stripped allen screw removal

[blackco]

If you have read this far you are interested in getting stuck screws and stuff out...I have a tool from snap-on that has been a God send to me. I wish I knew the name but it has a handle with an in-line 3/8 drive on it. You put a 3/8 driver bit on, put it on the part you need to loosen and hit it with a hammer, which causes it to turn about 1/8-1/4 turn. That way the max twist is at the exact time of max pressure/friction. It has loosened several stuck screws that were starting to strip for me. Every time I have a screw on a scope ring or base that feels like it is about to strip out I just get my tool and get it started, then it turns out fine with a screw driver. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Speedo]

Another thing that you can try is to use a little bit of valve grinding compound on the allen wrench, the compound is abrasive and will help with the grip between the screw and the wrench.

Gus

 

[Broz]

Another thing that you can try is to use a little bit of valve grinding compound on the allen wrench, the compound is abrasive and will help with the grip between the screw and the wrench.

Gus

his is also a good thing to try. I have used it before many times with good results too.

Jeff

 

[SidecarFlip]

The machinist in me like Gary's way best. I'd improve on it with a left hand twist drill. Cut the relief steep and it will back out the offending SHCS with a little heat (as suggested 230 or so for blue threadlocker). The good old weller soldering iron is tits for localized heat. Short drill (screw machine length preferred) or shorter and slow speed. In lieu of a short drill, suck it up in the chuck as far as it will go and leave as little as possible protruding.

I believe the only quality SHCS's left are Hollo-Chrome and even they may be made offshore.

I'm making a part for my website store from 6 series aluminum with a stainless stud locked in it's center, locked with 272. Once it cures, the stud breaks off before it comes out. Good stuff..... Don't use it.gun)

 

[Trickymissfit]

The machinist in me like Gary's way best. I'd improve on it with a left hand twist drill. Cut the relief steep and it will back out the offending SHCS with a little heat (as suggested 230 or so for blue threadlocker). The good old weller soldering iron is tits for localized heat. Short drill (screw machine length preferred) or shorter and slow speed. In lieu of a short drill, suck it up in the chuck as far as it will go and leave as little as possible protruding.

I believe the only quality SHCS's left are Hollo-Chrome and even they may be made offshore.

I'm making a part for my website store from 6 series aluminum with a stainless stud locked in it's center, locked with 272. Once it cures, the stud breaks off before it comes out. Good stuff..... Don't use it.gun)

I used to buy cap screws by the pick up truck load till I found KARR. Bought nothing but grade eight stuff to use in machinery (your a lot of money ahead by doing this by the way). Best brands I found were Allen, Hollow Chrome, Unbrako, and Karr. The very best quality bolts money can buy are from Supertanium (Premeir), but you pay about 33% more for them. The Karr Grade eight+ are almost as good as the Supertanium. 90% of the bolts I bought were Karr's as they just didn't let go under very high stress aps (your car or truck probably is full of Karr bolts). Race cars use mostly Supertanium bolts in the suspension systems, and are usually required to use them. It's a true mil-spec bolt.

99% of all stainless steel bolts are made of 316 stainless steel. Some are still better than others, but the alloy will be the same. You want to make the thread attachment last forever, then try Loctite Blackmax. It makes the red stuff look like jello. (don't do it) Lastly never ever use an "easy out" to remove a broken screw!! NEVER!! Use a splined screw extractor instead.
gary

 

[SidecarFlip]

Gary...

We/you need to also clarify that the term 'allen screw' isn't correct. Allen is a trade name/manufactruer.

They are socket head cap screws (SHCS) which I refer to them as. Of course the head shape can be varied like button head or countersunk or flat head and others, just like regular bolts are.....

We used to purchase a lot of fasteners from Lake Erie Screw until they got their tit in a wringer over supplying remarked grade 2's (as 5-8) to the department of transportation for use in highway signage and lighting. After a couple standards sheared off the federal Highway Department tested the fasteners and LE got in big trouble......

Never used Black Max. 272 does the trick when bonding stainless studs in 6 series aluminum.

Sort of like the 'Crescent Wrench' misnomer.....

 

[Trickymissfit]

Gary...

We/you need to also clarify that the term 'allen screw' isn't correct. Allen is a trade name/manufactruer.

They are socket head cap screws (SHCS) which I refer to them as. Of course the head shape can be varied like button head or countersunk or flat head and others, just like regular bolts are.....

We used to purchase a lot of fasteners from Lake Erie Screw until they got their tit in a wringer over supplying remarked grade 2's (as 5-8) to the department of transportation for use in highway signage and lighting. After a couple standards sheared off the federal Highway Department tested the fasteners and LE got in big trouble......

Never used Black Max. 272 does the trick when bonding stainless studs in 6 series aluminum.

Sort of like the 'Crescent Wrench' misnomer.....

I don't really recommend Black Max as it's beyond forever!

The term Allen head goes back to who heald the original patents. Before that a socket head cap screw was often called a "Buttress headed cap screw" (yes I am that old!!) But you are correct in the terminology. I served an apprenticeship with old Germans and Dutchmen, and I kinda picked those names up from them. The second machine I rebuilt was a Baird Former that was pre WWI!! They guy I was working with took me up into theis area that had dozens of them, and some were almost new; yet they all looked the same. The only serious difference was that the real old ones had these odd ball looking cap screws that sorta looked like a modern day Torx headed screw. That was a Buttress screw. You had to watch out carefully has some of these machine were so old that they had the old 1/2" threads (1/2-12 or 1/2-11 tpi). One of the first things we did was to convert all the oddball threads over to the new standard threads. In today's times we still see a 1"-12 thread aong with a 1"14 thread, the new standard is the 12, but nobody wants to make the change. I can't ever recall seeing a 1"-12 thread in anything OEM. I've probably seen way too many odd balls threads in my lifetime, and a few just drove me batty. The worst stuff I ever ran across was with draw bars and chucking systems used on jap equipment. They like to use oddball pitch diameters with standard types of threads or even odd ball thread pitches with even odder pitch diameters (I had an M27 out of an Okuma that just about made me finish loosing the rest of my sanity)
gary

 

[Truc]

not only do I use the wrong term for socket head cap screws, I'm also guilty of using "cresent" wrenches everyday

 

[shortgrass]

Now, go try to buy half a dozen or so of those brand name SHCS in 6-48 or 8-40.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Now, go try to buy half a dozen or so of those brand name SHCS in 6-48 or 8-40.

they are out there, as I used them in gauges we built everyday. Bad part is that most of the better supply houses require a minimum order, and you end up being way ahead by buying a box of fifty screws. I used to buy 6-32, 6-40, 6-48, 8-40, and 8-48 screws all the time. Where you may get into trouble is with some of the oddball head styles, and if you want Torx head screws. In those small sizes I prefer the Torx head.
gary

 

[shortgrass]

Thats my point! Box quantities only,,,, and it's 100 now, not 50, with a two week wait. Hobbiests will continue to use what they have been using,,, what ever they can get their hands on! And, they'll continue to use way too much thread locker instead of a quality made torque driver.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interestingly, at least around here (locally), Ace Hardware has a nice selection in domestic made and in stainless as well as Holochrome plus spline drive and Torx....

I tend to go there when I'm making a prototype and I need a couplle specialty fasteners, before buying full box or keg quantity for production.

They aren't cheap per fastener, but if you only need a few, it works....

McMaster-Carr also sells small quantities BTW.

 

[shortgrass]

Trucs' problem is with scope mounting/ring screws. Most likey, 6-48NFS or 8-40NFS. Won't buy those at Ace, or Mc Master, maybe on 'special order from Fastenal, but, may not be USA made. Most "gun" machine screws are of 'special' pitch and are not available from the usual sources. I use many 8-40s' , I've made diligent searches, on and off, for known USA made in lots of 100-500. So far, not much luck, not even in a 1000 lot. Common bolts/machine screw in NC or NF are no problem, firearms are a whole other critter. When socket is messed-up, like Trucs' is, I mill the head off, apply the soldering iron, and back it out with a pair of pliers. It's been the quickest method for me, and time is $$$. For those without the mill, several fine methods have been mentioned in this thread that would be worth trying. Truc, glad you have a good 'smith to help you out. It pays to have a 'working relationship' in cases like this.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thats my point! Box quantities only,,,, and it's 100 now, not 50, with a two week wait. Hobbiests will continue to use what they have been using,,, what ever they can get their hands on! And, they'll continue to use way too much thread locker instead of a quality made torque driver.

your right about those small box quantities. Unbrako and Holo-Chrome used to sell them, but don't think Karr does. And I know I've had Allen brand before. I set my bolt resupply on a single source deal, and it then became the supplier's job to get them in my hands. That way I wasn't stuck buying two hundred of something that I didn't use 25 a year. You would think that one of the scope and mount folks would kinda open a screw ad nut branch, and maybe put a 25% premium on the items (still come out way cheaper). Fastenal offered me a similar situation years back, but I never liked their products all that well. Somebody in the gauge business sell a plastic box with several hundred of the small screws like these (might be Reid Tool Supply), and I think Enco used to sell them at one time. Problem there is that you'll have to cut them off to the length needed most of the time, but I can live with that.
gary