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Posted: 1/9/2014 2:27:49 AM EDT
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I don't know if this is the appropriate place for this question so feel free to move it if needed.
I have a stripped screw stuck in larue mount. What options do I have for getting it out? I was thinking JB weld the Allen wrench into the screw, wait a day, and then go back at it. Are there any safer/more surefire ways of removing this screw? Thanks for your help |
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thanks. number one looks promising. i may try that before the J B weld option |
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What is stripped- the head of the Allen screw or the screw threads themselves?
If the head is stripped use the appropriately sized Torx driver to where you drive the bit into the recess for the Allen wrench, usually you can get enough bite to loosen the fastener. Put some Kroil on it prior and if Loctited heat it. |
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Quoted:
What is stripped- the head of the Allen screw or the screw threads themselves? If the head is stripped use the appropriately sized Torx driver to where you drive the bit into the recess for the Allen wrench, usually you can get enough bite to loosen the fastener. Put some Kroil on it prior and if Loctited heat it. it is the head of the screw. it is rounded off so the allen wrench just spins in the head. i tried hammering a slightly oversized torx into the head and stripped it even more. i dont recall using loctite when I put the mount on but it is really in there. |
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Soak with Kroil or heat it a touch and dab some beeswax on all visible parts of the fastener. Try the Torx trick again.
If that doesn't get it then a mill will be needed or the ability to weld a nut or such on it so you can get a good grip. But with it being a recessed Allen head that's out. You can always toss it in the mail to me, I can drill them out and if by chance the hole in the mount gets dinged well, that's why God invented HeliCoils. |
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I would consider soldering a drop of silver solder onto the end of an allen wrench, then cleaning the inside of the pocket well with something that leaves no residue. ( acetone, lighter fluid) dropping some flux in the allen head and seeing if I could stick the wrench in the head. just have too keep it a small enough volume not to spill over into the threads. You might end up sanding or stoning your drop down until it fits and has a small enough volume.
Or maybe go from the other end, tin the wrench, and cut a tiny piece of solder to drop in the allen socket and melt it with flux. While you have it hot, add the kroil and bees wax as mentioned above. ETA: nice thing about solder is if you screw it up, it runs right out and can be wiped off when it's hot, unlike JB weld or the like. 
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| Thanks for all the suggestions. The head is recessed and the bottom side of the screw of not exposed. I do not have access to a soldering iron or a welder so I have had a Allen wrench JB welded to it over night and will give it a go this afternoon. If that doesn't work I am going to try dremeling the head to get a flat head in there. If that doesn't work, I guess I am keeping the current light in the mount! |
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Here's a tip that used to work GREAT for me. Sears used to sell these tiny bottles of "Grip Doctor". It was a fine hard grit suspended in a fluid. you would put a drop of it in the stripped screw head, then put your wrench, screwdriver bit, whatever in there. I was able to unscrew probably 80% of the stripped screw heads I encountered using the stuff. The bad news is Sears no longer sells the Craftsman Grip Doctor.  The good news is, Grip Doctor was apparently nothing more than valve lapping compound in a fluid suspension, and it's an old trick mechanics have been using long before Sears bottled the stuff and gave it a fancy name. So if you have any valve lapping compound it might not be a bad idea to use a toothpick to scoop some into the screw cap and give it a whirl to see if it makes the difference.
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to avoid head damage to the finish of the mount... you could try this. I've done this a few times for the exact problem you are having now take a pencil torch (google) and direct the fine flame into the cup of the screw... give it a little while.. insert the allen into the hole warming that up too.. while everything is hot.. touch off some solder . basically soldering the two pieces together .. then allow to cool completely. the solder taking up the void space and basically sticking itself to the opened up screw head and the allen wrench.. coupled with the directed heat into the shaft of the screw .. has worked well for me in the past ALSO can try this.. take the next size up allen wrench that is just a little too big to fit into the wallowed out hole.. heat the allen hole on the screw with the method mentioned above..and put the larger allen wrench in the freezer (long before you heat the screw.. takes time to freeze it down) the hot screw and the frozen allen,.. both being steel. may shrink/expand past their press fit sizes.. this i have also down with great success.. granted both items are trashed after removal but your mount is save the pencil torch creates a great flame and is localized to minimize heat damage to the rest of the part |
Well, just to follow up. the JB weld was a complete failure. I ended up using a dremel to cut a groove in the screw (and mount) and removing it with a flathead. fortunately that side of the mount is not visible at all. I know it is not pretty, but it worked and didn't require me to buy anything special to remove it.
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