Stripped Screw Removal

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finchfinch

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Title says it all, I've got a damaged/stripped screw head in my kitchen sink tap....bad times. See photo attached.

I've tried different screwdrivers with a bit of force but that thing isn't coming out and I don't want to make it worse.

How would you approach this horrible task. I've purchased this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extractor-...3&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=screw+extractor&psc=1

I don't want to use it before being certain. Shall I go for it with a drill and those attachments? or would you try something else first?

super thanks in advance
 

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Drill the head off, remove handle, use mole grips to get a hold on the remainder of the screw thread to remove it. You'll probably find that when the pressure is off the head, a pair of pliers will be all that's needed anyway.
 
hey thanks for the reply. So I should drill the chrome head off and damage it? How would I even go about drilling it off?
 
Just drill the head off of the brass screw by using the largest drill bit you can get inside the hole at the end of the tap handle and then pull the chrome handle off. Why are you removing it anyway? I had a similar tap in my kitchen that was dripping and if you are removing the handle it to replace the cartridge, you won't need to remove what's left of the screw anyway as you'll be chucking that bit away.
 
As it's a cross-head screw, a drill will tend to self-centre. It looks like brass so quite soft. If you use a countersinking bit, it will grind away the head without damaging the base material much, and if you set your drill to run "backwards" the torque, vibration and heat may actually unscrew it for you. Once it starts to move it should come out easy.

I have some left-handed drills for that purpose. If they fail to unscrew the seized part, they will at least take the head off.

Avoid easy-out extractors if working freehand. They are hard and brittle and often snap off, being very difficult to grind or drill out. Working freehand it's difficult to work them perfectly straight and centre.
 
JohnD said:
I have some left-handed drills for that purpose.
Click to expand...

Me too, they work better than those screw extractor set things and can be re-sharpened (with a bit of trial and error!) if they get dull.

Gaz :)
 
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