On Jun 20, 7:52*am, J wrote:
My tub deck faucet (two handle - cartridge type) is leaking. *I can get the cold handle off, but after alternately turning off the water to hot and cold, it seems like it's the hot one that has the problem. *Naturally, that's the one that has a stripped set-screw (inset, hex slot).

Is there anything to try to get this thing off short of drilling it out? *If these cases are generally hopeless, I'll just cut to the chase and take the necessary measures, but if there's any likely alternative, it would be preferable than having to get a new handle (I'd probably need to get two if I want matching handles, because this type is no longer made - it was discontinued when I bought it about 10 years ago.

If I had stripped the thing while trying to loosen it, I'd probably give up right away, but it was already stripped, so, I'm guessing it got stripped when being tightened. *I swear that was done by the plumber who installed it and not me. *Well, maybe it was me, but if so, I have conveniently erased that memory. In any case, this means I haven't really been able to apply any torque to the thing at all. *it's possible (though probably not likely) that with a little bit of torque, it could loosen up and then I could just get a new set screw instead of two new handles. *These are pretty fancy, so near-matching replacements would probably cost a pretty penny. *I don't think the wife would go for the small vice-grips-as-relpacement solution.

I thought of putting some super-glue on the end of an allen wrench, sticking it in there, letting it dry and then giving it a go. *But if there are any better ideas, It might be prudent to try something else first.

Thanks for any suggestions.

-J

As Jim Elbrecht said, use a Dremel motor tool or the Harbor Freight
equivalent to regrind the slot in the screw. It may also put a
partial slot in the handle, but you don't seem too concerned about
that. Or, as others have said, just use a regular screw extractor.
They are threaded to grab the screw when your drill is rotating in the
reverse direction, and work fine as long as you drill a small hole in
the middle of the screw to get some surface for the extractor to grab..