Left handed drill bits in Calgary... or at least Canada???

[Noozer]

I've got a broken bolt in my cars engine block. I'm trying to locate a source for left handed (counterclockwise) drill bits in Calgary, AB, Canada. In most places they just look at me funny until I explain why I need it. Some places have heard of it, but don't have any.

If I was in the U.S. I could buy a whole set for about $8... To order from the US will end up adding $15 shipping, plus whatever duties, plus everyone wants to use UPS - which adds $50 to the final total.

There MUST be someplace in Calgary I can go to purchase a set of these things. If not, how about a Canadian website where I could order a set for a REASONABLE shipping charge?

*sigh*

Help?!?

[ameijers]

Try asking for bolt extractors. I can almost guarantee local 'purveyor to the trade' tool place will have them.

aem sends...

[Edwin Pawlowski]

What you want it a normal type drill bit and an "easy out" extractor. Drill a hole into the bolt, then use the extractor in a wrench to turn it out counter clockwise. Go to

and page 2709 to see what you need.

[JohnH]

While on the subject of Easy Outs, what has your real world success rate been with these? Mine has approached around 0%. I've found that when something is so rusted in that it breaks the bolt head, it does the same to these things (or it just strips and spins).

[RichK]

Easy outs are hit-miss. I've been able to get some smaller bolts out. Broke one trying. You're right not a solution for all cases.

I bough a set of Bolt Extractors from Sears a few days ago. About to test them on some car bolts, where the heads were reduced in size, so no socket fits.

RichK

PS The first trick is to put a hole in the bolt :-). The drill bit sharpening thread I started a couple of days ago, was after I ruined a handful of bits trying to drill a hole. Easy Out would not touch that one. Ended up drilling and all the out.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

We use them for disassembling tooling. stainless steel bolts in aluminum. I'd say 90% or more.

[PanHandler]

It's an especially fun job removing the stub from the bolt. Wonder if anyone makes an Easy Out stub extractor? :-)

[lp13-30]

Snap On makes them. Check out their website if you do not have a distributor in your area. Good luck Larry

[BobK207]

Source for left hand drill bits

order online or over the phone

cheers Bob

[Steve Barker LT]

Explain which bolt it is, what size it is, and how deep is it broken off. IE: is it flush or broken off down in the hole or is part of it sticking out?

[mm]

Yes, they do. I forget where I see it. And it's not made by Easy Out.

If it is sold by JCWhitney, it may or may not be high quality, but even moderate quality might be worth it. I don't think the OP has a stub, but if he does, it would be better to work on the stub first.

BTW OP, run the engine if you possibly can until it is hot. That's how I got my bad bolt out. I had supertorquesd a cheap 6" extension, so the top turned and the bottom of the same part stayed in one place. After I got the engine hot, a similarly cheap extension worked. If I recall correctly, I had to put a pipe on the ratchet handle to get enough torque for both steps. But they were 3/8" socket wrenches. A half inch ratchet or breaker bar is longer. Still, the pipe works well. (I think I just used fairly thin steel pipe, like chair legs from the simplest 1960's kitchen chairs, because that's what I had.

[mm]

Please, let me know where. I'm serious, and I would appreciate it.

I have had a lot of trouble finding them. Vermont American has only 2 or 3 sizes on the web, a small size that is about 2 or 3 dollars and a large size that was 12 iirc. I didn't find them at the VA website, but by using a general search on left handed drill bits.

The only store I found them at was the big hardware store in Dallas, that is not Home Depot (which is also headquartered in Dallas I think)

They once shipped me some shelf pegs and charged 37cents for shipping and handling. Whatever the cost was of a first class stamp at the time. I sent a letter but they probably have email by now. Pretty sure they don't have an online catalog, so describe what you want.

I'll remember the name if someone tells me.

I thought we had NAFTA now and duties were low or non-existant among the US, Mexico, and Canada??

[Noozer]

With the left handed drills, there is a good chance that the bolt will come out WHILE drilling.

[Noozer]

Amazon.com...

[Noozer]

...or eBay:

[Nonnymus]

I've used "Easy Outs" my entire life to get out broken studs and snapped off bolts. I guess I have learned something new, but don't really understand the "why." When I've used the Easy Out (extractors), they were always tapered and had left hand threads. I just drilled an appropriately sized hole in the bolt or stud, inserted the Easy Out into the hole and began "tightening" it until the bolt came out. What would be the reason or advantage of drilling the hole with a left hand bit? Could the reason be that using a right handed bit on a LOOSE-but-broken-off stud or bolt would move it further into the hole as you drilled? I've never had one that was loose, so I never worried about it. In all my cases, the blasted things were frozen solid in the hole. Is that the reason for the LH drill bits?

Nonnymus

[Michael Daly]

What does NAFTA have to do with shipping charges?

Mike

[harleyron]

Princess Auto might be of help. If they don't stock them they might be able to order them. If this bolt is accessible and you have A wire feed welder you can try to remove it by taking A nut and clamping it over what is left of the broken bolt. Then fill the center of the nut with weld until you have,in effect, welded A new head on the bolt. You may have to do this trick A number of times before the bolt will back all the way out. The heat of the welding process will help loosen it also. I have found A good soaking with Kroill(this stuff is not sold in stores. I get mine on-line) If Kroill is not available PB Blaster will help break down the rust. Air impact wrenches might break it loose better than trying hand tools. Air seems to apply better circular pressure to get stuck fasteners moving than the more linear pressure of the human hand.

Good Luck! H.R.

[mm]

Hmmm. I can't get rid of the feeling that that place is for books, or for Amazons.

Thanks a lot. I'm going to check it out right now.

[mm]

Elsewhere in his post he referred to duties. I wasn't going to hunt for that spot. (But at least we don't use top posting. With that, nothing is under the line it refers to.)