Ezyout?

[sheppo]

Hi people another little quandary for you to puzzle over please. ;D
Whilst trying to remove the window catches, the head on the mount screws
sheared off. The problem is i can't drill them out as the Aluminium is softer than the
steel screw so the drill will wonder off, been there done that, so was wondering if you had come up with a better plan.


Sheppo

[atouchofglass]

Hey Sheppo
Can the remaining part be gripped with a pair of visegrips?

If not perhaps grind the broken screw flat, leaving it proud of the aluminium frame.
Drill a hole the same size in a piece of plate steel.
Place the steel plate over the broken screw and clamp the plate to the frame.

Drill through the hole in the steel plate and screw.
Lot of mucking about but better than nothing.

Atog

[seeshell]

Use an Easy Out - Drill a small hole down the middle, tap it in the other direction, and then when you tighen it it will undo the bolt that is in it. I believe you can buy them at Bunnings.

If there was enough of it sticking proud another option would be to use a fine cutting blade and make a slot in the top, to turn it out with a screwdriver - depends how stuck in it is. Perhaps an application of the magic fluid WD40 would help.

You should be able to fix the hole in the ali with JBweld or something like it, if that's a concern.

Cheers
Seeshell

[sheppo]

Thanks Seeshell but A; the screw is way too small to drill as i said you wobble off.
B;. The screw being so small you cant file a slot. Good advise tho.

ATOG. MATE you have the answer with the piece of metal over the top, that way
the bloody drill won't wobble off into the nice soft alloy.

Once again THANK YOU..

Sheppo

[atouchofglass]

;D ;D ;D

[Franklin1]

G'day sheppo,

This is not an easy fix.

The screw should be stainless steel, which is not the easiest thing to drill into. See here.

I'm guessing the screw is about 1/8" diameter, so you're not likely to get an ezy-out fitting that's small enough.

You might have to dismantle the window and see if you can grab the remaining thread on the inside of the channel and work it loose.

Otherwise, I'd be going for the hammer and nail punch, and punching the remaining thread through the hole. But that depends on how much room there is on the inside of the frame to punch the screw into. No point in doing that if the tip of the screw is sitting up against something on the inside (like the window glass, for example).

Lucky it's you and not me. I still remember spending hours carefully cutting two broken stainless screws with a fine hacksaw, after the heads snapped off. Luckily I could get to the threaded side, whereas you can't unless you dismantle the aluminium moulding.

Good luck!

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

What about moving the catch along a bit?
hughdeani

[greedy53]

you could try a dremmel and cut a slot into it or a hacksaw and unscrew it
good luck

[sheppo]

Thanks Greedy53 but the screw is tiny, no way you can Dremel it too small.

Franklin1 unfortunately some drongo has put a steel screw in and set off the dreaded electrolysis, your right there is not enough height to knock it in so i think i will either move it sideways which involves the catch too like hughdeani suggested, or i think i will try smiley boy ATOGs method with the steel plate.

Once again the fantastic forum members to the rescue. ;D

THANKS one and all.

Sheppo

[sheppo]

Thanks Franklin1 the screw is out. ;D
Now for my next saga, can any one please post a pic of the window catches on their Sunnys side windows as mine are missing sort of, some one has incorporated them into the flyscreens and i would like to try and keep it original if possible.

Thanks again.

sheppo