Can NOT remove this screw

M

Miller

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
207
Well, I stripped a screw on my P180. Luckily, it's a screw holding the top fan in. Unluckily, this thing has zero grip left in it.

I've tried everything. I've used misshapen drill bits (well, one, but I don't think it'll do any good at any other size), a square bit, two bits shaped like odd, eight-pointed stars, two flathead screwdrivers (to pry the thing out), three spiral bits (the ones that you use to actually drill the hole; I'm no carpenter, but my dad is), and all I've succeeded in doing is making a shallow well within the top of this screw. It doesn't matter so much now, but I plan to replace the fans with fans from Vantec (or something; not sure yet), so I would rather get this out of the way now and not have to deal with it then.

Anyone have any ideas? I'd rather not cut up my case, but I'm at a loss. This screw's pretty tough; I tried actually deforming it so perhaps the misshapen drill bit would work, but it won't move.

[Edit] I should also mention the screw is flush with the top of my case, but luckily(?) it can be pushed up just a bit because I didn't screw it in entirely. I'm talking just barely far enough to get a flathead in there. Unfortunately, perhaps I just install fans wrong, but in screwing it in initially I literally had to create the spirals for the screw to go in by drilling it rather hard into the hole (there were no rivets, if that's what they're called, initially). Thus, it's in there quite tight.

Any help appreciated, Thanks.
 
get a flat head glowing read hot and sticking it in the screw to see if you can make a line to turn it with
 
maybe try some pliers? or anything else that would be able to grip the thing around the edges... maybe you could manage to push in two sides of the surface to a flat surface and grip it like that?
 
vise grips (or pliers if you're good) usually get the job done on screws with stripped/missing heads
 
you could drill through the screw which wouldn't damage the case

you could also cut a slot into the top of the screw if you have a dremel. In that case you could also just cut the top off from the side.
 
remove all the other screws from the fan, snap it off, remove the corner, push the screw out :) ive had to do this numerous times on old computer.... one time i stripped a standoff :eek: that took a LOOONG time
 
Buy yourself a set of "Easyouts" you drill a small pilot hole then the easyout screws in the opposite way you need to turn to remove the screw, i have used then and they are invaluable :)
 
ServerSystems: I tried to get a picture, but with the flash on you couldn't see the screw, and without it it was too blurry. I'll try and draw a picture or something to give people a better idea of the situation; exercise those art skills. :p

aj@x: I may, if I have no other options. Right now I'm just trying to keep things free. :) My dad's a carpenter, I'm sure he's got something that I can use.

0mega: That would work, only the way this fan is held in is by two corners next to each other have two screws in them, while the other two corners are secured in this metal bracket sort of thing. I thought about bending the brackets so I could maybe twist the fan around, but that steel is pretty tough; if it's possible, I may end up doing something similar to your suggestion.

m-unit, uhltank: What would drilling through the screw do? I've read about doing that when I did a google search for help, but I'm not sure what it would accomplish, exactly.

snowwie: I have some tiny plier kind of things, but they're far too weak, and anything bigger I don't think will be able to grasp it (it only pops out a very tiny amount), so I'm not sure how much good it'll do. But it has crossed my mind; thanks.

lithium726: That was my initial idea as well, but as I (think I) said, the screw seems to be quite tough; I'm going to try the plier idea shortly, that seems to have a good chance of working, or helping, at any rate.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to draw a picture or something so people can see what the deal is.
 
Nevermind guys, my dad took a look at it and went about drilling right through it. I guess that's the definitive solution in this case. Thanks again. :)
 
A fairly easy thing to do is take a dremmel w/ cutoff wheel and grind yourself a slot in the screw head for a flathead driver to grip. But too late :cool:
 
but with the flash on you couldn't see the screw, and without it it was too blurry.
Click to expand...

Turn up your camera ISO and use a tripod or steady surface. or get better lighting around the object u are trying to take a pic of.
 
l0cke said:
get a flat head glowing read hot and sticking it in the screw to see if you can make a line to turn it with
Click to expand...

Good idea.... very poor method :p

If you hadn't fixed it already, I'd suggest my method. If there's enough headroom, bust out the dremel and the cutting disk. Cut a slit in the screw deep enough, and a nice flathead will bust that mo' out.
 
There are screwdriver bits that have serrated teeth on them. You tap them in with a hammer, then twist the screw out.

Fastest way is to use a drill or countersink and just take the head of the screw off. After you have the part out, there's usually enough of the screw sticking up to get a pair of visegrips on it. Cutting the head off lets you take the screw elsewhere to work on it, with less risk of damaging the outside surface of the case.
 
like zamboni said, I use the same method when not dealing with delicate stuff.

Get a hammer and screwdriver, I have my shitty one already picked out, and give it 2-3 good smackings. Press firmly down on the screwdriver, and twist, it works almost 100% of teh time, if the first try didn't do it repeat. Just make sure you keep the tip in the same place, don't go rotating it while smacking it.
 
if this ever happens to anyone again, the solution is to cut a slot in it with a dremel zip wheel and then use flathead on it
 
Darkala said:
if this ever happens to anyone again, the solution is to cut a slot in it with a dremel zip wheel and then use flathead on it
Click to expand...


You could even use a hacksaw blade off the frame if you dont have a dremel.

But yeah, thats they way to do it. Cut a nce slot and use a big flathead screwdriver that has a good grip so you don't slip.
 
What i usually do for stripped screws is take my dremetl and cut a channel right down the middle(not all the way through the head of the screw mind you)and take the widest flathead ive got and twist it.

that or im sure you have access to some C4.
 
Screw-Outs have got to be the easiest way to deal with these situations. One of the best tool investments you can make. Beats all that hacking and messy dremel stuff; you guys sure like to do things the [H]ard way :p
l0cke said:
get a flat head glowing read hot and sticking it in the screw to see if you can make a line to turn it with
Click to expand...
I sure hope you're kidding :eek: Although I've seen people try dumber things...
 
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