How to remove the remains of threaded shaft?

[treimers]

Hi everyone -

I have the remains of a threaded shaft to remove-
I've tried everything- soaked it in PB Blaster, WD-40, etc

As you can see, I finally tried to drill out the remains, to use an easy out.

Unfortunately, the hole got off center, even with the punch I used to set a starting point, and my easy out is still too big for the hole.

I'm now afraid that if I drill out the hole big enough for the easy out,
I'll destroy the threads on one side of the aluminum center.

Anyone got some ideas on how I can get the remains out?

By the way, just in case it helps, this is the base of an antenna
The brown part is a metal disc that's pinned into the aluminum tube,
and then there's that center aluminum piece which had a threaded hole in it.

 

[bullnerd]

Without knowing what tools you have available.

Drill it as big as you can,to where its just touching the female threads, and collapse it in on itself with a small punch.

Does it matter if it falls inside the tube?

Most of the time once it clears the thread after collapsing, you can pick it out with tweezers, if it doesnt matter just push it into the tube.

Run a tap to freshen up the threads.

Or just drill the whole thing out and cut larger threads.

If that doeasnt work,drill out the pins and make a new "brown part".

 

[pop pop]

Dremmel, dentist drill, hacksaw blade - depends on dimensions. Section male part, collapse, remove.

 

[PugetDude]

What they said /\- section it out. Looks like you're still quite a bit away from the female threads. I'd re-drill it a bit larger; keeping pressure toward the center when you drill to help re-center the hole.(and end mill would work if you have access to a drill press and a good vise.) Drill it out incrementally; when it gets to be a paper thin shell it will collapse on itself and you can roll it up and drag it out with needle nose pliers. Chase the threads and you should be good to go.

Good luck.

 

[rsanter]

Do you have a friend with a lathe?
Put it in the lathe and run through it with an end mill
At that point you may be able to peel out the remaining threads from the bolt

Bob

 

[joe49]

tig or cronatron 3310 eagle weld a washer to it then a nut to the washer, or take it to some one who can.

 

[3oheight]

Unfortunately, the hole got off center, even with the punch I used to set a starting point, and my easy out is still too big for the hole.

I'd try and find a smaller easy out first.

 

[treimers]

Well, I got er out...pieces anyway..

I ended up just trying to drill out larger, and seemed to hit some smaller threads down deeper in (about 1 inch in)
Tapped those out to 8/32, and then decided there was enough stock around it for going ahead to 1/4-20

Tapped that, and started getting thread curls and pieces of thread in the edge of the larger hole, right at the upper edge.

So now I don't know _what_ was in that thing -- possibly some sort of
two-sized threaded rod, 8/32 for what was deeper in, and 1/4-20 at the part that used to extend out to where a nut was.
The nut was probably a 1/4" nut, but it and the electricians wire coupler I'd put on it 25 years ago up on the roof were such a mass of rust I wasn't sure, when I took it apart a few months ago.

Thanks all!

Now I can go back to finding the plastic base that this part was mounted on, and kept this shaft and feedline from grounding on the mounting bracket.

 

[treimers]

Here's what I was working on, for those who might be interested -

Not my antenna, but the exact same one.
http://kc8qvo.com/?p=57

Here's a closeup - the slotted screw with several washers he has in the base
is going into what I just drilled and tapped.

I've owned this antenna for almost 25 years, I'd say, and it's
been the one that I made most of my contacts on
every continent in the world and five of the thirteen aircraft carriers, McMurdo Station near the South Pole, and thousands of other stations around the world.

 

[bullnerd]

Cool stuff Treimers, glad you fixed it.