I tried to remove a screw that was holding a metal curtain arm onto a window frame. It's right in the top left corner with wooden frame on two sides and the metal hinge just below it. I tried drilling it which was going OK until the hole went off centre and left me with a half moon shaped piece of metal.
Any ideas on how to remove it? Can't get pliers in there. No way I can get a grinder in there, have already broken 2 drill bits... :(
Nick
Brute force and ignorance - and then make good any damage
Regards Jeff
My usual solution to this sort of thing is to weld a blob on the end so you can grip it, but you might have problems getting in there to do that. You could always drill it through from the outside.
Flat pry bar and polyfiller.
I just had an idea - how about getting a metal tube which fits over the screw head snugly - and using it to guide a drill bit? The drill bit should be fairly large to avoid rattling around.
Does this sound do-able?
BTW - It will be enough to remove the head, I don't have to remove the whole screw.
Nick
Or Polyfilla.
Only succesful way is drill&fill. Drill round the screw as near to it as possible till it can be wiggled out then fill with wood filler.
Unfortunately, I can't do this because the screw in question is holding on a substantial steel bracket.
I forgot to say that I did manage to unscrew it about 4mm before it got mangled.
Nick
On 26 Sep 2005 01:38:20 -0700, "NickW" scrawled:
Hammer. Not so much to remove it but to bury it in the wall.
Dremel with mini cutting disk
Tony
Sharp cold chisel and a couple of whacks with a big hammer?
Duh! if he can't get pliers in there, what chance has he with a hammer.
Best invent something to get around that then - let's see, it will be a long narrow bit of hard steel, place one end on the target and hit the other end with a hammer - what could we call it ... how about "punch"?
No. That sticks to their beaks and causes havoc behind the sofa. You have to move their perch away from the TV and the windows too.
"Drift" would be more accurate.
As it's unscrewed a little, he might have some luck cutting a slot in it with a hand-held hacksaw blade (wrapped with tape for a grip). It only needs to move in/out 1/2" or so, then a bit of persistance will cut a slot, then the thing can be undone with a screwdriver.
You ever tried driving a screw into wood with hammer&punch? I reckon it'll crack the plaster behind the wood something wicked.
Do you allways talk in riddles?
Well, I though it was amusing...
What makes you think there's plaster behind it?
Hammering the screw is probably not an option, it's in a very old window frame and not far from the glass...
Does any one have any comments on my idea of using a steel tube to guide a drill bit?
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