I was installing some doors on a red oak face frame. The doors are a
3/8" overlay, red oak rails and stiles. The hinges ( Rockler #32142,
chrome ) attached to the door no problem. When I went to hang the door,
I marked my location, used my Vix bit to predrill the face frame and
used a cordless to put the screw in. The head broke off. Thinking I
used too much torque, I went to the next hole. Drilled it, installed
the screw full depth, removed it, put the door in place and installed
the screw making sure I didn't over drive it. Snapped the head off as
soon as it was snugged to the hinge. These are #8's, maybe 6's, 'bout a
half inch long. Chrome?? Stainless?? Went back into my shop, found
some brass, #8 counter sunk head screws. Drilled and attached the door
with the last two screw holes. The hinge holes are oblong, so there was
enough material to fit a screw in on the two holes where the broken
screws were at. It doesn't leave any margin for adjustment that way.

My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

Remove the hinge and use a plug cutter to remove the screw, and surrounding
wood. Then glue a plug, to match the outer diameter of the plug cutter, in
the hole and let it cure. Then you can install two more screws into the new
plug. Voila!!


"Mark and Kim Smith" wrote in message
...
I was installing some doors on a red oak face frame. The doors are a 3/8"
overlay, red oak rails and stiles. The hinges ( Rockler #32142, chrome )
attached to the door no problem. When I went to hang the door, I marked my
location, used my Vix bit to predrill the face frame and used a cordless to
put the screw in. The head broke off. Thinking I used too much torque, I
went to the next hole. Drilled it, installed the screw full depth, removed
it, put the door in place and installed the screw making sure I didn't over
drive it. Snapped the head off as soon as it was snugged to the hinge.
These are #8's, maybe 6's, 'bout a half inch long. Chrome?? Stainless??
Went back into my shop, found some brass, #8 counter sunk head screws.
Drilled and attached the door with the last two screw holes. The hinge
holes are oblong, so there was enough material to fit a screw in on the two
holes where the broken screws were at. It doesn't leave any margin for
adjustment that way.
My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

Mark and Kim Smith wrote in news:ct6bi1
:

snip
My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??


I order from McFeeley's, and don't see the problem any more. Life's too
short.

You can leave the old ones, if they truly aren't to be seen. Removing
broken fastners when they have to come out is a trial of my patience and
skills. Well, not exactly. Repairing the damage caused by removing the
broken ones is a trial of my patience and skills.

Patriarch

On 25 Jan 2005 15:52:17 EST, Mark and Kim Smith
wrote:

My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

One good reply by Ray. Follow that through. Then, when reinstalling
using new screws, if you MUST use a cordless, turn all screws to
*almost* snug. You did drill first ...good. Then pick up your trusy
hand-screwdriver and finish with that, and tighten to "feel" snug.
The truth is that if you use hand-screwdrivers a lot, you'll get to be
good at it, developing the necessary muscle stamina to avoid aches and
pains, and you have much more control over torque, just like your
granddaddy.

See:
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product...ings_id=23 54

This little tool work surprisingly well.
When using brass or cheap metal screws, I learned a lesson a long time ago.
It was to pre-drill, then pre-screw a waxed steel screw in first, then
remove it and replace it with the decorative brass screw by hand.

Dave




"Mark and Kim Smith" wrote in message
...
I was installing some doors on a red oak face frame. The doors are a 3/8"
overlay, red oak rails and stiles. The hinges ( Rockler #32142, chrome )
attached to the door no problem. When I went to hang the door, I marked my
location, used my Vix bit to predrill the face frame and used a cordless to
put the screw in. The head broke off. Thinking I used too much torque, I
went to the next hole. Drilled it, installed the screw full depth, removed
it, put the door in place and installed the screw making sure I didn't over
drive it. Snapped the head off as soon as it was snugged to the hinge.
These are #8's, maybe 6's, 'bout a half inch long. Chrome?? Stainless??
Went back into my shop, found some brass, #8 counter sunk head screws.
Drilled and attached the door with the last two screw holes. The hinge
holes are oblong, so there was enough material to fit a screw in on the two
holes where the broken screws were at. It doesn't leave any margin for
adjustment that way.
My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??



Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
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Guess who wrote in
:

On 25 Jan 2005 15:52:17 EST, Mark and Kim Smith
wrote:

My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

One good reply by Ray. Follow that through. Then, when reinstalling
using new screws, if you MUST use a cordless, turn all screws to
*almost* snug. You did drill first ...good. Then pick up your trusy
hand-screwdriver and finish with that, and tighten to "feel" snug.
The truth is that if you use hand-screwdrivers a lot, you'll get to be
good at it, developing the necessary muscle stamina to avoid aches and
pains, and you have much more control over torque, just like your
granddaddy.


Note on plug cutters: The ones used for cutting plugs to cover screw heads
generally won't work. They are designed to leave a clean, dowel like
piece, and waste (destroy) outside the perimeter. A more appropriate
solution was posted in one of the magazines, where a shopmade cutter was
devised from a piece of copper tubing, chucked in a drill press, and
sharpened with a small knife-edged file. Reaming to size afterwards with a
drill bit would seem to be indicated.

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw lube. Paste wax is
good. Soap is not.

Enjoy your project.

Patriarch

No one has mentioned, but DUMP the Cheap, weak screws and get
some good screws. Typically the screws you buy at the BORG are ****,
and are NOT known for their strength.

Second, if using a power driver, set the clutch to NOT bury the screw,
then finish the last 1/8 in or so with a hand screwdriver

Also lube the screws. Don't use soap, it can attract moisture and
result in early corrosion/rusting and failure. WAX is good. I keep a
can of Johnson's floor wax for use on my table saw top and other
stationary tools, and it also works great as a screw lube

Next, ALWAYS drill pilot holes (which you did)

In hardwood, run a STEEL screw in to cut the threads before driving in
the finishing screws. This is critical if driving soft screws like
brass

John


On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 17:04:44 -0600, Patriarch
wrote:

Guess who wrote in
:

On 25 Jan 2005 15:52:17 EST, Mark and Kim Smith
wrote:

My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

One good reply by Ray. Follow that through. Then, when reinstalling
using new screws, if you MUST use a cordless, turn all screws to
*almost* snug. You did drill first ...good. Then pick up your trusy
hand-screwdriver and finish with that, and tighten to "feel" snug.
The truth is that if you use hand-screwdrivers a lot, you'll get to be
good at it, developing the necessary muscle stamina to avoid aches and
pains, and you have much more control over torque, just like your
granddaddy.


Note on plug cutters: The ones used for cutting plugs to cover screw heads
generally won't work. They are designed to leave a clean, dowel like
piece, and waste (destroy) outside the perimeter. A more appropriate
solution was posted in one of the magazines, where a shopmade cutter was
devised from a piece of copper tubing, chucked in a drill press, and
sharpened with a small knife-edged file. Reaming to size afterwards with a
drill bit would seem to be indicated.

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw lube. Paste wax is
good. Soap is not.

Enjoy your project.

Patriarch

"Ray" writes:

Remove the hinge and use a plug cutter to remove the screw, and
surrounding
wood. Then glue a plug, to match the outer diameter of the plug cutter,
in
the hole and let it cure. Then you can install two more screws into the
new
plug. Voila!!

I like it.

Best suggestion on the subject I've seen to date.

Few places it might not work, but not many.

Thank you.

As a matter of practice, I usually am very suspicious of mounting screws
supplied with hardware.

If I break one, I **** can the rest and go to plan "B".

Translation:

Use the screws you get from a good fastener supplier.

HTH

Lew

John wrote:


Also lube the screws. Don't use soap, it can attract moisture and
result in early corrosion/rusting and failure. WAX is good. I keep a
can of Johnson's floor wax for use on my table saw top and other
stationary tools, and it also works great as a screw lube


I like to use linseed oil for the lube. Great to have the LO soak into the
wood on the inside.

--
Saville

Replicas of 15th-19th century nautical navigational instruments:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/backstaffhome.html

Restoration of my 82 year old Herreshoff S-Boat sailboat:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/SBOATrestore.htm

Steambending FAQ with photos:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/Steambend.htm

It looks as if you've had some excellent recommendations so I shan't repeat
them. However, I will say this:

I FEEL YOUR PAIN! What I do when I have a screw head snap off on me is try
to swear it out of the wood! Never works though!


"Mark and Kim Smith" wrote in message
...
I was installing some doors on a red oak face frame. The doors are a
3/8" overlay, red oak rails and stiles. The hinges ( Rockler #32142,
chrome ) attached to the door no problem. When I went to hang the door,
I marked my location, used my Vix bit to predrill the face frame and
used a cordless to put the screw in. The head broke off. Thinking I
used too much torque, I went to the next hole. Drilled it, installed
the screw full depth, removed it, put the door in place and installed
the screw making sure I didn't over drive it. Snapped the head off as
soon as it was snugged to the hinge. These are #8's, maybe 6's, 'bout a
half inch long. Chrome?? Stainless?? Went back into my shop, found
some brass, #8 counter sunk head screws. Drilled and attached the door
with the last two screw holes. The hinge holes are oblong, so there was
enough material to fit a screw in on the two holes where the broken
screws were at. It doesn't leave any margin for adjustment that way.

My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

I try to avoid breaking screws by putting a little saliva on them then
dragging them across a bar of soap.

Don Dando


"Mark and Kim Smith" wrote in message
...
I was installing some doors on a red oak face frame. The doors are a
3/8" overlay, red oak rails and stiles. The hinges ( Rockler #32142,
chrome ) attached to the door no problem. When I went to hang the door,
I marked my location, used my Vix bit to predrill the face frame and
used a cordless to put the screw in. The head broke off. Thinking I
used too much torque, I went to the next hole. Drilled it, installed
the screw full depth, removed it, put the door in place and installed
the screw making sure I didn't over drive it. Snapped the head off as
soon as it was snugged to the hinge. These are #8's, maybe 6's, 'bout a
half inch long. Chrome?? Stainless?? Went back into my shop, found
some brass, #8 counter sunk head screws. Drilled and attached the door
with the last two screw holes. The hinge holes are oblong, so there was
enough material to fit a screw in on the two holes where the broken
screws were at. It doesn't leave any margin for adjustment that way.

My question is, what do you do when you have broken screws? I just left
them in place and worked around them. They'll never be seen by anyone.
Suggestions??

"Ray" wrote in message
. ..
Remove the hinge and use a plug cutter to remove the screw, and
surrounding wood. Then glue a plug, to match the outer diameter of the
plug cutter, in the hole and let it cure. Then you can install two more
screws into the new plug. Voila!!


Have you actually done that before? I have used a couple of plug cutters
and both needed a drill press to keep the cutter from wandering. Plus, is
the out side diameter of the plug cutter a common size that you could get a
dowel or cut a plug?
Which plug cutter style/size have you used to do this?

"John" wrote in message
...
No one has mentioned, but DUMP the Cheap, weak screws and get
some good screws. Typically the screws you buy at the BORG are ****,
and are NOT known for their strength.

Good suggestion but the question was what to do after the screw breaks.
Good quality screws can break also.

Don Dando wrote:
I try to avoid breaking screws by putting a little saliva on them
then dragging them across a bar of soap.

Don Dando


[snip]

I've seen wax recommended over spit and/or soap. Bee's wax is easy to find
as is parafin. The parafin starts off as a bar slightly larger than a
dollar bill and is hard to lose even when the shop gets messy.

Josie

Piece of copper tubing with a ID just a tad bigger than the screw,
file in some teeth and cut out a plug with the screw piece in it.
Then plug with a glued in dowel (if needed, enlarge hole with a drill
bit so the dowel will fit) or one of the commerical versions of this,
then start over after the glue has cured

John

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 14:08:42 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:


"John" wrote in message
.. .
No one has mentioned, but DUMP the Cheap, weak screws and get
some good screws. Typically the screws you buy at the BORG are ****,
and are NOT known for their strength.

Good suggestion but the question was what to do after the screw breaks.
Good quality screws can break also.

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 14:06:12 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:


"Ray" wrote in message
...
Remove the hinge and use a plug cutter to remove the screw, and
surrounding wood. Then glue a plug, to match the outer diameter of the
plug cutter, in the hole and let it cure. Then you can install two more
screws into the new plug. Voila!!


Have you actually done that before? I have used a couple of plug cutters
and both needed a drill press to keep the cutter from wandering. Plus, is
the out side diameter of the plug cutter a common size that you could get a
dowel or cut a plug?
Which plug cutter style/size have you used to do this?

They make broken screw extractors. Basically nothing more than a
hardened steel tube with teeth on one end. You cut out a small (like
1/4" or so plug with the broken screw in the middle. Glue in a dowel
and you are ready to go - of course now you are putting a screw into
end grain instead of cross grain, but you can't have everything. You
could make your own dowels or plugs to get the right grain I suppose.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

On Thursday 27 Jan 2005 5:35 am, Glenna Rose scribbled:

Been reading this thread and I've seen no one mention something Ron
Hazelton showed on his program. Drill a hole down the middle of the
broken screw, then use the screw extractor bit (not as mentioned
above) to
remove the screw. The s.e.b. is a reverse bit that backs the screw
out of
the hole. Of course, when he showed it, it worked very well.

I have a set. Sometimes it works, other times not, maybe 50 percent of
the time for me. Two problems:

1. Often, it is difficult to get a drill hole started in the broken
screw as they tend to get sheared off at an angle. Sometimes, punching
the screw with a nail set to creat a small flat "platform" for the
drill bit works. But you want that hole fairly close to the centre of
the screw and you can't always do that. If it's off-centre, all you end
up doing is using the extractor to make a nice little cove along the
length of the screw.

2. Especially with brass screws (which are the ones that tend to break
most for me, YMMV), the extractor (being made of hard steel) often just
chews off the brass without turning the screw.

I also once broke an extractor in the screw. That was a real PITA, since
it sheared off at an angle, and being made of hard steel so I couldn't
punch it and I couldn't get the drill bit started.

I like the idea of the copper pipe system with a plug. I'll try it next
time if I remember. With brass screws in moderately hard (e.g. Doug
Fir) and harder woods, I most often run a steel screw first to cut the
threads and then screw in the brass screw.

--
Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html

writes:

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw lube. Paste wax
is
good. Soap is not.

Why is soap not? An ol' timer told me to use it which, occasionally, I do.

Glenna

writes:

They make broken screw extractors. Basically nothing more than a
hardened steel tube with teeth on one end. You cut out a small (like
1/4" or so plug with the broken screw in the middle. Glue in a dowel
and you are ready to go - of course now you are putting a screw into
end grain instead of cross grain, but you can't have everything. You
could make your own dowels or plugs to get the right grain I suppose.

Been reading this thread and I've seen no one mention something Ron
Hazelton showed on his program. Drill a hole down the middle of the
broken screw, then use the screw extractor bit (not as mentioned above) to
remove the screw. The s.e.b. is a reverse bit that backs the screw out of
the hole. Of course, when he showed it, it worked very well.

Glenna

Glenna Rose wrote:

writes:

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw
lube. Paste wax is good. Soap is not.

Why is soap not? An ol' timer told me to use it which,
occasionally, I do.

Soap /is/ a good lubricant - but it loves moisture and
facilitates rust and corrosion of the screw.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

(Glenna Rose) wrote in
news:fc.003d094101e26c9d3b9aca0009bc8b3c.1e26c9f@p mug.org:

writes:

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw lube. Paste
wax is
good. Soap is not.

Why is soap not? An ol' timer told me to use it which, occasionally,
I do.


Soap is hygroscopic. Pretty sure that's the right word. If not, I'll be
corrected. Attracts water to itself, which is a bad thing, considering
wood, iron, and the like. Staining is the first indication. Corrosion
likely follows.

Not a big deal. Just easily avoided, so why not?

Patriarch

writes:

Soap is hygroscopic. Pretty sure that's the right word. If not, I'll be
corrected. Attracts water to itself, which is a bad thing, considering
wood, iron, and the like. Staining is the first indication. Corrosion
likely follows.

Not a big deal. Just easily avoided, so why not?

Groan. I just used it on nearly all of the screws I put in the two
bookshelves I gave my middle son and daughter-in-law for Christmas. :-(

On the good side, the shelf units are painted so maybe it'll never matter.

Oh, well. Lesson learned. (And it's not like I didn't have wax!)

Glenna

firstjois wrote:
I've seen wax recommended over spit and/or soap. Bee's wax is easy
to find
as is parafin. The parafin starts off as a bar slightly larger than
a
dollar bill and is hard to lose even when the shop gets messy.

Or easier still:
get a white parafin candle,
rub the screws on it before using them,
drive them in.

Cheap, works. Don't use parafin if you intend
to do fine finishing, though: it sometimes stuffs
up the finish. Use bee's wax.

Glenna Rose wrote:

writes:


They make broken screw extractors. Basically nothing more than a
hardened steel tube with teeth on one end. You cut out a small (like
1/4" or so plug with the broken screw in the middle. Glue in a dowel
and you are ready to go - of course now you are putting a screw into
end grain instead of cross grain, but you can't have everything. You
could make your own dowels or plugs to get the right grain I suppose.



Been reading this thread and I've seen no one mention something Ron
Hazelton showed on his program. Drill a hole down the middle of the
broken screw, then use the screw extractor bit (not as mentioned above) to
remove the screw. The s.e.b. is a reverse bit that backs the screw out of
the hole. Of course, when he showed it, it worked very well.

Glenna




Not easy to do on a #6 screw. Heck, the wood envelopes it and you can't
even see the shaft anymore. Plus the Easy-Outs I've seen don't go down
to that small of a diameter. You might back it out if you are able to
drill it with the left handed drill bit.

"Luigi Zanasi" wrote in message
. ..


I like the idea of the copper pipe system with a plug. I'll try it next
time if I remember. With brass screws in moderately hard (e.g. Doug
Fir) and harder woods, I most often run a steel screw first to cut the
threads and then screw in the brass screw.


Without a doubt, my favorite tool to get broken screws out is the hot
wrench. Works great in metal - just get the area nice and red, and you can
almost turn it out by hand. On wood, you don't even have to bother with the
turning part...

--

-Mike-

Soap causes the screw to rust. Use wax
max

writes:

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw lube. Paste wax
is
good. Soap is not.

Why is soap not? An ol' timer told me to use it which, occasionally, I do.

Glenna

Soap is hydrophylic, it attracts/holds water, which would promote the
screw to corrode OR the wood to rot

John

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 21:30:55 -0800, (Glenna Rose)
wrote:

writes:

Try not to break the screws. Try to use a little screw lube. Paste wax
is
good. Soap is not.

Why is soap not? An ol' timer told me to use it which, occasionally, I do.

Glenna