On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 16:37:25 -0000, "Martin Noakes"
wrote:

Hi all

I'm about to lift an Oak floor that has shrunk in order to re-lay it after
straightenin the boards.

Here's a picture one of the gaps!
http://www.songcity.co.uk/MyPictures/Floorboards1.jpg

Due to the shrinkage the screws have been bent over and I'm unable to
unscrew them.

The screws are hardened steel BZP and I wondered if anyone knew which type
of drill bit I would need to drill the heads off. I have a couple of
metalwork drills and they don't touch the screw heads.

Or maybe another suggestions/approach for unscrewing them.

Cheers

Martin


Perhaps this would work? Take a piece of 1/4 inch hollow steel
tubing. With a triangular file, file some teeth in one of the ends
(you are essentially making a 1/4 diameter hole saw without the center
bit). Chuck it in your drill and use it to bore down around the
outside of the screw, separating the screw from the plank. (You can
use a scrap with a 1/4 hole in it as a guide to get the bit started in
the right place, since it will tend to wander with no center bit.)
Once you have done this to all the screws, lift the plank off, and
remove the screws with pliers. The 1/4 holes in the planks can be
filled with wood plugs.

I've seen commercial versions of this tool for sale, but don't
remember where at the moment. It'll be slow going, but beats
destroying the floor to remove it.

HTH,

Paul