My daughters old cot bed is being sold, there is a screw (wood screw about 1.5mm in diameter?) that has broken off at the head, about 3 threads are showing. I can’t get a grip on it with pliers to “wind” it out. Any suggestions on how to remove with minimal damage to the surrounding wood?

Cut a slot in it?

Cut a slot in it with a junior hacksaw and screw it out with a flat screwdriver?

Mole grips?

Hang a marshmallow on it?

Drill it out and fit a bigger diameter screw?

Pair of cable/tin snip type pliers shoulp give good purchase

dremel is your friend, tends to be easier to access the screw without damaging the surrounding wood

I usually use the cordless drill. Just tighten the chuck straight onto the remaining screw. Make sure it’s in reverse and start slow

Try gripping it with a drill-driver bit.

hacksaw slot trick doesn’t work – screw too skinny

will try locking the chuck on it directly

what is the technique for “drilling out” a screw?

thanks

Done!

The power of Singletrack, the wife won’t harass me for spending time on here now…

It was nickjb’s tip that did it. Cheers!

I could ask my vet 😀

Well he had to remove a broken screw from my dogs leg. It took him 2 days and 2 operations to get it out!

When i was an apprentice, i snapped a screw in an important job, so the chap i was working with suggested i go to the blacksmith shop down the hill at the steelworks i worked at, get them to heat a half inch bar, red hot, and then bring it back up here, and put it on the screw and the heat will expand the screw.

So i did, but by the time i had got back the heat had transfered down the bar and burnt my hand.

And it didnt work 😳

project-you believed him?

When your 16 you still believe in a fat man dressed in a red suit bringing gifts on one day a year.

And why did you want to expand a stuck screw?

How would expanding the screw help remove it…

because when your 16 and learning you believe what people tell you, and everyone knows metal expands, so you believe it will expand in the wood, and then contract, leaving a bigger gap around the screw.

project,I know your pain.
I remember as a 12 year old in the Scouts being sent to get a “skyhook” to hold a bell tent up while we pegged it out…..