Excellent video! I've been a diesel technician for over 20 years and have used many of these methods but there were a couple in there that were new to me. I would say I can't wait to try out these new methods but generally whenever you have to extract its not a fun time lol.
I used to do Submarine Repair in the Navy. Dealing with stubborn or stuck fasteners was an every day occurrence. Before ever trying to use an Allen Key but after cleaning the bolt we always started with the Impact Driver. Just the simple Hammer Driven one. This would loosen or break free over 95% of the bolts.
As I sit in my sub repair chair on shore duty, I watched this video lol. I will add though, the times we have stripped heads, a "sock out" or a tapered allen head just slightly bigger than the original hole is beneficial to these stripped allen head bolts. Hammer the sock out into the head, and use a socket or adjustable wrench on the end to loosen by hand.
Excellent video. I have used practically all of these techniques but a reminder is always a good thing. One other way I have found recently is with a cheap thin diamond wheel on a dremel type tool cut a slot into the bolt and use a hand impact wrench with a straight bit ...my first option in a lot of cases nowadays.
Thank you for this. Now I can't wait to get home and try a few. Bought a used thickness planer, 6 allen head bolts on each blade, 3 on each side came out with some penetrating oil and elbow grease. There was surface rust on the machine, so I am assuming rusted inside. Makes it challenging because the blade head spins too, so holding it while you are trying these things is difficult. i've tried oil, heat, but ended up rounding 4 out of the 6 left. Waiting on extractor sets coming today to try again, but I think I'm gonna try shocking better (did do that some) and the punch idea after heating again. Maybe that will finally get them free so I can change the blades!!! Thanks again!
Fantastic! I watched this video several weeks ago... I thought I would never need to use any of these methods but ended up getting a second hand garden shredder and having to remove 4 hex M8 countersunk bolts. I used the center punch and hammer method. Thank you for great educational content!
This is all very well but in the real world when your seized Allen bolt is somewhere on your car or bike (and not on a piece of sheet metal held in a vice) it will be a very different experience.
When you need to apply heat - those smaller blowtorches much loved by Professional Chefs are very useful. VERY compact yet hot flame, with a nice compact unit overall. For REALLY tight spots - you can get "pencil" butane torches from Ebay, etc, which can be a godsend.
My dad was a marine mechanic who worked for himself. He had something like a hand impact screwdriver. You'd put in the correct size bit, then you'd get a hammer and hit the other end. Worked great especially with some heat.
Hammer and chisel technique was very effective in rotating a cap head and backing the bolt out enough to get a grip with my fingers. Thanks for covering so many scenarios.
One of my favorite tips is using a dremel with a cut off wheel to cut a slot for a flat head screwdriver. Hacksaw will also work except for counter sinks.
Useful video - I think a lot of us had to learn this stuff the hard way so it's nice to see it offered up like this. Will save a lot of people a lot of painful lessons!
Thank you for this clip. I've never seen a centre punch quite like that. I have used the manual ones and semi automatic ones you push on, but this must really be able to hit hard I guess and is probably a lot more reliable. Another thing which can sometimes work is to use a torx bit and tap it in, but if it doesn't work it can make an even bigger round hole as I discovered earlier.
Jusb1066 ain't nothin better than saying words that would get you kicked out of church for such a potty mouth. Lol. Doesn't get the screw or bolt out, but it makes you feel better for saying those words. LMAO 😹😹😹
I was about to post the same, I have never bothered buying dedicated tools as i rarely encounter this issue but when I do i use some old cheap torx bits and as you said hammer them in and for me they work every time
This worked for me. Domed head, recessed in plastic panel so some of these options wouldn't work for me. Saved drilling it out. Great vid though. I'll be screwing the same bolt in for the next person!
A great collection of removal tips. Don't forget to use Never Seize compound when you replace the bolts. Over the years my maintenance regime was to never have the same problem again.
Thanks Keith, I always use copper grease at work when re-assembling anything. It makes it so much easier, the next time it needs taking apart. Thanks for the comment
I'm glad you appreciate the effort as it took quite a while doing all the filming and editing ;-) You are welcome, thanks for watching the video and thanks for the comment
I’m an industrial mechanic with over 4 decades experience. I used to use these techniques but have found 2 others that save time and effort. One way I have used for years is to drive a Torx bit into the bolt. This will work quite well. The second way is MAC Tools have come out with RBRT hex bits. Rounded Bolt Removal Technology. I purchased theses socket and they work spectacularly.
After working for 37 years on oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico with it's salt water environment I can attest that the methods used in this video to extract broken screws, bolts, fasteners etc. works. We used the same methods along with brute force, finesse, patience, elbow grease and profanity. Lots of profanity.
Good video, I gave it a thumbs up. The only exception is applying heat, I think you might be missing the idea of applying heat. Heat expands metal, the trick is to expand what the bolt is screwed in without (as much as you can) heating the bolt itself, thereby the bolt is slightly smaller that what it's screwed into making it easier to remove. When doing this, a person has to work fairly quickly as not letting the bolt reach the same temp as whatever it's screwed into. Have a great day.
When using a left handed drill, set it to the lower speed (or screw speed if you will). You want biting and turning more than drilling into the screw. Great video. I especially like the advice to use the hex wrench when using a pair of vice grips in order to avoid crushing the head.
I had a cap head stuck on my motorbike hugger. I found when it rounded, if hit flat with a hammer the hex shape would return. But still stuck I dremelled the round head into a hex shape and put a small socket over the top, which sheared off when turned. I used a heatgun & oil but the alu swingarm was a big heatsink. I then drilled it out and tapped a smaller hole in the remains as I didn't have the right size bolt.
One important thing to remember, is before even TRYING to remove a hex head screw- make sure that the corners on the hex wrench are NOT ROUNDED!! You always want to remove a hex head screw on the first try- and trying to use a rounded hex wrench puts you at a GREAT disadvantage-!!
Once I stripped a dome head so I dremeled a straight cut into it and I could undo it with a flathead. These were nice methods too, honestly I didn't know vise grips existed, you learn something every day!
Wow i have to say you are a very smart, talented, skilled and mechanically inclined and organized man! I really appreciate all these different ways to remove a stripped out allen bolt. For some reason my favorite one is when you drill a little bit of the stripped head out and then tap an extraction drill bit in there and then loosen it out. I also found the chisel and Hammer technique very impressive as well!
Thanks Steve, I used to be a maintenance engineer in a chemical plant and used to come across things like this on a weekly basis. Hammer and chisel used to work 90% of the time 👍
@@ultimatehandyman You're welcome absolutely, that's the great thing about experience, thank God for that, that we are able to learn it for ourselves and help others as well and make a big impact around the world because of it keep up the great work 💪🌎⚒️🔨
Nicely done educational video. Must have taken quite a bit of time. Thanks for going to the trouble. I was surprised to read in one of the comments that Torx head bolts are superior insofar as tool grip is concerned. Quite a few lads also adequately covered the mandatory swearing and muttering initial reaction.:-) Mike Athens, Greece
It's amazing how clean these bolts are, almost as if they are brand new. Every time I have removed stuck or damaged bolts they are dirty and/or corroded. However the things he is showing should work.
You hit on just about the most important action in removing a broken or stuck threaded piece and that is to use a backward turning as well as the forward turning action to prevent rust and other metal particles from causing the tread to gall or weld the parts together. use this action throughout the entire extraction process. I haven't seen others demonstrate this most important action. Thanks!
I usually throw all my tools round the room in a massive strop and smack 7 shades out of the bolt with a smash hammer before tapping it out with a cold chisel. Works a treat. But haven't used this method since buying good quality allen keys ... Thanks for the video!
I had a flush allen key in a hobart mixer, used a chisel to drive it out by tapping it half in the hole and getting a bite on the edge. Used several of these techniques, finally drilled the edge out along the threads to release the tention and cut through the remaining threads with a dremel tool.
Love the video found out that the same tools have different names in different countries mole grips are vise grips in the US. Anti-clockwise is Counter Clockwise in the US.
@@ultimatehandyman You are welcome. It is funny how the saem tool can have a different name. The name Vise Grip actually came from the first company to manufacture the tool in the United States.
Every one who ever worked on a Japanese motor bike in the 1960's and 70's soon acquired an impact driver, that tool can be readily adapted to fit almost any screw fastener. Add a little heat and its percussive therapy will sort out a good percentage of stuck nuts. It also works on broken studs if you can get a well centered hole in the stud. When I moved into my new shop a year ago we found that I had accumulated 14 of these devices over the last 40 years.
14! I'm like that with silicone guns, I am sure I have bought dozens of them in my lifetime. Yesterday I could not find one in my garage, then I found on in the daughters bedroom (being decorated) and two in my office! Thanks for the comment
Using a star bit just a size bigger than the hole works really great. Tap it in with a hammer and remove it with a ratchet. Easy and it's worked everytime I've done it.
This video is excellent, thorough, very worth watching. I've often had good results simply by putting on a drop or two of oil or WD-40 and tapping (gentle "shocking") and leaving it alone for a couple of hours (or overnight). But, of course, the next frozen bolt will require that I view this video again and follow Ultimate Handyman's instruction EXACTLY. Isn't that the way things work - you think you've got the problem solved and . . .
Thank u I was fixing my screw on my computer and figure out if I used a small screw drive and Clened it I could get it out and it work! Ur cleaning technique was so helpful thank u🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I usually work with larger sizes than this, but when you drill off the head there is no need to use a drill bit the same size as the head. It just needs to be larger than the bolt size. Then the head pops off when you drill trough it. On counter bored allen bolts it will often rust between the head and the counterbore and it will be impossible to get it out in normal manners. Then you can use a holesaw to make clearance and as long as you get it started you don't really need the centerdrill.
Don't know if anyone mentioned it but, using a Dremel or die grinder, cut a slot across the head and then use a standard screw driver to remove. Good video.
Just a note on my previous post that my method is only good for larger cap screws, usually above 16mm. I’m a toolmaker and service and maintain large plastic injection molds, the largest weighing in at 44 tons. I’ve had to remove broken bolts ranging from 5mm to 42mm which require Allen keys that are 32mm AF. I’ve also found that the best screw extractors are the tapered square ones made by Protool. You can’t get anything better than them.
What a great video thanks. Aged 69 I am still learning. If you had asked me to get you a left handed drill bit I would of thought its the equivalent when we were young of being asked to go & buy a tin of striped paint or a sky hook 😂. As for the spring centre punch amazing ☺. Didn't know about them either. If only you received a £1 for each viewing and I bet you have saved many of them a few bob as well. Needless to say you now have another Sub
Me too, I did not realise that they existed. One day at work I was drilling out a bolt, so that I could use the screw extractor (the hole went right through the material). As I was drilling the drill bit, bit into the bolt and pushed it out of the other side, then I searched for "left handed drill bits" and was amazed that they existed! When I first saw the spring tools centre punch I thought they were a gimmick, but they work really well. Thanks for the comment and the sub ;-)
Excellent video. More options to remove stuck, rusted screws or bolts. I have certainly come across my fair share of stuck screws and bolts. Since a lot of my work is maintenance, when I do new work I always use high quality nuts and bolts. Even the galvanised screws rust after a while. I don't even touch zincalume screws or bolts.
I have a lot of rc models some use the button head easiest way iv fount to get them out when they get locked up is to grind a flat head slot in and use an impact driver works pretty much every time if still don't work I give it some heat from my dremel versatip torch wich comes in super handy for heating small things up good video iv youse quite a lot of your tips and mixed a few together an have never had an issue alto I did snap a head of one of them but a little heat and pliers got it out with no damage to the threads
I don't think I saw that a here, but if you have a set of torx there will be one just too big for the Allen bolt, hammer that in as the torx edges will bite in and cut into the corners of the Allen key slot. With the added advantage that you have already shocked it. Then just use that to turn it.
I have used a hacksaw on protruding bolts and cut a slot for a flathead screwdriver. Then the recessed ones i have a bigger flathead and sing it in with a hammer. A couple times it has saved me from drilling them out
You might try the following. Clean the head, as the video suggests. Apply some valve grinding compound on the rounded off head. Take you good Allen Key and lightly tap it into the stripped head. Now try and turn the key to remove the bolt. The valve grinding compound acts as a barrier to give more grip to your Allen Key. Worth a try, and hope it works for you. Regards!
You can get sockets that are designed to grip harder than a standard allen/torx - they have a more aggressive profile designed to grip hard when extracting allens/hex/torx. I've always found heat works best as usually there's loctite on the fastner - same applies to loads of fastners - you don't need loads of heat, just enough to soften the threadlock.
Masonry drills can also be used in hardened steel. They are cheaper and easier to get than solid carbide. However, they need to be sharpened before cutting any metal, and this requires a diamond wheel or a green silicon carbide wheel. Also, don't run them with flood coolant, as the thermal shock will fracture the carbide tip. They cut fine dry, but a drop of oil probably wouldn't do any harm. I've never actually used one on a bolt, but have used them on other hardened steel parts.
The way I got all the recessed and rounded off allen bolts out of my my vintage Ducati engine was to lightly grind off the flanks of a TORX bit so the corners are sharp and tapped it deep into the socket head. Yes, it was risky because if the bit snapped I’d have been stuffed. I must have removed around a dozen screws this way in one evening and every one released with a scary ‘snap’. Those screws had been in there for over 45 years.
I use a 6” pipe wrench instead of the vise grips, it does not mash what I’m working on, and it gets tighter as I turn it. I have gotten out of numerous bad spots when working on brake line fittings too.
im really suprised the loctite gave in, i see you used high strength and it had plenty of area to work on. the impact made it give, albeit it took a while, but worth knowing patience might get you out of trouble!, excellent tips right here, classic UH
Yes, I only realised after filming that I had used the high strength thread locker. I often use a centre punch at work to remove countersunk M6 bolts that have been under water, with the heads partially smoothed off. If you persist with them you can normally remove most of them without having to drill them out and re-tap the hole. Thanks for the comment
Good British Engineering - and I am an Aussie! Right tool for the right job. The tool is the part that gets the job done, Not the "tool" using it. The idea is to have the right tool, and have that tool last forever. If you "bash" a larger allen key in the slot, or a torx bit, you may get the bolt loose, but you will waste a good allen key or bit in the process. So what are you going to use on the next bolt? The idea is to use 'finesse' not brute force. I was trained (way back in 1969 ) by an ex-WW2 Merchant Navy guy. His range of tools was amazing. And what he didn't have, he made on the spot. "Always have to right tool for the job. Look after your tools" He used to say. "And always carry your tools. That will guarantee you always have a job". Coming up 50 years ago that was. I am retired, but busier than ever restoring cars and building Hot Rods. But his words still ring in my head when I "get on the tools". Thanks for giving us an insight into the way it was - and always should be.
Pissed man I drive a semi truck and I got a new $600 cb setup and finally had some downtime so I decided to wire up the new coax went to go takeoff the antenna plates(reminder I just had these plates off like a month and a half ago) and the 5mm recessed cap head stripped I tried drilling it out a bit more and tapping a T40 in to no luck in guessing my only option now is an extractor
I thought this video was brilliant....iv recently tried to use a screw extractor in the raised allen head of my bike manifold and although I got a part turn it did snap...as with your final solution drilling for a thread extractor, if it does snap your totally "HOOKED!" and with no means of welding on a nut my motorbike is currently in the repair shop,,sure wish I had watched this first...still enjoyed it a lot though. thanks
They are brilliant! Much better than traditional Allen keys. I did review them a few weeks back- ua-cam.com/video/5wJYg48fkN0/v-deo.html Thanks for the comment
yep if i hadnt already invested in bondhus for various sets, thats what i would buy now, if you dont have any quality keys, do buy the hex plus, using cheap keys is a recipe for disaster
You can cut a slot in the head with a hacksaw then use a flathead screwdriver with a vise grip clamped onto the handle for leverage. Or if it's countersunk You can use a Dremel with a tiny cutting wheel and do the same.
For socket head cap screws find the appropriate size 12 point socket and hammer it over the cap. You might have to check metric and SAE sizes. As you hammer in on it cuts 12 shallow flutes.
That last bit of video, in a tight space, prob could hammer / drive a tough flat head screwdriver tapered out slightly wider than the rounded hex to hopefully get one last bite into 2 outer points of the hex and turn it out with downward pressure. If u can't weld a nut etc on it, degrease really good, use epoxy on a rod and turn it off after it cures. Just easier to cut a slot in the head and flat driver it out.
You can also use a impacted torques/star bit that is the same size of the rounded Allen head. Useing a hammer impact driver or hammer and a breaker bar.
One technique I use is to use a larger allen key on the screw and hammer it down so it forms a new chamber and then untighten. I have used this technique on many tables and chairs in a Cinema lobby that have over time come loose and due to constant re-tightning the chamber has been warn away.
Another tip worth trying - if the Allen key starts to round out ...STOP. Put some steel wool over the key tip and hammer it into the hexagon socket. Tightens up the Allen key in the bolt head, and often allows it to undo.
Excellent video! I've been a diesel technician for over 20 years and have used many of these methods but there were a couple in there that were new to me. I would say I can't wait to try out these new methods but generally whenever you have to extract its not a fun time lol.
Yeah, it's never fun when you have to do this!
Best of luck with them 👍
i will give you my engine - the bolt is inside , very difficult access
I beat a Torques bit into the stripped hole. Then use an impact driver. That works too!!! Keep Rocking!!!
Thanks for the comment
I do that too, works great!
this is what i was going to add works a treat
Rocker Pat I have done that, also used larger allen wrenchs,or metric and beat the damn thing on. Nice tight fit and shocks it ,all at the same time
what this buy said, or just pound a bigger allen key in.
I used to do Submarine Repair in the Navy. Dealing with stubborn or stuck fasteners was an every day occurrence. Before ever trying to use an Allen Key but after cleaning the bolt we always started with the Impact Driver. Just the simple Hammer Driven one. This would loosen or break free over 95% of the bolts.
Thanks for the comment
As I sit in my sub repair chair on shore duty, I watched this video lol. I will add though, the times we have stripped heads, a "sock out" or a tapered allen head just slightly bigger than the original hole is beneficial to these stripped allen head bolts. Hammer the sock out into the head, and use a socket or adjustable wrench on the end to loosen by hand.
@@core4365 I agree. I have ground down larger allen keys to do just what you said.
My recessed head bolt broke 2 Alan keys and 2 hex head impact bits.... Even with heat applied and penetrant
@@LightGesture that's when you drill it out and use a bolt extractor.
Excellent video. I have used practically all of these techniques but a reminder is always a good thing. One other way I have found recently is with a cheap thin diamond wheel on a dremel type tool cut a slot into the bolt and use a hand impact wrench with a straight bit ...my first option in a lot of cases nowadays.
Thanks for the comment
Thank you for this. Now I can't wait to get home and try a few. Bought a used thickness planer, 6 allen head bolts on each blade, 3 on each side came out with some penetrating oil and elbow grease. There was surface rust on the machine, so I am assuming rusted inside. Makes it challenging because the blade head spins too, so holding it while you are trying these things is difficult. i've tried oil, heat, but ended up rounding 4 out of the 6 left. Waiting on extractor sets coming today to try again, but I think I'm gonna try shocking better (did do that some) and the punch idea after heating again. Maybe that will finally get them free so I can change the blades!!! Thanks again!
Fantastic! I watched this video several weeks ago... I thought I would never need to use any of these methods but ended up getting a second hand garden shredder and having to remove 4 hex M8 countersunk bolts. I used the center punch and hammer method. Thank you for great educational content!
Glad it helped!
Thanks for the comment 👍
This is all very well but in the real world when your seized Allen bolt is somewhere on your car or bike (and not on a piece of sheet metal held in a vice) it will be a very different experience.
When you need to apply heat - those smaller blowtorches much loved by Professional Chefs are very useful. VERY compact yet hot flame, with a nice compact unit overall. For REALLY tight spots - you can get "pencil" butane torches from Ebay, etc, which can be a godsend.
Thanks for the comment
What in the world would a chef use a blowtorch for?
Hot Ice quickly cooks/ browns the surface of things like a meringue
@@hotice8885 creme brulee...just borrowed my wife's as I am down to heat as a last resort on a sump pan bolt. Last one with limited access :-)
Dremel make a good little torch.
My dad was a marine mechanic who worked for himself. He had something like a hand impact screwdriver. You'd put in the correct size bit, then you'd get a hammer and hit the other end. Worked great especially with some heat.
Impact screwdrivers are great 😉
Thanks for the comment
Hammer and chisel technique was very effective in rotating a cap head and backing the bolt out enough to get a grip with my fingers. Thanks for covering so many scenarios.
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment
One of my favorite tips is using a dremel with a cut off wheel to cut a slot for a flat head screwdriver. Hacksaw will also work except for counter sinks.
Thanks for the comment
Wa u recon about torx bits i dont like going hard in the banging in my dirtbike as it might brake lol cost me more cash im thinking of a dremmel
The best part is when no one tells you it's a reverse thread, and you've been tightening it to all hell the whole time
Thankfully left handed threads are pretty rare on bolts!
Thanks for the comment
LOL
Like the RR circa 80s lugnuts
Propane uses reverse threads in usa
Reverse tread is usaly indicated by notches
All great examples and not some crappy DIYer trying to explain things... subscribed
Thanks for the comment and the sub ;-)
Useful video - I think a lot of us had to learn this stuff the hard way so it's nice to see it offered up like this. Will save a lot of people a lot of painful lessons!
Thanks for the comment
Thank you for this clip. I've never seen a centre punch quite like that. I have used the manual ones and semi automatic ones you push on, but this must really be able to hit hard I guess and is probably a lot more reliable. Another thing which can sometimes work is to use a torx bit and tap it in, but if it doesn't work it can make an even bigger round hole as I discovered earlier.
I had an automatic centre punch once, it only lasted a few weeks!
The spring tool punches are great 👍
you didnt cover the first step, swear at it.
Swearing is mandatory when doing jobs like this ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Jusb1066 ain't nothin better than saying words that would get you kicked out of church for such a potty mouth. Lol. Doesn't get the screw or bolt out, but it makes you feel better for saying those words. LMAO 😹😹😹
RANDALLOLOGY if you yell loud enough the sonic waves break up the rust. Only works with profanities though.
I'm still trying to find a set of left handed allen keys for undoing, all the ones I have are right handed for tightening.
YOu forgot BLO! If it'll take the barnacles off a wooden leg it ought to back an Allen head out!
Thank you for your time and consideration Mr Ultimate. I have learned from your demonstrations.
Thanks for the comment
One more: Hammer a slightly oversized Torx bit into the rounded socket. That usually bites well.
I was about to post the same, I have never bothered buying dedicated tools as i rarely encounter this issue but when I do i use some old cheap torx bits and as you said hammer them in and for me they work every time
This worked for me. Domed head, recessed in plastic panel so some of these options wouldn't work for me. Saved drilling it out. Great vid though. I'll be screwing the same bolt in for the next person!
THIS AND ONLY THIS
you wont dmg Torx if you wont remove 1000 bolts, screw is the least dmged, and it is soo fcking simple
just use Torx
Yea multispline works great
Ye. It's the No 1 go to way for me for recessed heads.
I have tried to use a normal type centre punch and it tended to skid, the sprung punch technique is definitely one to remember! Thanks.
The spring tools centre punch is great ;-)
Thanks for the comment 👍
A great collection of removal tips. Don't forget to use Never Seize compound when you replace the bolts. Over the years my maintenance regime was to never have the same problem again.
Thanks Keith, I always use copper grease at work when re-assembling anything. It makes it so much easier, the next time it needs taking apart.
Thanks for the comment
Very useful video and I appreciate the effort you went through to film this. Thank you Ultimate Handyman!!
I'm glad you appreciate the effort as it took quite a while doing all the filming and editing ;-)
You are welcome, thanks for watching the video and thanks for the comment
I'm dead impressed with the sprung centre punch! I thought that bolt would just laugh at it.
They are great. At first I thought they were a joke until I tried one, they are very useful!
Thanks for the comment 👍
I’m an industrial mechanic with over 4 decades experience. I used to use these techniques but have found 2 others that save time and effort. One way I have used for years is to drive a Torx bit into the bolt. This will work quite well. The second way is MAC Tools have come out with RBRT hex bits. Rounded Bolt Removal Technology. I purchased theses socket and they work spectacularly.
After working for 37 years on oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico with it's salt water environment I can attest that the methods used in this video to extract broken screws, bolts, fasteners etc. works. We used the same methods along with brute force, finesse, patience, elbow grease and profanity. Lots of profanity.
It sounds like you had an interesting job 👍
Thanks for the comment
If the bolt head sticks out, use a pipe wrench. The wrench will grip more as you apply pressure
Good video, I gave it a thumbs up. The only exception is applying heat, I think you might be missing the idea of applying heat. Heat expands metal, the trick is to expand what the bolt is screwed in without (as much as you can) heating the bolt itself, thereby the bolt is slightly smaller that what it's screwed into making it easier to remove. When doing this, a person has to work fairly quickly as not letting the bolt reach the same temp as whatever it's screwed into.
Have a great day.
Heating up the bolt often breaks the bond between the bolt and what ever it is screwed into- once it cools back down.
Thanks for the comment 👍
When using a left handed drill, set it to the lower speed (or screw speed if you will). You want biting and turning more than drilling into the screw. Great video. I especially like the advice to use the hex wrench when using a pair of vice grips in order to avoid crushing the head.
Thanks for the comment 👍
I had a cap head stuck on my motorbike hugger. I found when it rounded, if hit flat with a hammer the hex shape would return. But still stuck I dremelled the round head into a hex shape and put a small socket over the top, which sheared off when turned. I used a heatgun & oil but the alu swingarm was a big heatsink. I then drilled it out and tapped a smaller hole in the remains as I didn't have the right size bolt.
Thanks for the comment
...you can't ALWAYS win-!!!
One important thing to remember, is before even TRYING to remove a hex head screw- make sure that the corners on the hex wrench are NOT ROUNDED!! You always want to remove a hex head screw on the first try- and trying to use a rounded hex wrench puts you at a GREAT disadvantage-!!
Thanks for the comment
use a 12 point bit that is a little bigger than the hole, mash it in with a hammer and just screw it out.
Works 9 out of 10 times on first try
Thanks for the comment
An air hammer is a fast hammer.
@@ddd228 ...well, don't KNOCK it-!!
Once I stripped a dome head so I dremeled a straight cut into it and I could undo it with a flathead. These were nice methods too, honestly I didn't know vise grips existed, you learn something every day!
👍
This was very helpful! I've been trying to remove a bolt from my industrial sewing machine for a week. Thanks so much!
I’m glad you found the video useful
Thanks for the comment 👍
Heat, then put a candle on it the heat draws the wax down into the threads. Best penetrator ever
I'm going to try this one day ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Wow i have to say you are a very smart, talented, skilled and mechanically inclined and organized man! I really appreciate all these different ways to remove a stripped out allen bolt. For some reason my favorite one is when you drill a little bit of the stripped head out and then tap an extraction drill bit in there and then loosen it out. I also found the chisel and Hammer technique very impressive as well!
Thanks Steve, I used to be a maintenance engineer in a chemical plant and used to come across things like this on a weekly basis. Hammer and chisel used to work 90% of the time 👍
@@ultimatehandyman You're welcome absolutely, that's the great thing about experience, thank God for that, that we are able to learn it for ourselves and help others as well and make a big impact around the world because of it keep up the great work 💪🌎⚒️🔨
Nicely done educational video. Must have taken quite a bit of time. Thanks for going to the trouble. I was surprised to read in one of the comments that Torx head bolts are superior insofar as tool grip is concerned. Quite a few lads also adequately covered the mandatory swearing and muttering initial reaction.:-) Mike Athens, Greece
Thanks Mike, yes videos like this can take a lot of time, especially when you factor in the editing etc.
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Very useful video. The last method with the spring punch is pretty cool.
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It's amazing how clean these bolts are, almost as if they are brand new. Every time I have removed stuck or damaged bolts they are dirty and/or corroded.
However the things he is showing should work.
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You hit on just about the most important action in removing a broken or stuck threaded piece and that is to use a backward turning as well as the forward turning action to prevent rust and other metal particles from causing the tread to gall or weld the parts together. use this action throughout the entire extraction process. I haven't seen others demonstrate this most important action. Thanks!
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All of your videos have been so helpful to me, thank you.
You are welcome
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I usually throw all my tools round the room in a massive strop and smack 7 shades out of the bolt with a smash hammer before tapping it out with a cold chisel. Works a treat. But haven't used this method since buying good quality allen keys ... Thanks for the video!
I normally do my fair share of swearing when doing these sorts of jobs ;-)
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I had a flush allen key in a hobart mixer, used a chisel to drive it out by tapping it half in the hole and getting a bite on the edge. Used several of these techniques, finally drilled the edge out along the threads to release the tention and cut through the remaining threads with a dremel tool.
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Love the video found out that the same tools have different names in different countries mole grips are vise grips in the US. Anti-clockwise is Counter Clockwise in the US.
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@@ultimatehandyman You are welcome. It is funny how the saem tool can have a different name. The name Vise Grip actually came from the first company to manufacture the tool in the United States.
Thanks a ton mate this video saved me a trip to the Mercedes Benz dealership
Glad it helped
Thanks for the comments
Never seen the centre punch with the spring, great vid thanks for posting.
Every one who ever worked on a Japanese motor bike in the 1960's and 70's soon acquired an impact driver, that tool can be readily adapted to fit almost any screw fastener. Add a little heat and its percussive therapy will sort out a good percentage of stuck nuts. It also works on broken studs if you can get a well centered hole in the stud. When I moved into my new shop a year ago we found that I had accumulated 14 of these devices over the last 40 years.
14!
I'm like that with silicone guns, I am sure I have bought dozens of them in my lifetime. Yesterday I could not find one in my garage, then I found on in the daughters bedroom (being decorated) and two in my office!
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Using a star bit just a size bigger than the hole works really great. Tap it in with a hammer and remove it with a ratchet. Easy and it's worked everytime I've done it.
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This video is excellent, thorough, very worth watching. I've often had good results simply by putting on a drop or two of oil or WD-40 and tapping (gentle "shocking") and leaving it alone for a couple of hours (or overnight). But, of course, the next frozen bolt will require that I view this video again and follow Ultimate Handyman's instruction EXACTLY. Isn't that the way things work - you think you've got the problem solved and . . .
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Thank u I was fixing my screw on my computer and figure out if I used a small screw drive and Clened it I could get it out and it work! Ur cleaning technique was so helpful thank u🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I usually work with larger sizes than this, but when you drill off the head there is no need to use a drill bit the same size as the head. It just needs to be larger than the bolt size. Then the head pops off when you drill trough it.
On counter bored allen bolts it will often rust between the head and the counterbore and it will be impossible to get it out in normal manners. Then you can use a holesaw to make clearance and as long as you get it started you don't really need the centerdrill.
The cold chisel and hammer technique seems desperate, but it has worked for me! Catches the edge of the allen head.
I use that technique all the time on site to remove bolts that are holding down floor plates.
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Don't know if anyone mentioned it but, using a Dremel or die grinder, cut a slot across the head and then use a standard screw driver to remove. Good video.
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Just a note on my previous post that my method is only good for larger cap screws, usually above 16mm. I’m a toolmaker and service and maintain large plastic injection molds, the largest weighing in at 44 tons. I’ve had to remove broken bolts ranging from 5mm to 42mm which require Allen keys that are 32mm AF. I’ve also found that the best screw extractors are the tapered square ones made by Protool. You can’t get anything better than them.
What a great video thanks. Aged 69 I am still learning. If you had asked me to get you a left handed drill bit I would of thought its the equivalent when we were young of being asked to go & buy a tin of striped paint or a sky hook 😂. As for the spring centre punch amazing ☺. Didn't know about them either. If only you received a £1 for each viewing and I bet you have saved many of them a few bob as well. Needless to say you now have another Sub
Me too, I did not realise that they existed. One day at work I was drilling out a bolt, so that I could use the screw extractor (the hole went right through the material). As I was drilling the drill bit, bit into the bolt and pushed it out of the other side, then I searched for "left handed drill bits" and was amazed that they existed!
When I first saw the spring tools centre punch I thought they were a gimmick, but they work really well.
Thanks for the comment and the sub ;-)
Hitting it with a hammer works 98 % of the time for me.Thanks for posting.
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Excellent video. More options to remove stuck, rusted screws or bolts.
I have certainly come across my fair share of stuck screws and bolts.
Since a lot of my work is maintenance, when I do new work I always use high quality nuts and bolts. Even the galvanised screws rust after a while. I don't even touch zincalume screws or bolts.
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Reverse thread worked great! Thank you! I’m trying to pull an allen bolt from an indention.
I'm glad the video helped
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Knew some of these but left handed drill bits was knew one. Great tips. 👍 Thanks
You are welcome
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Very useful video. Working with this stuff ocasionaly so this kind of tricks is golden.
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Learned a couple of things from this. Cheers
You are welcome
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I have a lot of rc models some use the button head easiest way iv fount to get them out when they get locked up is to grind a flat head slot in and use an impact driver works pretty much every time if still don't work I give it some heat from my dremel versatip torch wich comes in super handy for heating small things up good video iv youse quite a lot of your tips and mixed a few together an have never had an issue alto I did snap a head of one of them but a little heat and pliers got it out with no damage to the threads
I don't think I saw that a here, but if you have a set of torx there will be one just too big for the Allen bolt, hammer that in as the torx edges will bite in and cut into the corners of the Allen key slot. With the added advantage that you have already shocked it. Then just use that to turn it.
If you know the bolt will be stubborn tighten it first.
This will warp the hex slot in a way it will be stronger when you try and loosen it
Another great video as always. Thanks for taking the time to do this !....
You are welcome
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I have used a hacksaw on protruding bolts and cut a slot for a flathead screwdriver. Then the recessed ones i have a bigger flathead and sing it in with a hammer. A couple times it has saved me from drilling them out
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I bet you've done that once or twice😁 great tips, very useful indeed.
Yes, I have done it plenty of times at work ;-)
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I take a Torques bit just slight larger than the hole and hammer it into the hole then turn it, works most of the time.
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I thought, "That spring loaded center punch doesn't stand a chance against Loctite!" Bingo! I saw it happen, or wouldn't believe it. Thanks, mate!
The first time I saw one, I thought it was a joke- then I tried one and was shocked!
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You can also use a hack saw on any raised bolt head to cut a groove for a flat head screw driver if you don’t have / can’t use anything else.
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Brilliant thanks so much was stuck until I saw your video 👍👏
Glad it helped
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Excellent Tips I’ve Used Them all In The Automotive Industry 😎😀😀😀 Thanks For Sharing You Experience
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Ah the good old mole grip. Greatest tool ever. Add a lump hammer and some gaffer tape and those 3 are the perfect tool kit
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You might try the following. Clean the head, as the video suggests. Apply some valve grinding compound on the rounded off head. Take you good Allen Key and lightly tap it into the stripped head. Now try and turn the key to remove the bolt. The valve grinding compound acts as a barrier to give more grip to your Allen Key. Worth a try, and hope it works for you. Regards!
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Great tips there ive had many problems in the past with this sort of thing.
I'm glad the video helped
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You can get sockets that are designed to grip harder than a standard allen/torx - they have a more aggressive profile designed to grip hard when extracting allens/hex/torx. I've always found heat works best as usually there's loctite on the fastner - same applies to loads of fastners - you don't need loads of heat, just enough to soften the threadlock.
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Very comprehensive!
I use a slide-hammer in place of your spring-centre-punch.
Much faster.
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Great video as usual. Enjoy your Sunday!
Thanks, I'm getting some filming done whilst the kids are out enjoying themselves ;-)
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Drill guids and extractors are.my go to.
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What a great Tips collection. Thanks.
Barry (Wirral, ENG)
You are welcome Barry
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Masonry drills can also be used in hardened steel. They are cheaper and easier to get than solid carbide. However, they need to be sharpened before cutting any metal, and this requires a diamond wheel or a green silicon carbide wheel.
Also, don't run them with flood coolant, as the thermal shock will fracture the carbide tip. They cut fine dry, but a drop of oil probably wouldn't do any harm.
I've never actually used one on a bolt, but have used them on other hardened steel parts.
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The way I got all the recessed and rounded off allen bolts out of my my vintage Ducati engine was to lightly grind off the flanks of a TORX bit so the corners are sharp and tapped it deep into the socket head. Yes, it was risky because if the bit snapped I’d have been stuffed. I must have removed around a dozen screws this way in one evening and every one released with a scary ‘snap’. Those screws had been in there for over 45 years.
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I use a 6” pipe wrench instead of the vise grips, it does not mash what I’m working on, and it gets tighter as I turn it.
I have gotten out of numerous bad spots when working on brake line fittings too.
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Good stuff I really like d spring punch
im really suprised the loctite gave in, i see you used high strength and it had plenty of area to work on. the impact made it give, albeit it took a while, but worth knowing patience might get you out of trouble!, excellent tips right here, classic UH
Yes, I only realised after filming that I had used the high strength thread locker.
I often use a centre punch at work to remove countersunk M6 bolts that have been under water, with the heads partially smoothed off. If you persist with them you can normally remove most of them without having to drill them out and re-tap the hole.
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Fascinating and very informative. Great set of videos.
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Good British Engineering - and I am an Aussie!
Right tool for the right job. The tool is the part that gets the job done, Not the "tool" using it.
The idea is to have the right tool, and have that tool last forever. If you "bash" a larger allen key in the slot, or a torx bit, you may get the bolt loose, but you will waste a good allen key or bit in the process. So what are you going to use on the next bolt?
The idea is to use 'finesse' not brute force.
I was trained (way back in 1969 ) by an ex-WW2 Merchant Navy guy. His range of tools was amazing. And what he didn't have, he made on the spot.
"Always have to right tool for the job. Look after your tools" He used to say. "And always carry your tools. That will guarantee you always have a job".
Coming up 50 years ago that was. I am retired, but busier than ever restoring cars and building Hot Rods. But his words still ring in my head when I "get on the tools".
Thanks for giving us an insight into the way it was - and always should be.
Thanks for the detailed post ;-)
Yes, just use torx, in most cases it work well. ☺
Pissed man I drive a semi truck and I got a new $600 cb setup and finally had some downtime so I decided to wire up the new coax went to go takeoff the antenna plates(reminder I just had these plates off like a month and a half ago) and the 5mm recessed cap head stripped I tried drilling it out a bit more and tapping a T40 in to no luck in guessing my only option now is an extractor
I thought this video was brilliant....iv recently tried to use a screw extractor in the raised allen head of my bike manifold and although I got a part turn it did snap...as with your final solution drilling for a thread extractor, if it does snap your totally "HOOKED!" and with no means of welding on a nut my motorbike is currently in the repair shop,,sure wish I had watched this first...still enjoyed it a lot though. thanks
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Awesome video. Thanks for no music too!
You are welcome
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Never heard of "hex plus" before. Interesting!
They are brilliant! Much better than traditional Allen keys.
I did review them a few weeks back- ua-cam.com/video/5wJYg48fkN0/v-deo.html
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yep if i hadnt already invested in bondhus for various sets, thats what i would buy now, if you dont have any quality keys, do buy the hex plus, using cheap keys is a recipe for disaster
thank you!removed my rounded hex nut using drill method
You are welcome
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You can cut a slot in the head with a hacksaw then use a flathead screwdriver with a vise grip clamped onto the handle for leverage. Or if it's countersunk You can use a Dremel with a tiny cutting wheel and do the same.
For socket head cap screws find the appropriate size 12 point socket and hammer it over the cap. You might have to check metric and SAE sizes. As you hammer in on it cuts 12 shallow flutes.
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That last bit of video, in a tight space, prob could hammer / drive a tough flat head screwdriver tapered out slightly wider than the rounded hex to hopefully get one last bite into 2 outer points of the hex and turn it out with downward pressure.
If u can't weld a nut etc on it, degrease really good, use epoxy on a rod and turn it off after it cures. Just easier to cut a slot in the head and flat driver it out.
Would an epoxy glue be hard enough to help? Hmm
Cheers mate, had my phone in a heavy dity workcase that has with socket head allen screws, thought it would forever be stuck in its own coffin lol
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@@ultimatehandyman i used a toothoick and super glue for one of them :) prob 1mm if there no smaller screws
The Wera Hex-Plus will remove some stripped bolts...have saved me a few times
Yes, they are superb!
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Another good method is t,wack a Torx, or a Spline / Star drive bit into the allen head
always works for me.
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You can also use a impacted torques/star bit that is the same size of the rounded Allen head. Useing a hammer impact driver or hammer and a breaker bar.
Thanks for the comment ;-)
One technique I use is to use a larger allen key on the screw and hammer it down so it forms a new chamber and then untighten.
I have used this technique on many tables and chairs in a Cinema lobby that have over time come loose and due to constant re-tightning the chamber has been warn away.
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@@ultimatehandyman Thank you UH
Best channel on UA-cam
I fully appreciate all Your videos and top tips Sir.
@@zark212 Thanks, that means a lot 👍
Another tip worth trying - if the Allen key starts to round out ...STOP. Put some steel wool over the key tip and hammer it into the hexagon socket. Tightens up the Allen key in the bolt head, and often allows it to undo.
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