screw removal question

[Shogi]

What does that do, just loosen it up?

Coke will eat away at the rust, but not damage the plastic. Personally I'd just use WD-40 and if the screw is striped either use a "star head" screwdriver or get a philips that has had the tip cut off so it's flat and doesn't come to a point

[green firefly]

If all else fails, very carefully begin drilling out the center of the stuck screw with a 1/16 size drill bit - preferably a drill bit designed to drill through metal. Drill slowly. Every so often, stop drilling and try to remove the screw again. It should eventually come out without damaging the figure in any way.

[cobrasaboteur]

Oh, the SODA???? crap, that was a huge waste. Maybe some's still salvagable.

-saboteur

[CGC]

Yeah, use pop, other types of coke are much too hot & would damage your fig.
(Keep it PG guys)

[Bigtattoo]

Having spent the last few days removing hundreds of screws, Ive learned a useful new technique.
I agree with the WD-40, it does help, but Ive found a far better way.
Use a precision screwdriver, and place you finger on the top- pushing down.
Then get a pair of pliers and grip the screwdriver- still putting downward pressure with your finger.
the extra torque or force it generates practically always breaks the bond/rust, usually without threading the screw.

[DPrime]

Yeah, use pop, other types of coke are much too hot & would damage your fig.
(Keep it PG guys)

Rather obscure reference, I'm sure kids are thoroughly confused now!

Looks like I've got a stripped screw problem too now, is WD 40 really all that effective?

This figure is friggin' mint too, opened it myself from a Japanese package. Have no idea why a stripped screw was put in there at the factory... I'm thinking about sacrificing a screwdriver and superglueing the tip to the screw, and getting it out that way, but I don't know how well metal bonds to metal with that...

[green firefly]

Rather obscure reference, I'm sure kids are thoroughly confused now!

Looks like I've got a stripped screw problem too now, is WD 40 really all that effective?

This figure is friggin' mint too, opened it myself from a Japanese package. Have no idea why a stripped screw was put in there at the factory... I'm thinking about sacrificing a screwdriver and superglueing the tip to the screw, and getting it out that way, but I don't know how well metal bonds to metal with that...

I'm not sure superglue would work too well in that instance. I used to say that there is no such thing as a permanently stuck screw, but I've changed my mind. I recently had two leg screws that would not come out. I drilled into one of them and eventually the screw head came off. (I used lots of WD-40 too.) Then I could actually separate the two thigh pieces. There was a significant piece of screw still sticking out of the outer thigh piece. I grabbed a huge pair of pliers, latched on and twisted...and twisted...and twisted. Eventually the piece of screw sticking out actually began to rotate and broke off. The tip half of the screw is still stuck in the outer thigh piece. (I also tried to shrink the metal after heating it up with the drill by putting the leg piece in the freezer for a while before using the pliers.)

[DPrime]

I'm not sure superglue would work too well in that instance. I used to say that there is no such thing as a permanently stuck screw, but I've changed my mind. I recently had two leg screws that would not come out. I drilled into one of them and eventually the screw head came off. (I used lots of WD-40 too.) Then I could actually separate the two thigh pieces. There was a significant piece of screw still sticking out of the outer thigh piece. I grabbed a huge pair of pliers, latched on and twisted...and twisted...and twisted. Eventually the piece of screw sticking out actually began to rotate and broke off. The tip half of the screw is still stuck in the outer thigh piece. (I also tried to shrink the metal after heating it up with the drill by putting the leg piece in the freezer for a while before using the pliers.)

Yeah, it didn't...

I'm gonna have the whole leg sit in Coke overnight and see what happens. I'll go and buy one of those star-headed screwdrivers tomorrow morning, maybe some WD-40 too, and see what I can do. I don't really want to have to drill anything (do you guys use Dremels for this?) - that's got trouble written all over it...

[talclipse]

IVE Ran into some bad screws b4,but if they are rusted don't just take a screwdriver to them and hope it backs out..lock(i mean very tightly) a vice grip on one of those eye glass screwdrivers that fit the screw head(making something close to a Y not a T),holding the figure in one hand and the screwdriver & vice grip in the other then just push down with everything you have and turn at the same time.you shouldn't have any problems with the screw coming out or striping.

if it does strip(ive never ran into this)but if it does then i don't see anything but drilling working.you can get a reverse thread screw,drill a small pilot hole (enough to catch thread) then run the RT screw down the hole and it should come out.or you could try drilling out the head,either way should work..

sometimes after a screw has striped,you can use a drop of wd40 or peroxide and a larger screwdriver and you might be able to catch just enough head.

[green firefly]

I don't really want to have to drill anything (do you guys use Dremels for this?) - that's got trouble written all over it...

I just use a regular power drill and a small bit that is made to drill through metal. I've never damaged a figure doing this, but you have to be very careful.