How to Remove a Stuck Screw

We show you some ways to remove a stuck Phillips head screw.

Introduction

Get that stuck screw out using one of these techniques for removing screws in metal. Brainstorm with the easiest and movement on the more complex if necessary.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Valve grinding compound

Project pace-by-step (3)

Footstep 1

Removing stuck Phillips screws: The easiest techniques

Fill the spiral head

Squirt a dollop of valve grinding compound into the head of the screw. Then jam in the screwdriver and turn. No affair how simple the repair, it seems like at that place's ever one stuck screw. You effort to musculus your way out of the jam, simply all that does is cam out the screw head slots. Information technology doesn't accept to be that way. Here are a few tricks to coax out a stubborn Phillips screw.

At the get-go sign of trouble, spray the spiral with rust penetrant (Liquid Wrench and PB Equalizer are 2 really good brands). Permit the penetrant piece of work for at least xv minutes. And so spray it once again and tap the screw head expressionless-on several times with a hammer. Then try the screwdriver again.

Side by side, apply valve grinding chemical compound (photo 1). The compound (virtually $4 at any auto parts store) contains a fine dust that helps the screwdriver seize with teeth into the head.

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Stride 2

Still stuck? Try stronger techniques

Hammer the impact driver

Agree the body of the impact driver to prevent it from turning. Then hit the end with a serious blow. If the screw still won't budge and the surrounding surfaces tin tolerate some heat, aim a lighter flame directly onto the screw head. Then douse it with cold water earlier trying it again. Still stuck? Invest in an affect screwdriver (photo 2). Selection 1 upwards for about $20 at a home centre or an machine parts shop.

Screws: How to Loosen a Stuck Phillips Screw

Step 3

Stripped the caput? Cut a new ane

Stripped out? Cut into the head

Piece a deep groove into the screw head with a cutting bike and rotary tool. Make information technology wide enough to conform your largest flat-blade screwdriver. If you've stripped out the head, cut a new slot with a straight-groove rotary tool (photograph iii). Then crank information technology out with a flat-blade screwdriver.

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