How to Extract Broken Left-Hand Screw?

Chips O'Toole said:
I tried a right-hand drill, and it was no good.
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Read what I said about Superglue. It is everywhere. I now take new tools apart when I get them just to clean the threads so that in future when I am in a hurry I don't have problems. Latest was a USA branded paint touchup gun which because of its size I could put whole into an oven. Who knows what damage would have been done if that hadn't been done.
 
Use a carbide burr in a Dremel and hollow it out likely your last choice.
 
still cant beat my simple edm machine.
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A spark erosion apparatus

Ever since I broke a tap whilst making the Improved chuck for taps I have been thinking of making a simple spark erosion apparatus. When making the hexagonal hole in the mill quill lock lever I again...
mikesworkshop.weebly.com
More efficient than mine, they are worth their weight in gold and are very simple to make.
 
On larger stuff broken off at, or near the surface, I will mig weld a nut to the broken bolt and just turn it out with a wrench. On something like your drill, remove the plastic halves, and wrap a wet rag around the bearing, and armature area first. Have used this method on screws as small as #12. and hasn't failed yet. Mike
 
I know, this goes against who we are at our core.

But, if the tool is 10+ years old, and replacement is >$200. Just let it go and replace with something new....

It might be great to win this battle but if you don't, and you could have spent the time doing that truly brings you joy then what makes the most sense to you?

It's totally up to you, but we only get so many hours on this beautiful planet, how do you want to spend them?

John
 
Being defeated by broken bolts was not an option on customer cars. That’s why I had so many different styles of extractor. Everybody has their own process.

Most of my experience was on broken water pump and engine accessory bolts. Like on A/C and alternators. So I got pretty good or pretty lucky, take your pick.

First thing was to hose the broken bolt down with penetrating oil. Hopefully while things were still warm. I always felt like center punching helped break things loose along with the oil. I made sure to drill at low speed with as high a pressure as I could to cause the least amount of frictional heat with the quickest cut which would make that end grab the most bite. If that didn’t get it, hose it down through the drill hole and do the next size drill closest to minimum thread diameter. Many a time it was taking my star chisel and following the thread and knock it into the middle of the hole and grab it with a pair of pliers and weasel out the remnants. Only had a couple I had to helicoil.

Sorry if all this is terminally obvious.
 
try heating the left over drill bit with a MAP torch. That screw almost certainly has loctite on, so a bit of heat may help it release. Then keep going up in RH drill bit size. At some point either one will catch and screw it out or you'll hit the threads and can then pick them out. It's tedious work but it'll come out one way or another.
 
So, in case it wasn't clear before, the reason welding a scrap nut or bolt to the broken part is to put heat into it, which loosens up any adhesive or rust. It is my number one choice for extractions, and I have a whole chest full of extractors of many types as well as the experience that comes with reaching a point where I get to say that I have a chest full of extractors of many types. Those come out depending on the situation, and only after heat has been applied and failed. Since it is a left hand screw, I'd choose a straight fluted extractor. They work exceptionally well. Either you will succeed, strip the stuck bolt or you will break an extractor. Technique, heat, and penetrant all help, but in the end it's also a healthy dose of luck that gets you free. Using a reverse-twist drill is a bit of a hail mary, since it only works a small percent of the time. Grabbing any remaining fastener with vise grips has been significantly more successful for me than any other method when it's been possible, save for the tack weld trick that is the king of the hill for me.
 
Yep, I’ve had my share of gotta get it out situations. Lots of good ideas here beyond my obvious one.

I’ll throw one other out that I haven’t seen yet, send the tool to Makita and ask them to fix it. Might be cheaper than replacement and if you have a bunch of good batteries a worthwhile expense.

John
 
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