the shops too?
I saw this JML set advertised in Asda - and it looks good until you realise that a similar screw extractor set is £2.49 at screwfix!
And probably £1.50 of ebay
and I don't go shopping anymore, it cost me a cheap car but hey I don't do shopping anymore If you know what you are doing it is very easy.
Recently I had to unscrew some 85 year old hinges that were on a window opening light. The hinges had rusted and broken and were only hanging on by virtue of interlocking asperities.
The wood was some kind of pine and the screws were steel. I had seen my father struggle with such jobs when I was a boy so I thought it was going to be a difficult job. Not so!
Firstly the screw heads were scraped and wire-brushed to remove the paint and dirt. If the screw heads can be cleaned to shiny steel it helps. Next a 60 watt electric soldering iron and solder was used to heat up the screw heads. Now I don't know how this works but I guess that once the screw gets over boiling point steam is produced which breaks the wood to steel bond. The screws will now unscrew quite easily!
A propane or butane torch can be used but this is not a good idea as the wood can become charred and hardened. This will make re-cutting the windows for the new stainless hinges much more difficult.
This dodge might not work with other types of wood so don't blame me if it won't work for you. It is not much use trying to use a 25 watt soldering iron as there probably won't be enough heat to go down the screw.
Good luck.
Recently I had to unscrew some 85 year old hinges that were on a window opening light. The hinges had rusted and broken and were only hanging on by virtue of interlocking asperities.
The wood was some kind of pine and the screws were steel. I had seen my father struggle with such jobs when I was a boy so I thought it was going to be a difficult job. Not so!
Firstly the screw heads were scraped and wire-brushed to remove the paint and dirt. If the screw heads can be cleaned to shiny steel it helps. Next a 60 watt electric soldering iron and solder was used to heat up the screw heads. Now I don't know how this works but I guess that once the screw gets over boiling point steam is produced which breaks the wood to steel bond. The screws will now unscrew quite easily!
A propane or butane torch can be used but this is not a good idea as the wood can become charred and hardened. This will make re-cutting the windows for the new stainless hinges much more difficult.
This dodge might not work with other types of wood so don't blame me if it won't work for you. It is not much use trying to use a 25 watt soldering iron as there probably won't be enough heat to go down the screw.
Good luck.
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