[simpits-tech] Removing stuck aircraft screws...

[David C. Allen]

Stuff used on the 737

Apex 1/4'' Phillips Hex Insert Bits With Anti-Camout Ribs. Make sure 
you get Removal Side ACR Ribs not the Drive side ACR Ribs!!!!!!!

DEWALT 18-Volt Cordless 1/4 in. (6.4 mm) Impact Driver

1/4" drive ratchet with a 6 Point 1/4" socket to hold the Apex 1/4'' 
Phillips Hex Bit

C-clamp or straps to hold the ratchet & Apex 1/4'' Phillips bit 
against the screw head

Wagner HT1000 1200-Watt Heat Gun (use with caution - FIRE)

PB Blaster 11 oz. Penetrating Catalyst Lubricant, apply and re-apply 
then let soak for days Requires a little patience. :-)

David
www.737FlightSim.com


At 01:33 PM 5/10/2014 -0700, you wrote:
>I am having a lot of trouble getting some of the screws out of my 
>Sabreliner....wondering if anyone here might have some advice. I 
>have found that many of the little machine screws on this bird are 
>rusted/seized and seem to be nearly impossible to remove. I need to 
>remove at least one access panel/skin piece, and one window.
>
>What I've tried so far is a little screw extractor set from a local 
>hardware store. I drill a correctly-sized hole in the stuck screw, 
>then jam the extractor into the hole and unscrew it (iwith a power 
>drill). This actually worked for several screws, but my biggest 
>problem is that the screws are so hard, I keep killing drill bits! I 
>tried "titanium" bits from Lowes, they will handle about 3 screws 
>before they are trashed. Eventually they just snap into several pieces.......
>
>The best drill bits I've tried so far are a couple of oddball SUPER 
>hardened bits I use for gunsmith work (use them to drill out 
>hardened steel rivets in de-mil'd AK-47s). These seem to handle 5 or 
>6 screws before they are dull and useless, and snap in two if I keep 
>trying to use them,  even with cutting fluid and frequent cool-down periods.
>
>An impact screw driver was recommended, but I can't find any place 
>local that has one. I suppose I could order one online, but I'm a 
>little nervous about removing windshield screws this way....I 
>already see a crack in one of my side windows from (I presume) 
>unusual stresses from the cockpit now being separated from the rest 
>of the plane.
>
>If it were only a dozen or so screws, I would just buy more bits and 
>trash them all. But I have close to a dozen just on that one access 
>panel, the windshield probably has a hundred or more (so far I've 
>only managed to remove about 5 of them...).
>
>To make matters worse, two of the screws in the access panel now 
>have the remnants of a couple of those hardened drill bits stuck in them.
>
>Any ideas? I don't know what to do.
>
>Matt
>_______________________________________________
>Simpits-tech mailing list
>Simpits-tech at simpits.org
>http://www.simpits.org/mailman/listinfo/simpits-tech
>To unsubscribe, please see the instructions at the bottom of the 
>above page.  Thanks!