Forums > Windsurfing General

Rusted Fin Screw...

Reply
Created by yew101 > 9 months ago, 11 Apr 2013
yew101
WA, 13 posts
11 Apr 2013 9:26PM
Thumbs Up

I got given this board and one screw in the turtle box is rusted and just wont come out. I have broken about 4 screw drivers and used heaps of wd - 40. I was thinking about drilling the head of the screw off. When i take out the other screw, the fin is wobbly so the fin isn't jammed.




Bondalucci
QLD, 1579 posts
11 Apr 2013 11:34PM
Thumbs Up

Drill the head off it and pull it out from below.
I suggest drilling a narrow pilot hole first to ensure the bigger hole you drill remains centered.

Mark _australia
WA, 22287 posts
11 Apr 2013 9:44PM
Thumbs Up

Looks like from that 1st pic that there is still some groove for the screwdriver to engage in? And then the second pic is unclear.
If there is enough screw head groove remaining that you can at least apply some torque before it slips:

Use the right sized driver and quality :) put a wide elastic band over the screwdriver tip, then push down HARD and turn whilst somebody taps the screwdriver handle down with a hammer - like about half as hard as you'd hit to drive a nail into pine. The shock loading alone can often be enough. If the head is stuffed bad enough nothing will work and drilling will be ur only option, just thought I'd mention the above as a last ditch effort.

Fez
NSW, 130 posts
12 Apr 2013 12:48AM
Thumbs Up

Drill a small hole and use an "easyout". You can get one from local hardware....left hand tapered thread. should do the trick if no luck with hammer and screwdriver.

powersloshin
NSW, 1676 posts
12 Apr 2013 7:46AM
Thumbs Up

find who used a mild steel screw instead of stainless and .... { insert punishment }

We used to use hammer and chisel, bang the side of the head until it turned, less technically refined, but good for anger management.

nebbian
WA, 6277 posts
12 Apr 2013 3:14PM
Thumbs Up

Mark _australia said...

Use the right sized driver and quality :) put a wide elastic band over the screwdriver tip, then push down HARD and turn whilst somebody taps the screwdriver handle down with a hammer - like about half as hard as you'd hit to drive a nail into pine. The shock loading alone can often be enough. If the head is stuffed bad enough nothing will work and drilling will be ur only option, just thought I'd mention the above as a last ditch effort.


+1

Also try not only loosening, but tightening as well. If you manage to get it to turn even a tiny bit back and forth then it should loosen itself fully with enough persistence.

Beaglebuddy
1595 posts
14 Apr 2013 6:26AM
Thumbs Up

Fez said...
Drill a small hole and use an "easyout". You can get one from local hardware....left hand tapered thread. should do the trick if no luck with hammer and screwdriver.



Instead of an easyout I have found a lefthanded drill bit works much better, about the same diameter as the bolt. When it catches it will grab and unscrew the bolt. The problem with the easyout is first trying to drill a tiny hole then inserting the tiny screw extractor and trying to grab hold of it to turn it and perhaps having it snap off in the hole, then you are really screwed
This worked so much better for removing broken starter bolts from an engine block.

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
15 Apr 2013 8:38PM
Thumbs Up

try soaking in deisel for a few days

stroppo
WA, 728 posts
15 Apr 2013 8:48PM
Thumbs Up

What about a die grinder that should cut the head of it!

Mark _australia
WA, 22287 posts
15 Apr 2013 8:50PM
Thumbs Up

being in a hole about 75mm deep makes grinding / cutting / easyouts a bit hard.....

Ian K
WA, 4048 posts
15 Apr 2013 9:33PM
Thumbs Up

Mark _australia said...
Looks like from that 1st pic that there is still some groove for the screwdriver to engage in? And then the second pic is unclear.
If there is enough screw head groove remaining that you can at least apply some torque before it slips:

Use the right sized driver and quality :) put a wide elastic band over the screwdriver tip, then push down HARD and turn whilst somebody taps the screwdriver handle down with a hammer - like about half as hard as you'd hit to drive a nail into pine. The shock loading alone can often be enough. If the head is stuffed bad enough nothing will work and drilling will be ur only option, just thought I'd mention the above as a last ditch effort.


Put the blade of the fin in a vice below the board when you hit it from above, (pack to the shoulders of the fin base so it doesn't slip in the jaws). Otherwise the fin box will just flex. So how does the elastic band help? Heat can help but you'd probably melt the fin box before it conducted down to the rusty bit.

Mark _australia
WA, 22287 posts
16 Apr 2013 8:14AM
Thumbs Up

Rubber bands help fill in the gap a bit and increase friction. Does not always work, and neither does the shock from hammering. Put all together with a quality driver and it is a last ditch effort that may work.

swoosh
QLD, 1926 posts
16 Apr 2013 10:24AM
Thumbs Up

I find impact drivers work pretty well, they are essentially designed for just this situation.



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Windsurfing General


"Rusted Fin Screw..." started by yew101