Screw Extractors

One of the worst experiences of a DIYer or craftsmen is a screw that had become stripped or broken. It can be one of the hardest problems to solve and the more you try and get the screw out the worse you make it.

Thankfully there is a cheap and easy solution to removing striped screws and that's an extractor. A screw extractor is a small but very handy tool to have around. It's designed to drive counter clockwise into the stuck screw and bite into it and allow stuck screw to be screwed out. Screw extractors have a square head and a shaft at one end and reverse tapered threads for cutting into the screw at the other. The square head is designed so it can be griped with a T-handle, adjustable wrench or vice grip pliers to provide leverage.

Extractors sizes range from 3/32" to 1" and are manufactured from high grade steel.

How to use:

When faced with a screw that has been striped and you are unable to remove it the first thing you deed to do is drill a pilot hole, the pilot hole should be slightly smaller that the screw extractor. Make the pilot hole to large and the extractor will not be able to bite (most screw extractor sets will have bit recommendations on the packaging). Starting with a small drill bit drill a hole into the centre of the stuck screw with a power drill, then work up to the size drill bit recommended. Be careful not to drill too far in to the screw and keep it in the centre especially if you intend to replace the screw as you don't want to damage the thread of the fixing you screwing in to.

Once you have drilled the pilot hole insert the screw extractor and tap the head with a hammer to secure it firmly in the hole and with a T-handle or a adjustable wrench turn it counter clockwise. If required tap the extractor with a hammer to ensure it biting down into the screw. Once the screw extractor has enough purchase it will start to unscrew the stuck screw and like magic it's out.