screw extraction

[Jaqun]

I am working on replacing my headliner on a Freedom 30. I am removing the teak handholds. They bolt on with a screw end on the deck and a fixed bolt embedded in the interior handhold. The screw slot on deck is damaged. There is resin around the screw on top.. I have a set of screw extractors. Any last advice?

[Shrew]

You're using terms interchangeably when they are not. Screw, bolt (machine screw), stud, nut, head. There is a difference.

[dougweibel]

A picture or two would be helpful!

If I understand there is a threaded rod coming up through the deck (not saying if that threaded rod belongs to a stud, bold, screw, whatever). What your description doesn't really convey is what is holding it on top - is there a nut of some sort, or a threaded bar or fitting, securing it on top?

Without more info I'd say to first try some heat to see if the resin can be softened enough. If not look at the feasibility of drilling down through from the top with a bit near the inner diameter of the threads. Go a bit past the depth of the interface and then try to break things free. If necessary follow the drill bit with a tap to remove more material.

[Jaqun]

Sorry this is not my strong suit. Top is a slotted screw head in the top teak handrail which has some leftover resin around it. It is attached to a rod that goes through the deck into a nut that is embedded in the lower teak handhold below.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Jaqun,

It would help to see a picture.

I'm imagining someone may have used epoxy resin to protect the hole in the deck from water intrusion. If so, if that is epoxy keeping you from access to the head of the screw, I don't envy you. In fact, I don't envy you so much I'd consider carefully cutting away the headliner from around the hand holds below decks, and not disturbing the screws.....

You want the water to stay on the outside, and you don't care if your're replacing the headliner. Where you have to slit it to make it possible to get around the handholds, you can cover the seam with varnished teak battens, to give it a finished appearance, when you've got the old stuff out. [While the old stuff is out, look for water intrusion "tracks", you may find some places that need re-caulking, and headliner's notorious for hiding the sources of leaks.]

If all those screws are epoxied in, you have a problem. If it's only a little around the screw head, you can try a big screw driver and even an impact driver, once you've chipped away the excess, if it is an "excess" situation.



Ann

[dougweibel]

I agree with Ann. I'd only add you may want to try a Dremel tool to clear away excess epoxy and get any out of the screw head slot.

[Dymaxion]

You may have some success in "softening" the epoxy around the screw heads using a very small propane torch. Very small size, like a cigarette lighter but much hotter with a pin point flame. A dentist's pick would help clear out around the screw head. A picture would be useful.

[bletso]

I wouldn't use a propane torch, just a heat gun. I have had very good success with hundreds of screws. Of course it took me a long time to arrive at that solution.