Removing phillips screw with destroyed head

[tenohfive]

I'm in the process of putting up some fairly cheap and cheerful Dunelm Mills blinds, and the first stage is screwing the end brackets into place. I'm not too sure if its because of cheap screws that came with them, or the cheap phillips screwdrivers I'm using or my cackhanded technique but the head on one of the screws holding the first mount into place is fooked. Upon realising I couldn't tighten it any more (screwdriver was just rotating in the head) I tried loosening it, thinking I'd bin it and use another screw. That didn't work though - only loosened a turn or two.

Because of the shape of the bracket, I can't get a pair of pliers in to remove the screw, and though its got a hegaxonal shape on the outside I haven't got a spanner small enough - smallest I've got is 6mm.

Any suggestions that don't involve another trip to homebase?

[mybrainhurts]

Drill it out...

[Traveller]

Use a hacksaw blade or junior hacksaw, even an old blade snapped to size,to cut a slot in the head and use a flat screwdriver to turn it out.

[Traveller]

damn double posting internet stutter.

Edited by Traveller on Friday 10th July 14:36

[900T-R]

You don't happen to have a Dremel tool w/cutting discs? Cut slot in screw head, use flat blade screw driver to get screw out...

[900T-R]

Ah, beaten to it (although with a junior hacksaw blade you'd need a lot more free space round the screw head)...

[Davi]

Traveller said:

Use a hacksaw blade or junior hacksaw, even an old blade snapped to size,to cut a slot in the head and use a flat screwdriver to turn it out.

or failing that, a centre punch / chisel on the very edge, angled to create anti-clockwise pressure.

Depends how tight it is!

[Plotloss]

The aptly named Screw Extractor?

[tenohfive]

mybrainhurts said:

Drill it out...

I make no bones about this face - I'm a DIY novice. How exactly do I do this?

Failing that I'll try the junior hacksaw idea, though it'll be the more awkward option by the sounds of it.

[900T-R]

Plotloss said:

The aptly named Screw Extractor?

tenohfive said:

Any suggestions that don't involve another trip to homebase?

I doubt he'd be posting this if he a) had such a device and b) it actually did what it said on the box...

Edited by 900T-R on Friday 10th July 14:42

[Davi]

Plotloss said:

The aptly named Screw Extractor?

Going on his failure to screw a brand new screw in I fear either a screw extractor or an easyout are not in safe hands

Edited by Davi on Friday 10th July 14:43

[mybrainhurts]

tenohfive said:

mybrainhurts said:

Drill it out...

I make no bones about this face - I'm a DIY novice. How exactly do I do this?

First, find a dentist...

[Traveller]

tenohfive said:

mybrainhurts said:

Drill it out...

I make no bones about this face - I'm a DIY novice. How exactly do I do this?

Failing that I'll try the junior hacksaw idea, though it'll be the more awkward option by the sounds of it.

You need a metal drill slightly smaller than the thickest part of the screw thread diameter, if possible use a centre punch on the screw head to make life easier when starting to drill, then drill into the screw, all the way, hopefully drilling most of the thread out, clean the swarf away, and get a new screw to fit. Job done.

Edited by Traveller on Friday 10th July 14:53

[dirkgently]

Drill the head of the screw off, remove bracket, grab stub of screw with pliers and remove.

[im]

mybrainhurts said:

tenohfive said:

mybrainhurts said:

Drill it out...

I make no bones about this face - I'm a DIY novice. How exactly do I do this?

First, find a dentist...

I like a man who laughs at his own jokes...

[Simpo Two]

Stick a sturdy screwdriver between wall and bracket and lever the fker out.

Next time, drill a pilot hole!

[svm]

Try hammering a screwdriver into the screw head. Then push the screwdriver whilst turning.

Failing that, prise out as mentioned.

[eliot]

dirkgently said:

Drill the head of the screw off, remove bracket, grab stub of screw with pliers and remove.

^^What he said.

[sublimatica]

dirkgently said:

Drill the head of the screw off, remove bracket, grab stub of screw with pliers and remove.

Bend stub of screw first to give you a natural lever when turning it. The screw can't be too difficult to turn.

And invest in a decent set of screwdrivers or this will happen time after time. Halfords Professional range is fine for DIY. As soon as a screwdriver's head loses its sharpness, throw it out - it will do more harm than good.

[motco]

Occasionally you can use a small straight-cut screwdriver in a damaged Philips.