Stupid Stripped Screws

[SithMaster]

Im trying to take something apart and when i get to the last screw it just flaked and then the top wouldnt turn.  So i take a drill and try to wear the head down.  Its gets really close and then it hits the solid threaded part and the bit (curves outwards) wont go down farther and theres a little bit of metal left preventing me from getting it out.  Any ideas?

Thanks.

[modessitt]

Hmmm....well....if it's the only screw holding it down, is it possible to rotate the wood to unscrew it from the screw threads?

If not, you could sink a hole on either side of the remainder of the screw as close as you can get and then the wood should come loose, leaving the screw.  Then just stick a pair of vice grips on it and twist it out.  You'd have a larger hole for the screw than was there before, but it would be out.

In the future....

Whenever I have this happen, rather than trying to drill it out (which rarely works as you found out) I use a cutting wheel on my drill that cuts a groove in the head of the screw, then use a large flat-head to twist it out.  Works every time.

[SithMaster]

I can try to wiggle it to rotate.

the thing is the screw is sunk?, it is below the woodline.  i was thinking of getting the bit for extracting but id rather not spend cash on one since they can be a one time use item. ill try to rotate it around.  thanks.

[fjl]

Since when are those bits used to extract a screw a hit or miss? I've had nothing but good result with them. Of course, the harder part is drilling the hole correctly.

[SithMaster]

I read (somewhere) that they can get stuck and not be used again.  Actually that is not hit or miss but the potential for it to be a one time user.  Ill revise my intial post.

[SavannahLion]

It's only a one time thing when you buy it. It's a two time thing when you don't.