How to Remove Set Screw
- Thread starter Jmellc
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Blueshound_GJ
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Drill press. Use a vise.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
You can get a new arbor for $14 on Amazon. Save the one you have for a second. I would try a little heat from a propane torch to help loosen the setscrew. After you get the arbor hot, spray some thread treatment like, WD40 on the setscrew. The cooling action will draw the WD into the threads.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
A new arbor is about $10. It's not worth screwing with. I replace about two arbors a year because the hex screw rounds out and I can't change the pilot bit.
BarrelRoll
Well-known member
While soaking were you hitting the screw with a hammer? When ever soaking stuff like that some vibrations help actually drive the oil down into the threads, bigger bolts I'm not afraid to use a pointed tip on an air hammer.
If you really want to save it weld a nut on it. Weld nut on, spray around thread with PB blaster or your favorite penetrating oil, tap with hammer, back out. It might take a couple tries for a weld to stick, something like that you are probably better having your ground clamp on the nut.
Lube, vibrations, and heat are the 3 keys to getting stuck and stripped out bolts out.
I would screw with that for about 5 minutes before spending the half hour to go to the hardware store for a new one. Now if I'm at work and we are 2 hours by boat from civilization I'd try a little harder to save it.
If you really want to save it weld a nut on it. Weld nut on, spray around thread with PB blaster or your favorite penetrating oil, tap with hammer, back out. It might take a couple tries for a weld to stick, something like that you are probably better having your ground clamp on the nut.
Lube, vibrations, and heat are the 3 keys to getting stuck and stripped out bolts out.
I would screw with that for about 5 minutes before spending the half hour to go to the hardware store for a new one. Now if I'm at work and we are 2 hours by boat from civilization I'd try a little harder to save it.
RTM
Well-known member
I’d put an Allen head screw in it instead of a flat head, if you get it out.
heat, good smacks with a hammer both on the end of the screw, and the body. a small punch to get the screw turning . once it turns a bit keep working it back & forth . heat , smack, work it again & again till the screw's out, lots of penetrating oil too
slowtwitch73
Well-known member
Got a welder?.. weld something to it and crank it out.
That thing is not worth too much trouble imo...
That thing is not worth too much trouble imo...
I have my foreman get me a new one.
They sometimes last 3 years, and sometimes 3 months.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
Me too. The problem is that I'm the foreman. I keep about two of each of probably three or four styles/sizes of arbor on the truck.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Probably could put it in a vise if you have one then get a screw extractor and hammer it in and twist it out. Or a left handed drill bit that was small.
actually a hand driven impact driver , in a vice will go a long way to loosening that
nbpt100
Well-known member
For 10-14 dollars I would buy a new one and move on but if you have free time and want to try. Heat is a good idea and soaking in penetrating oil. Any penetrating oil would be more effective than bar oil, which is too viscous to penetrate well.
Slot it with a dremel tool and use the largest flat blade that will fit it. You will cut in to the arbor, but is that a problem? You could also try a left hand drill. It is so small I am not sure if an easy out would work.
Slot it with a dremel tool and use the largest flat blade that will fit it. You will cut in to the arbor, but is that a problem? You could also try a left hand drill. It is so small I am not sure if an easy out would work.
4xdog
Well-known member
Exactly what I'd do, too. I have our family's fifty year old impact driver, but I also have a Vessel Impacta impact-driving screwdriver. The Craftsman version of that (which in slotted form isn't sold by Vessel) in a vise would likely bump it free easy-peasy.
I like Kroil, or PB Blaster and a few days of soaking. Bar chain oil? Never heard of that one as a penetrating oil alternative.
Here are those Craftsman-Vessels:
flat head is fine, not too sure who the last user of that thing is, the screw is just needed to be snug tight enough to set the flat portion of the drill bit shank.... I used to think the tighter I tighten it the better, so every time I tighten it till death. .. looks like the same thing happened to the knurled portion also...
Black300zx
Well-known member
A hand impact driver (imo) is the right answer for any stuck screw with a head that is stripping or will strip easy.
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If that was my challenge, I'd mount it in a bolted down drill press vise and start with a small center drill to establish a center hole, then LH bits in a hand drill. Probably back right out. If you weld on it, start by welding through a washer then add on from there.
nbpt100
Well-known member
That is exactly what I thought. The head is already too damaged. Lots of good ideas above. Most people can not weld and many do not have a drill press. Put it in a vice and with a decent hand drill with variable speed ( If you are care full) get a small hole on center and then try using a left handed drill bit in a very slow speed. Or an easy out if you can get one that small. I am doubtful. They are also easy to break in the smaller sizes.
Also, as I said earlie, try the Dremel tool slot.
Penetrating oil will be your friend if you give it time. Bar oil is usually like SAE30 weight. Even the winter weight of SAE10 is too heavy and will not help as well as the worst penetrating oil. It is a good cutting oil thought!
My contractors would not appreciate me putting this much time into an arbor… they are a disposable item. Like I said before… they may last 3 months or 3 years.
The arbor on my 7/8” (1/2” conduit) is wore out. It is rounded out from slipping chucks in company drills. I will have a foreman grab me a new one at some point.
The arbor on my 7/8” (1/2” conduit) is wore out. It is rounded out from slipping chucks in company drills. I will have a foreman grab me a new one at some point.
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I have the Klein version of those just 1x 7/8 one for 1/2" knockouts... that thing is super sharp on softer electrical box metals. costly @$40 each.
I have a 3 set of these at work. They are good. If I were buying new today, I would buy the Milwaukee Shock Wave set of 3. I have the 1 1/8 one & it is a super cutter. The set at HD is about $60. But I won’t likely buy much more stuff. I quit contracting & no longer run service trucks or do much side work. I work 3rd shift in building maintenance & spend each day recovering from the night before.
I hope to retire at 67 & be able to putter at will. Another 2 years.The one I’m working on had sat in a bucket for some time & gotten rusty. I am forcing myself to clean up after several years of such stuff. I never know what I will find next. I’ve tosssd a lot of stuff but rescue what I can.
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nbpt100
Well-known member
You could buy a Spyder set and forget about set screws. They don't use them.
nbpt100
Well-known member
Sure, that is just an example of a set that does it differently and does not require tools to change anything. It also has faster core removal. The same company makes bimetal hole saws for metal work using with the same set up. Look on Spyder or Lowes website. I am sure you can find something suitable.
bubinga
Well-known member
Heat, electrolysis
Al Borland
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- Jan 20, 2016
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Clamp it in a Vise, making sure the screw head is level,
Make sure to tighten the vise firmly without overtightening.
Leave it there, get in your car, drive to the store, and go buy a new one.
Make sure to tighten the vise firmly without overtightening.
Leave it there, get in your car, drive to the store, and go buy a new one.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
Whats the reason for removing the set screw? Is the pilot drill broken? If not, there’s really no reason to fool with it. Use it as is.
I will, for sure. But need to be able to remove it for a new bit at some point. Still working on the thing & haven't given up hope. Got it soaking in WD-40 at the moment. I did the heat thing once, heated it over a propane burner. I will replace it with an Allen set screw when I can get it out.
welder4956
Well-known member
WD40 is not good as a penetrating oil. Better than nothing, but not what it is made for. Kroil or PB Blaster would be much better.
Heat it up and touch the end of a candle to it....best penetrating fluid yet.
nbpt100
Well-known member
Yes indeed! Unless you have WD-40 specialist penetrating oil. To your point, any penetrating oil would be better than the conventional WD 40.
cherrybomb
Well-known member
I will bet my pb blaster left on the threads for a half hour at the minimum, then a drift punch and a quick smack with a small hammer.Get your center punch out,then left hand center drill.Then slowly and carefully with a left hand drill bit back out the screw.Take the screw and toss it as far as you can.Throw every slotted screw you see far away as you have learned a valuable garage lesson.