Drilling out a bolt
 

I'm trying to drill out some very old (but recently broken) Tapcon bolts
from a brick wall. They are 3/16" diameter bolts, and I tried using a
3/16" Titanium bit, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also tried
drilling a smaller 5/64" starter hole, also with a Titanium bit, but
that didn't work either. I am using a Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill.

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind
of bit? Any suggestions are appreciated.

BTW, these bolts are about 20' up the wall. They held the letters of an
old sign, and the bolts broke when the letters were being removed for
repair. We'd like to put the letters back up in the same place they
were before, using 1/4" Tapcon bolts.

Thanks!

I should add that I already tried to use a screw extractor, but I wasn't
able to drill into the broken bolt far enough to hammer the extractor in.


Brian Anderson wrote:
I'm trying to drill out some very old (but recently broken) Tapcon bolts
from a brick wall. They are 3/16" diameter bolts, and I tried using a
3/16" Titanium bit, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also tried
drilling a smaller 5/64" starter hole, also with a Titanium bit, but
that didn't work either. I am using a Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill.

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind
of bit? Any suggestions are appreciated.

BTW, these bolts are about 20' up the wall. They held the letters of an
old sign, and the bolts broke when the letters were being removed for
repair. We'd like to put the letters back up in the same place they
were before, using 1/4" Tapcon bolts.

Thanks!

"Brian Anderson" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to drill out some very old (but recently broken) Tapcon bolts
from a brick wall. They are 3/16" diameter bolts, and I tried using a
3/16" Titanium bit, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also tried drilling
a smaller 5/64" starter hole, also with a Titanium bit, but that didn't
work either. I am using a Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill.

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind of
bit? Any suggestions are appreciated.

BTW, these bolts are about 20' up the wall. They held the letters of an
old sign, and the bolts broke when the letters were being removed for
repair. We'd like to put the letters back up in the same place they were
before, using 1/4" Tapcon bolts.



The bolt and the bit are both harder than the brick. probably end up with a
ragged hole even a 5/16th bolt wouldn't fit in. You're better off moving
over 1 inch and starting with new holes. It will take less time, cause less
frustration and is more likely to succeed.


If the bolts are sticking out a bit, try a vice grip and unscrew but it
dosen't sound like you have that option.

"Brian Anderson" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to drill out some very old (but recently broken) Tapcon bolts
from a brick wall. They are 3/16" diameter bolts, and I tried using a
3/16" Titanium bit, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also tried
drilling a smaller 5/64" starter hole, also with a Titanium bit, but
that didn't work either. I am using a Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill.

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind
of bit? Any suggestions are appreciated.

BTW, these bolts are about 20' up the wall. They held the letters of an
old sign, and the bolts broke when the letters were being removed for
repair. We'd like to put the letters back up in the same place they
were before, using 1/4" Tapcon bolts.

Thanks!

My suggestion is to move over a inch or two and drill another hole.
Tapcons are really hard and if they are broken off below the surface moving
over is the only practical idea I have.

"Brian Anderson" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to drill out some very old (but recently broken) Tapcon bolts
from a brick wall. They are 3/16" diameter bolts, and I tried using a
3/16" Titanium bit, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also tried drilling
a smaller 5/64" starter hole, also with a Titanium bit, but that didn't
work either. I am using a Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill.

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind of
bit? Any suggestions are appreciated.

BTW, these bolts are about 20' up the wall. They held the letters of an
old sign, and the bolts broke when the letters were being removed for
repair. We'd like to put the letters back up in the same place they were
before, using 1/4" Tapcon bolts.

Thanks!
You might try a drill bit made of "carbide" or carbide tipped.
jeff

"Jeffrey Judd" wrote in message
...

"Brian Anderson" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to drill out some very old (but recently broken) Tapcon bolts
from a brick wall. They are 3/16" diameter bolts, and I tried using a
3/16" Titanium bit, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also tried
drilling
a smaller 5/64" starter hole, also with a Titanium bit, but that didn't
work either. I am using a Black and Decker 3/8" corded drill.

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind
of
bit? Any suggestions are appreciated.

BTW, these bolts are about 20' up the wall. They held the letters of an
old sign, and the bolts broke when the letters were being removed for
repair. We'd like to put the letters back up in the same place they
were
before, using 1/4" Tapcon bolts.

Thanks!
You might try a drill bit made of "carbide" or carbide tipped.


Yup...

A carbide "screw machine drill"......(this a "stubby" drill bit ).....also,
suggest use of an air powered drill motor to get your surface speed up, as
electric drills generally will run at too slow of an rpm for effective use
with the smaller diameter drill bits.

--

SVL

Greetings,

I have had this same problem. In my case I drilled out a 1/2" hole
immediately BESIDE the tapcon to get it out. I filled the hole with
mortar which I was able to drill into to place another tapcon into the
exact same position. Depending on why the tapcon is there a filled
1/2" hole might not even be noticeable (remember, you can put the hole
on any side of the tapcon). If it is noticeable you could mix the
mortar with red latex paint colour matched to your brick instead of
water.

Hope this helps,
William

Brian Anderson writes:

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind
of bit?

Drilling isn't gonna work.

What the world needs is a hollow carbide-tipped drill that fits over
Tapcons. Then you could just drill over the busted Tapcon, reaming out a
little ring of the surrounding masonry, and then replace with epoxy anchors
or fresh masonry fill. Kind of an anti-Tapcon drill.

In alt.home.repair on Fri, 22 Jul 2005 21:08:42 -0500 Richard J Kinch
posted:

Brian Anderson writes:

Do I need a more powerful drill, or should I be using a different kind
of bit?

Drilling isn't gonna work.

What the world needs is a hollow carbide-tipped drill that fits over
Tapcons. Then you could just drill over the busted Tapcon, reaming out a
little ring of the surrounding masonry, and then replace with epoxy anchors
or fresh masonry fill. Kind of an anti-Tapcon drill.

Send me your plans and 500 dolllars and I will get this patented for
you. If you act now, you will also receive two free books, Inventions
that Changed the World, and How I made 2 Million Dollars in Real
Estate with Only a Thousand Dollars Down.

Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

I think I'll go with the consensus suggestion and simply drill new
holes. Thanks!

Brian Anderson wrote:
I think I'll go with the consensus suggestion and simply drill new holes



you could search the archives of rec.crafts.metalworking

this is a recurring problem in their sandbox

My own experience is that KROIL brand fluid has incredible power to
self-wick into the threads of stuck bolts. Give it time to wick in
there.