Broken EZ Out

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by smurphny

EZouts almost never work. For the amount of grief created by these things, better off not even having them in the tool box. The comment about 20:1 above is probably conservative. It takes very little pressure to break them off. Better off just drilling and retapping. If you take your time getting the drill bit centered with a good, sharp punch, then drill carefully so the drill does not wander off center before you get a hole started, you can usually drill close enough to the threads so the old bolt threads will just drop off from the heat created. Starting with a small hole as a guide for the final size is also helpful. Running a tap in afterward cleans them up. Of course these things are usually located in a spot where there is 1/8" less clearance than you have for the drill but this is one of the tenets of Murphy's law

Like this. Sounds like a lot more work than the EZ Out until the EZ Out breaks. Then suddenly this technique starts looking a lot better.

I did finally invest in a right angle drill that gets me into a few more spots than the pistol grip variety. Find I use it a lot.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

This what we use in machine shops.


.

OK. These look good. What exactly are they called and where can I get some, McMaster Carr I suppose?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Opie91

I fell your pain on the EZ outs.

EZ outs are good for screws/bolts that are not all corroded up, meaning nearly useless for marine applications.

These have worked well for me on pan head screws:



BET7, Set, Extractor, Power Fastener, Hex, 7 pcs.


Sometimes it is just easier to drill out the screw/set screw from the beginning and tap it.

Exactly. EZ-outs are for when the bolt is broken off or the head stripped, not for when it is seized-up.

I've also had success very carefully drilling out bolts using a tap drill and then picking out the thread bits, sometimes with careful tap work.

[smurphny]

I did finally invest in a right angle drill that gets me into a few more spots than the pistol grip variety. Find I use it a lot.

Yes, would love to have one of those little rechargeable angle drills. Always think about buying one of the Makitas when in the tool temptation aisle but the price makes me put 'em back down.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by smurphny

Yes, would love to have one of those little rechargeable angle drills. Always think about buying one of the Makitas when in the tool temptation aisle but the price makes me put 'em back down.

A few years ago Home Depot put a Ryobi 18V set on a really good sale. Got a miter saw, circular saw, sawzall type saw, drill, flashlight, hand vac, rottary tool, two chargers and some batteries. Mainly bought because it was a super deal and I needed a miter saw for one job. Later I built a 16 X 24 combo pole barn/storage shed using just this set. Did need a few extra batteries. Now I use this kit for almost everything and love it.

So, when I had a job that nothing would work but a right angle drill went ahead and got another Ryobi for $70. Now if they would just put the Li Ion batteries on sale.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by skipmac

OK. These look good. What exactly are they called and where can I get some, McMaster Carr I suppose?

They're "Carbide Burs".

You can get them in most industrial suppliers (welding, fasteners, tooling & etc.). It would be least expensive online in kits.

e.g. Products: Advanced Carbide Tool Company, Inc.

[Jesse]

My tendency to overtighten bolts has made me do a lot more broken bolt extractions than most. Over the years I've recieved lots of good and bad advice on methods, here's the one that works best for me. Grind the exposed surface of the bolt flat and carefully indent the center with the proper punch, and with a left hand twist cobalt drill slowly drill a hole in the center of the bolt. Repeat with a larger drill until you can pick out the remaining threads with a dentist's pick. The angle of the cutting surface on the cobalt drill will usualy catch the bolt and the left hand twist will back the bolt out before the drilling part is complete. PB Blaster first helps things allong.

[delmarrey]

Another tip from my old Machinist days: On some of the larger bolts one can drill a hole thru about half the diameter of the bolt. Take a torch and heat the center until almost orange, then quench it with water. That will shrink the diameter of the broken stud, making it easier to extract, especially if its rusty. The use of Kroil is very helpful!

Do be careful with Grade 8 (8.8 metric) bolts. If you get them hot they will heat treat, making them hard like tools.

[Bruce Bevan]

Like most of you I have been there, done that. As a last resort I do exactly as Jesse has recommended. Often making my own lefthand drill bit from an old or broken twist drill ground down on my carbide wheel.

Before I get to that point I always follow these techniques. Never extract a bolt/screw with a slow torsional force. Always use a sharp force as in a jerking motion. For extreme jerking motions I use a hand impact driver with a hammer. Force proportional to the size of the fastening. Often using a tightening direction first to try to break the hold of the corroded fastener. When tightening a fastening I use the reverse by method by using a steady torque and never a jerking torque. In addition I always use some thread sealer, often clear RTV silicone, on machine screws. My thinking here is that I want to prevent salty water from from working into the voids. This salty water will crystalize and promote corrosion and jambing that prevents easy extraction at a later date. This has paid off for me over the years. I can take my outboard motor apart without problem now.

Speaking of outboard motors. If you break off a steel bolt in an aluminum block head I have had remarkable success by either welding another bolt to the stud using a TIG or blowing the whole stud out of the block with an oxy-acetalene torch. Amazingly no damage to the threads.

Using a vice grip on a squared off screw head also often works for me.

BB

[Hillbillyfunk]

Easy outs aren't easy and they never get it out. Plasma torches get EZ outs out

left hand drill works.

[wingontherock]

Once you have broken an ez-out or a tap for that matter... keep in mind they WILL break... using
and hammer and punch you can continue to break
it into pieces to remove it... they are very brittle and
can be broken ... get a chisel or punch and give it a good whack... pick out the pieces...

[delmarrey]

I almost always use the Proto square EZ outs. The problem with the spiral type is after drilling the hole it makes the wall thin on the stud. So when one puts a expanding device in the hole it makes the bolt even tighter in the hole. The object it to loosen the stud, not tighten it.

The square type is a bit better in the sense that it cuts 4 groves in the hole and locks it to the EZ out with minimum expansion. For really large studs I've taken 3/4" HS lathe tool bits and ground a 5º angle on each side and used those with great success!

The down fall to these is they are a bit softer and can strip, BUT less chance of braking. I've had to replace my medium size twice already but did get my $'s worth out of them.

[Charlie]

I've had good luck with left handed drill bits but the store in town where I used to get them doesn't sell them anymore. Does anyone know where I can get a set of these?

[delmarrey]

Do you have Fastenal in your area. The things are not cheap!

[Boracay]

I've started using diamond bits in my Dremel. For getting the last scrap of rust out before using POR 15 there's nothing else?

I have seen some diamond bits on Ebay out of China for a very low price for a set of 30! Has anyone any experience of these?