How to undo a screw with a mangled head?

pinkteapot

Our TV is attached to its stand with four screws. We need to undo them in order to put it back on its original base.

One screw has a mangled head; the result of a naff screwdriver. Now it's impossible to get purchase; the screwdriver just spins. Has anyone got any ideas for getting it undone?

ormus

if you have room enough, try using a hacksaw to make a new straight cut across the head. then use a normal screwdriver on it.

MX5huggy

Drill the head of the screw off.

Doooford

If it is a heavy duty job, you may need to drill a small hole into the screw and then use a screw extractor! It is a small tool that has an opposite thread to the screw. When you turn the tool it screws into the damaged screw until it is snug and then proceeds to turn the screw out. Magic. Get down any hardware shop or:- http://www.screwfix.com/prods/18643/Drill-Bits/Specialist-Drill-Bits/Screw-Extractor-Set

antenna

MX5huggy wrote: »

Drill the head of the screw off.

....Dead right MX5huggy........this sounds drastic,but it is easy if you take it very slowly,stopping every few seconds with a drill bit just a fraction bigger than the stem of one of the screws you have already removed.

antenna

Or just keep mangling the screw with a larger screwdriver till the head is worn off.

liam8282

Use a rubber band! I have seen this trick posted on another site and you might be lucky!

I will try find a link.

Found one: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/06/13/howto-remove-a-strip.html

Been waiting to try this trick out myself.

If it fails use molegrips or pliers if you can grip the screw head enough.

pinkteapot

Thanks for replying all. No room to get a saw in. I assume the idea with drilling the head off is that the TV will be free but the body of the screw will be left in forever more? I don't think that would matter as I'm sure three screws would hold it securely enough. But I might try the screw extractor bit first in case it is possible to remove the whole thing.

Actually, first I'm trying the rubber band trick just because I'm so sceptical about it.

ormus

if you dont need the old stand again, then break/saw the stand off. you should be left with enough screw shaft showing, to get some pliers on it.

antenna

The stub of the old screw will be loose.....it's only the head that keeps it tight,and you can undo with fine pliers or even your fingers.

Dave_C_2

To use a screw extractor, you have to drill it in the first place to get the extractor in .

Very hard to explain this bit but I'll give it a go:
When you drill the heat of the drilling helps loosen things up and the drilled hole allows you to get a better grip with the edges of the screwdriver. The tip of the screwdriver goes deeper into the screw head. Drill a bit, try it, drill a bit more, try it and so on.

As has already been said, if you do remove the head, then you can usually extract the rest of the screw with mole grips.

DAve