Stripped and rusted screws

every time i'm trying to quickly teardown something thats been left outside, i run into this problem. Rusty screw and bolts that i cant remove. Sometimes i cut them out, but sometimes its just not as effective to cut, and i dont have a set of bolt drilling bits to drill them out. Eric knows how frustrating this can be, and gave a quick tutorial on how to get the job done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqNcBkLvptg

thanks, bud. i like how it shows the power tool and the manual method to be just as effective

That was cool. Thanks for the link.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers Mate. This kind of thing IMHO should go in the beginner section. I'm a newbie, and newbie with tools for the most part. So I really appreciate this kind of information and training.

I can't see videos on my old connection so I don't know what he recommends, but I always just take a cold chisel and a hammer to em, or maybe sometimes drill them out

When I run into screws that I couldn't get off, I would use my air-compressor hooked up with a cut-off wheel to cut the heads off. Then, simply grab a punch and hit it with a mallet to knock the screw out. Worked fine for me. However, it wouldn't work in a situation where I couldn't get the disc...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bear

I can't see videos on my old connection so I don't know what he recommends, but I always just take a cold chisel and a hammer to em, or maybe sometimes drill them out

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The video basically shows the same concept except he also does it with an air hammer with a pointed attachment. We also used to use this method to get wheel locks off junk cars.

When I find a rusty screw.

I check the others, they may move & give me a idea of the force needed.

I try it & if the screwdriver (actually 'screw turner') slips or won't move. I try & see if the metal its screwed thru can move a bit, its often enough to loosen it.
Slips?

I replace it & give it a wack with a hammer to seat the driver into the socket & crush the rust to give the driver more leverage & grip.

Slips again?
Remove driver & lightly bash the end of the screw with the hammer & also try & see if the metal its screwed thru can move a bit again.
The bash will deform the top of the scew slots so when you insert the driver & bash that, its seated as much as possible.
Then I refit the driver & lightly bash the screwdriver again. Try & turn it.

Slips, again?!
My last try before using a impact driver or power tools.... Its a ghetto impact driver.

Insert the driver hard in & then twist the driver anticlockwise a bit. You will feel the driver come out of the screw a bit, just a tiny bit. Hold it real solid like in that position.
Than I bash it with the hammer again.
This drives the screw down & turns it just like a impact driver does.

Normally that'l do it. After that, the screws screwed, hacksaw or grind a slot across the screw head, use a flat blade driver.
Then if that does not work, cold chisle & hammer.

Or grind the screw head off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eesakiwi

When I find a rusty screw.

Normally that'l do it. After that, the screws screwed, hacksaw or grind a slot across the screw head, use a flat blade driver.
Then if that does not work, cold chisle & hammer.

Or grind the screw head off.

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A little variation that works for me....Cut a slot across the face of the bolt or screwhead with a Dremel rotary grinding disc just large enough
for your hand impact screwdiver slot bit to fit. One hard hit with a hammer will usually do it.
Just watch your depth so as not to remove too much of the head.

Three ways to handle stuck rusted screws. Cut a slot in screw head and force it or beat it with a hammer till it gives or hit with penetrating oil and do one of previous. That's how I handle it. I tend to prefer the hammer method as it makes me feel better afterwards.

For myself, I just take the proper screwdriver for the screw, seat it in the screwhead, and give it 1 or 2 sharp raps from a hammer. This works the best for me. The force of the hit breaks the corrosion between the screw and threads. On something like an aluminum rim where the center cap is held on by stripped, rusty Phillips screws, it's great. There's no risk of your punch/air chisel slipping off the screw and gouging your/your customer's rim or center cap. No risk of stripping out screws you might need again. As well, in a lot of those cases, the screw is countersunk so you can't even get at the edge. When I'm cleaning scrap aluminum rims to haul in, if I see rusty screws I'll whack them all once or twice before even trying to turn them. Be sure to use a screwdriver you don't mind marking the handle up on. Westward used to make screwdrivers where a steel shaft run from the blade right through to the end of the handle, specifically for hammering on. I don't know if they still make them, mine are over 20 years old. Those were the only ones I ever saw like that, but you never know.

eta. Hitting 2 hammer heads together like is mentioned in the video... is not smart. Hitting 2 hardened, brittle faces together can cause flying shrapnel