How To Remove A Broken Bolt or Stripped Screw

Sept. 20, 2012 - PRLog -- Villa Park Hardware put together a couple videos to help customers with broken bolts and stripped screws.

"If you have a screw with a stripped head, it's a pretty easy fix," says store manager Jason Smejkal. "We have a screw bit that has a reverse thread that will bite into the stripped head and turn it out. For bolts that have broken off, it takes a couple more steps."

The videos that the store put together cover both problems. For a broken bolt, you will need to pick up a screw extractor at your local hardware store. Look at the packaging and make sure you have a metal drill bit the size that is recommended for the pilot hole. You want a screw extractor that has a tip smaller than the diameter of the bolt you are removing.

You can purchase a handle designed to be used with the screw extractor or just use an adjustable wrench or a locking pliers to remove the broken bolt. Do not use a drill on the extractor, remove the bolt by hand.

"Sometimes you need to tap the extractor into the broken bolt pretty hard to get a good grip, " says Smejkal. "You can also tap the top of the extractor as you are turning it to get a grip. If you have an old rusted bolt that is broken off, soaking it first with a good lubricant can help too."

You can stop by the Villa Park Hardware at 46 S. Villa Ave. Villa Park, IL 60181.

You can watch the videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXL28fepFl4



and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhuwyGYd75g