For drilling metal, the best materials for the drill bit would be: 1. Cobalt (HSS-Co): Cobalt drill bits are a top choice for harder metals like stainless steel and cast iron. They maintain their strength and hardness even at high temperatures, which makes them ideal for long-term, heavy-duty drilling. 2. Titanium-Coated HSS: Titanium-coated high-speed steel (HSS) bits are good for a variety of metals and offer better durability and heat resistance than plain HSS bits. However, the titanium coating can wear off over time. 3. Carbide: Carbide-tipped bits are extremely hard and ideal for the toughest metals, like hardened steel. They’re more expensive but highly durable and precise. For most purposes, cobalt or titanium-coated HSS will serve you well when drilling through metal.
Saved my life lol. Broke a tiny screw off on a computer case. Was able to save the case with this technique and it threaded right back in like you said.
You're so lucky. I tried drilling out the screw, but the drill bit is now broken in the hole. Went with a bigger bit... broke as well. Welcome to overflow hell...
I’ve worked on boats where drilling out screws was common. What worked for me maybe 20% of the time was to use a reverse fluted drill bit. Chuck it up and put the drill in reverse. If you think about it, using a normal bit actually spins the bit in the “tighten” direction. In reverse you add the “unscrew” direction and add heat at the same time. If the headless screw was in wood and the reverse drill bit didn’t work, I would chuck up a “spring pin” which I filed teeth on one end….use a size with a hole that matched the screw shaft….and drill around the screw shaft. Make sure the spring pin is twisted in the direction that grabs the shaft as is spins. It will essentially grab the screw and back it out. That way I could simply plug the hole with a dowel or jam a few bamboo skewers in the hole and replace the broken screw with a good one.
Thanks for those tips extremely helpful when you’re working on a boat you really have to be resourceful at one time I had a 34 foot Grampian sloop Thanks for all that information and thank you for watching.
@@CrowdPleeza yes, the bit is designed backwards to what we are used to. Put the drill in reverse direction and drill the center of the screw. The spring pin I refer to is also called a “roll pin.” I dremeled teeth on one end and chuck it up. The i.d. Of the pin is the o.d. Of the headless screw.
@@TomLeeman Understood, not remembering the size. What about what the bits were made out of? Could I use any bit or is a material you’d recommend since they are drilling into metal?
Tap and die set. See if a buddy can loan them, or they're not too expensive at Harbor Freight, et. al. And make sure that you follow recommendations as to what size hole you would have to pilot/drill versus what size thread you're going to tap (quick Google search would be adequate). Good luck, and there's definitely videos on RUclips on how to use taps and dies.
I think so. I can’t remember exactly what size they were when I fixed it, but I did have to snake or auger the drain a couple times through that overflow. It wasn’t too hard to have a video on it. Good luck thanks for watching.
I saw feedback talking about what a nightmare they're having because someone used stainless steel screws and you did the same thing!? Why not replace with brass screws?
I think I drill forward, but it’s backwards on the head and then you back it out. It’s supposed to pull it out but I did not have success with this happy new year.
It’s always a wor specially on older stuff as you never know if you’re gonna get the screw breaking inside there and then have to do even more work good luck thanks for watching
@@TomLeeman yeah once the head snaps off it usually alleviate the pressure and they come out by hand sometimes .. Question: those 1/4 20 x 3/4 bolts. Are they pretty standard size ? I have some properties and I wanted to snake bathtub down the overflow. Looked at bolts and I’m pretty sure they are going to snap ):
For drilling metal, the best materials for the drill bit would be:
1. Cobalt (HSS-Co): Cobalt drill bits are a top choice for harder metals like stainless steel and cast iron. They maintain their strength and hardness even at high temperatures, which makes them ideal for long-term, heavy-duty drilling.
2. Titanium-Coated HSS: Titanium-coated high-speed steel (HSS) bits are good for a variety of metals and offer better durability and heat resistance than plain HSS bits. However, the titanium coating can wear off over time.
3. Carbide: Carbide-tipped bits are extremely hard and ideal for the toughest metals, like hardened steel. They’re more expensive but highly durable and precise.
For most purposes, cobalt or titanium-coated HSS will serve you well when drilling through metal.
Excellent tips and I love harbor freight they are so cheap. We definitely have to try that next time. Thank you for watching.
Saved my life lol. Broke a tiny screw off on a computer case. Was able to save the case with this technique and it threaded right back in like you said.
Excellent glad to hear you got the job done it is so frustrating when something like this happens good luck thanks for watching
You're so lucky. I tried drilling out the screw, but the drill bit is now broken in the hole. Went with a bigger bit... broke as well. Welcome to overflow hell...
Sorry to hear that you may need some special drillbits that can cut through metal and a really powerful drill
Weld a bit to a chainsaw motor...
Did you use black oxide drill bits? They may be better for drilling into screws.
I got a broken screw extractor broken in half in one of the holes😂😂
I’ve worked on boats where drilling out screws was common. What worked for me maybe 20% of the time was to use a reverse fluted drill bit. Chuck it up and put the drill in reverse. If you think about it, using a normal bit actually spins the bit in the “tighten” direction. In reverse you add the “unscrew” direction and add heat at the same time. If the headless screw was in wood and the reverse drill bit didn’t work, I would chuck up a “spring pin” which I filed teeth on one end….use a size with a hole that matched the screw shaft….and drill around the screw shaft. Make sure the spring pin is twisted in the direction that grabs the shaft as is spins. It will essentially grab the screw and back it out. That way I could simply plug the hole with a dowel or jam a few bamboo skewers in the hole and replace the broken screw with a good one.
Thanks for those tips extremely helpful when you’re working on a boat you really have to be resourceful at one time I had a 34 foot Grampian sloop Thanks for all that information and thank you for watching.
Are you referring to using a left handed drill bit? I have a stripped screw in my bathtub handle. I've tried an extractor but it hasn't worked.
@@CrowdPleeza yes, the bit is designed backwards to what we are used to. Put the drill in reverse direction and drill the center of the screw. The spring pin I refer to is also called a “roll pin.” I dremeled teeth on one end and chuck it up. The i.d. Of the pin is the o.d. Of the headless screw.
Doesn’t take too long depending on how cold your freezer is
Nice!! My flow valve screw in my tub broke off this morning. It’s a plastic housing to hold screw in. So I guess I’ll have be careful not to break it.
Yes, be careful and good luck on your project. Thanks for watching.
Thanks, helped me get a bedframe screw out.
Thanks and thanks for watching
Oh man that’s hard steel most likely ..
What size bits did you use for each step? And what were the bits made out of?
It has been a while not sure I can remember
@@TomLeeman Understood, not remembering the size. What about what the bits were made out of? Could I use any bit or is a material you’d recommend since they are drilling into metal?
I tried the bits I used barely made a hole so I think Im gonna go buy a stronger one?
Yes, these didn’t work that good
would this work on wood?
It should
What if the threads were lost during the drilling process?
Then you may have to re-thread it. There’s certain tools that you can use to do that but it’s more complicated process. Good luck thanks for watching.
Tap and die set. See if a buddy can loan them, or they're not too expensive at Harbor Freight, et. al. And make sure that you follow recommendations as to what size hole you would have to pilot/drill versus what size thread you're going to tap (quick Google search would be adequate). Good luck, and there's definitely videos on RUclips on how to use taps and dies.
I think so. I can’t remember exactly what size they were when I fixed it, but I did have to snake or auger the drain a couple times through that overflow. It wasn’t too hard to have a video on it. Good luck thanks for watching.
Oh my gosh, when you’re working on old stuff, you can have big problems like that. A small job can turn into a big one very quickly.
I saw feedback talking about what a nightmare they're having because someone used stainless steel screws and you did the same thing!? Why not replace with brass screws?
That is an excellent idea. Thank you for the tip. I’ll give it a try.
Without context, I'm oblivious as to what you're referring to. What's the issue with stainless steel screws, exactly?
Forward or reverse to drill out bolts same tub problem??
I think I drill forward, but it’s backwards on the head and then you back it out. It’s supposed to pull it out but I did not have success with this happy new year.
Thank for the sharing great information
Glad it was helpful!
So do I go forward or reverse
I believe you have to go forward first
If only the snapped stainless screws in brass shower drains set with custom tile were so easy.
Yeah you’re correct it is hard. Good luck. Thanks for watching.
I see you are running the the drill backwards. I am always afraid to drill out the threads themselves. Is that a worry? Hence going backwards?
It’s always a wor specially on older stuff as you never know if you’re gonna get the screw breaking inside there and then have to do even more work good luck thanks for watching
Could you reach behind it with a needle nose by scripts?…
And thread it out ??
We could give that a try next time might work
@@TomLeeman yeah once the head snaps off it usually alleviate the pressure and they come out by hand sometimes ..
Question: those 1/4 20 x 3/4 bolts. Are they pretty standard size ?
I have some properties and I wanted to snake bathtub down the overflow.
Looked at bolts and I’m pretty sure they are going to snap ):
@@TomLeeman meant to say vice grips (:
🤣 this what we dealing with old tub. Darn screw broke off.
I know it’s hard to work and old stuff
Literally same
You may have to get a special debt to drill it out and then another one to rescore it so that you can put a screw in
"Debt"?