Snapped Off A Screw Extractor In A 3Mm Hole

sharpen a carbide tipped masonry bit into a similar profile as to what a steel drilling bit is. That will easily drill through hardened tool steel.

i did not know they made masonary bits that small. thanks

I have seen them down to around 1/8" before for putting small concrete anchors.

You can buy carbide bits (of ordinary drill bit style) in small sizes. However, they tend to walk around a lot on something that you might not be able to center-punch too well. A diamond point in a Dremel may work, and you can get Dremel carbide cutting bits down to 3/32, I think. A ball cutter would be a little easier to handle if you need to go deep. Wear eye protection.

I feel for ya. Once the extractor is out, you still have the problem you were trying to solve -- getting the screw remains out. If you can carry the piece, EDM is a good bet.

Excuse my ignorance but what is EDM?

I think it is Electrostatic Discharge Machining.

For the OP: Is the part removable so you can take it to a shop with EDM? Or do they make portable EDM machines?

Fancy that - a knowledge of die sinking and tool making?

Welcome & BTW, GA

Haven't seen you in quite a while. Welcome back!

Tough spot you are in. You can try hitting gently with a center punch to loosen the easy out. The diamond tip dremel can help also. Most of all have patience. Heat might help. Heli coils may help later. Good luck.

Cut a groove in the top of the screw extractor, use a small cutoff wheel. Then take an impact driver, set it in that groove and whack the sh*t out of it with a hammer. This will bring you back to the point where you started.

PS- make sure impact driver is set to extract the extractor, otherwise you will be tightening it.

Circuit board drill, the come in carbide. They have 60 and 90 degree angled points will not walk. Just do not drill through or place a lot of pressure on them they will break off. I use them for spotting on my mill because of they don't walk. I use them to drill out broken taps.

Considering your situation, I favor EDM. It will remove the screw and the extractor cleanly.

I whole heartedly agree. http://www.brokentap.com/ " Jerry's Broken Drill and Tap Removal " provides interesting information about " the removal of broken taps, broken bolts, broken drills, broken studs, broken spark plugs, broken easy-outs, & broken lug bolts"

Extracting such small broken hard stuff, in most cases, consumes hours with no guaranty of success.

Can an alternate spot or alternate locking arrangement be thought of? Can you elaborate the exact purpose of this screw and its whereabouts?

Small carbide left-handed drill bits are available at larger machine tool supply houses. This, when used with a counter-clockwise drill (a reversible drill set in reverse) will either drill out the screw extractor or if you are lucky it will back out the original screw that was broken off. That way both the extractor and the broken off screw come out! Use caution with your feed pressure though, you don't want to break off the drill bit in the screw extractor. Also, use plenty of the appropriate cutting oil.

Good Luck, Old Salt

The small carbide circuit board drills are extremely brittle. They must be used at high speed with zero lateral bending tried...they will snap.

EDM, is repeated sparks in oil between the tool and the work piece.

These sparks are frequent and the gap is small and it can cut almost anything.

They may be a rentable machine? Or your co could buy one.

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=755&q=edm+machining+services&aq=1&aqi=g8g-m2&aql=&oq=edm+machining

I have removed broken taps by heating the remainig part cherrry red hot with a few white spots with a torch, then let it cool slowly. Then drill it out with a standard twist drill.

You will then need to drill and tap a new hole and possibly use a heli coil.

If you can use a template piece of metal over the hole it is easier to keep things lined up for drilling. Example, broken stud for a water pump, use the old pump housing and make a drill bushing for the hole over the broken stud. Bolt the housing back on, you can then drill and be pretty close.

Everyone knows that screw extractors don't work. Except Screw Extractor salesman.

Me...........Well, I reckon they work.

EDM, chews it out. Best investment you will ever make is getting someone with EDM, doing the business.

Cheers.

Mark N.

Center a 3mm nut over it and use a wirefeed welder to weld it on. Possibly you can pull the stud you were trying to extract. Strike as soon as it cools. Have the socket ready. I've done this many times. Takes a dab hand with a welder, though.

You could use either a Cobalt or Titanium drill bit to drill out the broken-off screw extractor. Make sure you do this with a very good quality drill press (if possible), where you can lock down and "fix" the work piece effectively to prevent it's movement. Use a short length drill bit to prevent it from flexing and drifting. Also, to prevent breaking odd the bit since it's a fairly small diameter, which is easy to do. Been there done it too many times! LOL Just make sure you use a drill bit with a diameter equal to or slightly less than the "root thread diameter", otherwise you are going to need to drill and thread tap a new hole slightly larger then the3mm diameter one you presently have. After drilling out the offending tool, use a high quality hardened steel thread tap to remove the remaining pieces of the extractor.

Good luck!

Back in the day...we used to weld a small Allen wrench to the top of the piece to be removed...then just screw it out.

Common problem. I have had a 100 percent success rate using small diamond burrs with a Dremel flex-shaft to make a through-hole followed by the appropriately sized tap. Lighting may be a problem. You have to see what you are doing. Patience is the key. If you rush, it'll be damaged beyond repair. The hole you make MUST be centered and on-axis. Don't forget safety glasses or you will get metal dust in your eyes and be very unhappy for a couple of days. If you feel rushed, take a break. Good luck and happy grinding.

Good suggestions, particularly the eye protection!

FYI, Dremel manufacturers a "drill-press" type rig where you can attach your Dremel tool and help with the alignment and speed of drilling issues. Get one with the foot pedal. You can pick them up cheaply on Ebay, new or used. You can also buy brand new high speed steel carbide Dental burrs on Ebay cheap......or visit your Dentist and ask him for an old one that he's replaced or is about to replace. I have literally hundred of them of all types that fit in my 2 Dremel tools. My late dad was a Dentist and I basically inherited them for naught (mom was going to chuck 'em out into the circular file)....work great in all types of materials including almost all steel alloys, and in the materials I use in my various hobbies. Check 'em out, you won't be sorry!

In my 40 years experience dealing with removing broken taps, drill bits, and screws, The EDM process is the only sure way to remove the broken hardware without totally destroying the tapped hole in your part. Any attempt to "drill" it out with a carbide drill, end mill, or burr will only result in another broken tool and an oversize out of round hole in your part. If you don't have an EDM machine a few minutes on the phone will find a shop in your area that has one and is experienced in this type of problem. If you are worried about the cost, its a lot cheaper than wasting your time and in the end having to by a new part.