Tip for removing painted in slotted screws

[semenza]

Saw in another thread that someone was having to deal with removing old, painted in slotted screws.  Here is a trick I picked up from somewhere else (don't remember where), might have posted it before but ......

Use an abrasive cutting disk in a Dremel or similar rotary tool to clean the old paint out and renew the slot.  Just ease the edge of the cutter in, parallel and perpedicular. Move it back and forth a bit and you will have a like new slot. I have done this quite a few times and it has worked without fail.  Might seem like something extra  to do but it works so well that it is much quicker and easier especially if doing  more than a couple.

Be careful not to go too deep and split the screw shaft.

The angle head for the rotary tool can make it easier to align  in many cases.

Seth

 

[b_m_hart]

a box knife works quite well also, especially if you've got a nice fresh blade.  Leaves a bit more control if you're concerned about the surface around the screw...

 

[Frank-Jan]

Thanks for the tip, Seth.

My method usually works for me: carefully hammer through the slot in the direction with a fitting screwdriver, then turn the screw a bit tighter, to break the paint around the screw. The main problem is I keep forgetting the centrotec bits with the handle are not the apropriate tools to do this with

 

[upscale]

Saw in another thread that someone was having to deal with removing old, painted in slotted screws.  Here is a trick I picked up from somewhere else (don't remember where), might have posted it before but ......

I do it the lazy way. Since it's a slotted screw, I'm bound to have a slotted screwdriver on hand. I just tilt the corner edge of the screwdriver in the slot and tap it with a hammer, removing all the paint. Haven't damaged a screwdriver or screw yet.

(doesn't work so well with phillips or robertson screws though for some reason)  [wink]

 

[Frank-Jan]

That's the way I do it aswell, but you did better describing it. I actually removed nine of those screws since my last post... (I left my cutting table for the ts55 at a jobsite and needed to do some cuts, so I removed the hinges from a scrap door to make do) and I noticed the first turn clockwise part doesn't work to well with the slotted screws (but really does for philips or pozidrive, greatly reduces broken off screwheads).
Unlike you, I have damaged plenty of screws (If they're really stuck half of the head sometimes shears off), and a few screwdrivers (broken handle endcaps of cheap ones, and the 3 long centrotec bits already mentioned)

For the philips I first just hammer straight, if that doesn't work small nail or other pointy thing. Now about those robertsons... allthough I am Canadian by birth, I absolutely hate the things, they are not used in carpentry here, but for some reason some plumbers and electricians like the things, if I need to remove those I go straight for the grabit damaged screw remover. (paint or no paint).
Another annoying one I ran into last week: a non metric allen bolt in between 3 and 4 mm, eventually got it out with a t35 bit.

/edit: changed the size of the torx bit

 

[joiner1970]

Saw in another thread that someone was having to deal with removing old, painted in slotted screws.  Here is a trick I picked up from somewhere else (don't remember where), might have posted it before but ......

I do it the lazy way. Since it's a slotted screw, I'm bound to have a slotted screwdriver on hand. I just tilt the corner edge of the screwdriver in the slot and tap it with a hammer, removing all the paint. Haven't damaged a screwdriver or screw yet.

(doesn't work so well with phillips or robertson screws though for some reason)  [wink]

That's the way I do it too.

 

[semenza]

Yup, I've used and still do sometimes, the method of driving the screwdriver along the slot.  Sometimes it works sometimes not (for me). I've also had the screwdriver slip  and hit something I didn't want to hit, rounded the screwdriver corner, etc.  I tried the rotary tool once and it made the task so easy. It creates a really square , solid slot to use.

I also have the Grab it remover , havn't tried that on a slotted screw yet.

Seth

 

[andvari]

I've used the Dremel method when the original head is munged to make a completely new slot. This works no matter what the original head type is. Although I must say that is rarely anything other than slotted or Phillips - other types are much less likely to become corrupt.

 

[Tinker]

Thanks for the tip, Seth.

My method usually works for me: carefully hammer through the slot in the direction with a fitting screwdriver, then turn the screw a bit tighter, to break the paint around the screw. The main problem is I keep forgetting the centrotec bits with the handle are not the apropriate tools to do this with

I have not run into too many screws like that (I use a lot of dowels and pocket screws), but i do often run into a bolt/nut that is too tight. If it doesn't come loose right away with the air hammer, I give a quick brrrr in tightening direction.  The nut will generally come lose when i put hammer into reverse.  That doesn't work, its time for my persuader pipe on the end of breaker bar.
Tinker