I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate into
the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a Pergo-type floor
underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and replace the boards
around the hearth.

Greg

There are commerical "screw out" kits that have a drill end and a
reverse thread end that should back the screw out

Another way is a piece of copper pipe just big enough that the screw
head will bit inside the pipe, use a file to cut teeth into the end of
the pipe, then use that to drill out a CORE that contains the screw
and a tiny bit of wood. Then plug the hole with a piece of dowel and
glue, and drive new screws when you put the trim back

You really are NOT going to be able to drill out the entire screw
(especially if it is a steel screw) unless you have a solid carbide
drill bit (mucho expensive and usually very brittle)- and trying to
keep the drill bit ONLY on the screw is not usually going to work, you
will wind up butchering the surrounding wood anyway

Sears has a screw out kit for around $19 (maybe less - it's been a
while since I checked the prices)

OR, if you can get behind the trim and use a recip saw to cut off the
screw, then work to get the screw out.

Sometimes, if the screw head is really buggered up, you can use a
Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel to cut a slot in what remains of the
head and get the screw out. And sometimes putting a screwdriver in
the screw and giveing a a good wack with a hammer will lossen it up so
it can be removed

John

On 4 Jul 2005 15:07:56 -0700, "Greg" wrote:

I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate into
the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a Pergo-type floor
underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and replace the boards
around the hearth.

Greg

Greg wrote:
I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate into
the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a Pergo-type floor
underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and replace the boards
around the hearth.


What may work for this is a 'screw extractor bit'. Said bits are
like very small hole saws you chuck into your drill and they cut
thorugh the wood around the screw. If possible, it is best to
almost cut just past the point of the screw, not all the way through
the board. That way you can back the extractor up out of the
hole leaving the plug behind. Then the plug with screw inside
can be broken off and removed from the board. If you drill all
the way through, or th eplug breaks off and stays in the extractor
it can be very difficult to remove from the extractor.

Those extractors as also pretty brittle.

Ordinary plug cutters may also work but if they hit the screw
they will be damaged. The screw extractors are hard enough
to survive _a little_ contact with the screws.

--

FF

You can use a hollow screw extractor like this:

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product...erings_id=2354


or a drill bit and extractor set like this:

http://www.bluepoof.com/motorcycles/...rew_extractor/

Greg wrote:
I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate into
the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a Pergo-type floor
underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and replace the boards
around the hearth.

I'm just curious.

Since these nails appear to be very hard, any chance they are concrete
nails used to attach wood, etc, to concrete?

If so, you may have a challenge.

Lew

"Greg" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate into
the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a Pergo-type floor
underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and replace the boards
around the hearth.

Greg


@#@ Get yourself an good cobalt drill bit and and small easy out should
have no problem removing .

Rey

Greg wrote:
I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate
into the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a
Pergo-type floor underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and
replace the boards around the hearth.

Why can't you unscrew them? Heads buggered = screw extractor per other
posts. Or just use a chisel and cut out the wood around them.

If you can turn the screw and it just won't back out try getting a
large screwdriver under the edge of the 2x6 and prying while turning the
screw. If there was no pilot hole drilled in the 2x6 - or if it was too
small - the screw could be sort of wedged in it.

Another way to do the same thing is to use a small screw driver jammed
down into the hole against the screw threads so that it gives the screw
something to climb on when you turn it.

Still another way...heat the head of the screw with a large soldering
iron so that it gets hot enough to char the wood a bit thereby enlarging
the hole.


--
dadiOH
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