Build disaster!

[jtmattison]

I was assembling my GPR and on the last escutcheon screw disaster struck. The screw, with no warning, twisted right off.

PLEASE someone tell me how to fix it

HD

 

[tallbear]

Cut teeth in a small piece of tubing just big enough to go over the screw.Basically make a tiny hole saw.Cut a plug around the screw and pop out.Make and glue a dowel or plug in its place and put in new screw.Make sure to predrill for the new screw,I also put a little wax on the screw threads so they go in easier.

Mitch

 

On the inside edge of the screw, cut a screw diameter slot, about three screw dia.s in length, and angled inwards to the bottom of the screw so that you have a wedge shaped slot with the sharp end of the slot ending at the bottom of the screw and the wide end at the top. Cut a smaller and shallower slot on the outside of the scew. Now take a punch and gently drive the screw sideways into the inside slot. You should now be able to grab the top of the screw with a needle nosed pliers.

 

[Russianblood]

Go to Sears and buy a broken head screw remover. Though I don't know if they go that small.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Huntin Dawg,
When you get the screw out and plugged the resulting hole, throw away those screws that came with the kit. Go down to your local home improvement or hardware store and get some decent slotted screws. Believe me, I know what you are going through. I busted off half of those worthless screws before I gave up on them. Went with a brass screw that looks sharp with my GPR.

 

[MSW]

i like tallbear's idea- i seriously doubt that you'll find a screw extractor that small, and trying to put a hole in there so you can get to it with a needle-nosed pliers might be asking for trouble.

by the way, was it a brass screw? i've has the same problem with brass and now, whenever i have to use them, i run a steel one in first, the back it out and replace it with the brass.

good luck with your fix

msw

 

[dlocke]

If you have a drillpress and a good press vise you can level and center the broken off shank and then slowly drill out the shank with a cobalt bit. Not much room for error in the area you are dealing with, so you may want to try the other recommendations first. Of course, you will need to set a dowel afterward.
DJL

 

[Bob Riegl]

:hmm: I do have a set of small "easy-outs" that may do that job---however they are iffy at best because to use these requires to centre punch and drill a small hole in the imbedded screw and then carefully back it out with the "easy-out."Tall Bear's idea is good---if you have a dremel---try using a cut-off wheel and put a slot in the screw head--if the first attempt is successful then do it again to widen the slot---use a thin blade screw driver and back it out---the plate will cover the cuts or you can fill them with wood filler for your own satisfaction. You could also use a dremel with a small carbide cutter at low speeds on the inside and open the hole wide enough where you can grab the screw point with a small needle nose pliers. Good Luck--I'm certain you will succeed. :thumbsup:

 

[jtmattison]

Well I fixed it.
All I did was grind down the broken screw, put the escutcheon on and re-bore the hole. The new hole is just to the side of the original. The new screw went in at a very slight angle but you can't really tell. I put patch lube on the new screw and it went right in.
What a heartbreaker when you put a lot of work into something and this happens.
I'm glad it went together so easily.
My rifle is finished. I will set it up for some photos and post in the photo section soon.

Thanks all for the tips!

HD

 

[Bountyhunter]

Go to MSW or a good machine supply place and get a basic set of left handed drill bits. Clamp your piece firm on the table and bring the quill down and turn it backwards by hand. Most of the time it will back it right out.

 

[J.D.]

IMHO, you were lucky that the old screw didn't interfere with the new one.

Tallbear was right on about the home made hole saw. These things only take a few minutes to make and will save a lot of ranting, raving, cussing and potential heart attacks.
They can also be used in other applications.

J.D.

 

[Goldhunter]

I think about everyone who has built a GPR has done this. I don't know why Lyman doesn't include better scews. :shake:

Up side is this has been posted a bunch here and the new builder should be required to log onto[url] ML.com[/url] and consult the builder section for anything GPR related. Before long, no one would have this problem. ESPECIALLY now that a Mod has had this happen. It shoud be gospel now! :rotf:

Looking forward to the pics.

 

[Deadeye]

I've removed hundreds of them with a carbide dental bit in a dremel tool. This will cut any kind of screw. cut a slot in it and unscrew with a screwdriver. The real hard and brittle screws are usually the ones that break.

 

[Pork Chop]

I had to replace a couple on a TC Hawken that failed. I used a dremel tool and a screwdriver. I cut a slotted head in the stub of the screw with the cut off disc setup. Then I got the jeweler's screwdrivers and carefully backed them out. Worked like a charm.