On Sun, 20 Nov 2005 22:16:01 GMT, "George E. Cawthon"
wrote:

Bob Simon wrote:
I need a little more help with this project. After successfully
drilling out the center of a broken off screw, I thought the hard part
was over. Apparently not.

Then I used a screw extractor to try to remove what was left of the
screw. I used steady even pressure on the T-bar handle but the
extractor bit twisted off in the screw.

1) How should I have done this differently so the extractor would have
removed the screw without breaking.

2) Is there any hope of removing the extractor now?
Bob


You probably used too small a drill and too small
an extractor. If they are small you have to be
very careful to not put ANY side pressure on the
drill or the extractor. The best bet when they
screw is very small is just drill the whole think
out and recut the threads for a larger size.

In your case you are screwed. Time to cut your
losses and just get another part or just use one
screw to hold the plate on.

Thank you for your advice. Before I give up entirely on removing the
extractor bit (and the original screw) I wonder if a high speed drill
and diamond-tipped cutting bit might work. I've been wanting an
excuse to buy a Dremel kit (or equivalent) anyway, just never had a
specific need for one until now.