Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

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

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

www.baddogtools.com They drill thru brake rotors, files etc. Not
cheap, but I got a set at ww show and ended up needing it that very day
to remove a frozen shock mount bolt on wifes car. You will need a
small hole to get larger bit started.

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

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

You need carbide drill bits (carbide tipped). You could try a bit big
enough to pop the head off but some threaded length may still grip the
board. I'm surprise the boards didn't split and bent the screws instead.

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

"Martin Noakes" wrote in message
...
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.

Can you post a picture of the screws in the flooring and if possible a
picture of just a screw?

John

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

Some have split!

Cheers for the advise

Martin

"Saudade" wrote in message
...
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

You need carbide drill bits (carbide tipped). You could try a bit big
enough to pop the head off but some threaded length may still grip the
board. I'm surprise the boards didn't split and bent the screws instead.

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

Not at the moment as I haven't been able to unscrew any of them.

Cheers

Martin

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Martin Noakes" wrote in message
...
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.

Can you post a picture of the screws in the flooring and if possible a
picture of just a screw?

John

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

It's not entirely clear from the photo but what are the floorboards
screwed into? Might it be possible to cut through that substrate, pull
up the floorboards, and then remove the still screwed on substrate piece
from the underside at your workbench?

Just a thought.

J.


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

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

They're screwed in to a softwood frame which is infilled with insulation
(jablite).

Cheers

Martin

"John" wrote in message
...
It's not entirely clear from the photo but what are the floorboards
screwed into? Might it be possible to cut through that substrate, pull
up the floorboards, and then remove the still screwed on substrate piece
from the underside at your workbench?

Just a thought.

J.


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

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

More thoughts.

A cobalt bit or try a reciprocating saw with a long, fine
tooth, bimetallic blade. If the bimetallic blade won't cut
the screws, get a diamond blade. Just lift the board enough
to get the blade under it and cut off the screws.

Frank

"Martin Noakes" wrote in message
...
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

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

I've looked through the screwfix brochure and they sell titanium tipped dril
bits would these be hard enough?

"Saudade" wrote in message
...
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

You need carbide drill bits (carbide tipped). You could try a bit big
enough to pop the head off but some threaded length may still grip the
board. I'm surprise the boards didn't split and bent the screws instead.

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

If they go into softwood, you may be able to drive them through. Then you
can plug the holes in the shop and start again. What's the width of the
gap? Was this wood dry? Could the framing be the problem? I'd also look
for a hollow bit, like a miniature holesaw, and drill around the screw.
I've seem them, but don't know the name. I doubt you'll be able to drill the
metal, but who knows. Maybe the miracle buts the sell at ww shows?
Wilson
"John" wrote in message
...
It's not entirely clear from the photo but what are the floorboards
screwed into? Might it be possible to cut through that substrate, pull up
the floorboards, and then remove the still screwed on substrate piece from
the underside at your workbench?

Just a thought.

J.


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

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

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

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
www.baddogtools.com They drill thru brake rotors, files etc. Not
cheap, but I got a set at ww show and ended up needing it that very day
to remove a frozen shock mount bolt on wifes car. You will need a
small hole to get larger bit started.

What's carbaloid?

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

I just read the same and was about to ask the same too. So ibid.

....and if it's anything like leatherette, I'll pass.

H

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

I take it this is not normal oak plank flooring you can get at the
flooring stores (pic did not look like normal T&G boards, anyway).
Floorboards are normally nailed for this very reason, among others, but
there may have been a good reason to use screws here.

Regardless, I would first try to screw them all the way through. If
that didn't work, a Sawzall with a long bi-metal blade would most
likely eat it and ask for more. Small hole saw is the last option,
because fitting many special-made plugs won't be fun.

Good luck and tell us how you do,
H

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

Toller wrote:

What's carbaloid?

FUD for "carbide"

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

Martin Noakes wrote:
Or maybe another suggestions/approach for unscrewing them.

Try a crowbar. Maybe the screws will pull out of the softwood sleepers.
Sam

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

No better than HSS. They are not titanium (which would make a lousy drill
bit). They are HSS bits with a thin (.0001") titanium nitride coating.

"Martin Noakes" wrote in message
...
I've looked through the screwfix brochure and they sell titanium tipped
dril
bits would these be hard enough?

Drilling out hardened steel screws question
 

If regular HSS won't do it, cobalt won't either.

"Frank K." wrote in message
...
More thoughts.

A cobalt bit or try a reciprocating saw with a long, fine
tooth, bimetallic blade. If the bimetallic blade won't cut
the screws, get a diamond blade. Just lift the board enough
to get the blade under it and cut off the screws.