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irwin spiral flute extractor set ... part number 53535 to be precise.
bought this about a year ago ... the one i was trying to use broke.
just used it again and it was pretty clear to me that this one was going to break if i applied any additional torque to it, so i (or irwin) am 0-2 when using this set (for the record, i drilled the correct size of hole, both times, as shown on the package).
made in u.s.a. from "global components" ... yeah, right.
have i just had some bad luck or is this type of tool only for chumps like me who don't know any better ? is there a better way, or are we pretty much destined to drill and tap whenever we shear off a bolt ?
Extractors CAN work, I guess -- I've never had one that did, but technique is certainly very important. Downside is that if the extractor breaks off, you've got a piece of very hard steel to try and somehow drill out- you were very wise to stop before it snapped. Have not tried them too many times.
This used to be discussed a lot -- try a search on broken bolt, screws and anything else that comes to mind. I've drilled them with a drill nearly the size of the bolt and managed to peel the threads off. I've also tried tapping them with a punch etc them to get them to turn -- has also worked (sometimes).
Can help to use kroil, PB Blaster or something to try and make it easier to turn. (Lots of threads about what to use for that too).I once had luck with dripping candle wax onto a frozen bolt after heating it. (wax can get down in the threads ). Never did that with a broken one, but it could help.
If you weld ( I don't), maybe you could weld a piece on the end and turn it that way.
So, good luck -- I've always had a hard time doing extractions and have certainly failed more than once.
i tried them a few time when younger and never had any luck, so went the route i was taught as a youngun. weld a nut to the broken bolt. the heat of the weld breaks it loose so you can screw it out.
i really appreciate the feedback on this.
wanted to make sure that there wasn't a better extraction tool on the market.
i have read many times that the welding trick is the way to go.
guess i am going to have to buy an old stick welder and learn to use it, or keep a nice sharp set of drill bits on hand.
of course, the ultimate solution would be to not shear off any bolt heads in the first place ... good luck with that when working on trucks that are 20-30 years old, right ?
My experience with the spiral type extractors has been pretty much the same as yours. They break fairly easily if you don't use some method to keep it absolutely straight as you try to unwind the broken bolt. The other problem is that as you twist, they screw themselves deeper into the hole and expand the broken bolt making things worse, particularly on smaller bolts. I've tossed all of my spiral extractors and now use a set that are shaped like horseshoe nails - tapered and straight with 4 sharp corners. You drill the specified hole and then tap the extractor in with a hammer. You then put an adjustable wrench on the end and - Turn & Pray. So far, when they've worked, they've worked. Many times they don't but I've never broken one off.
i only mentioned stick welder because i was under the impression that they were pretty much the cheapest. if i am wrong on that please let me know.
all i know about welding is what i can pull out of my grandson during those brief breaks from video gaming.
stick welders do almost everything just fine thats heavy duty anyhow. might not be the prettiest welds. but some guys can make them look pretty decent. no since in not havin one since hey are under 300$ new.
Just saw this from Family Handyman. Has pretty much everything except welding and candle wax. Not sure that I think all of these are good ideas -- welcome comments from others.
Theere are also some that are made that are a tapered square (no spiral) I have had a little better luck with them. However all extractors will break thaey are made from very hard material and yes, they do not like a side load put on them. If you can get access to a mig or tig and weld a nut to the broken bolt is the very best way. otherwise invest in some good carbide drill bits and buy multiples of small extracactors / ease outs.
I have decent luck with these extractors. I do use them in combination with PB, a little heat (mapp gas), and I use a tap handle not an adjustable wrench (when possible). Haven't broke an extractor yet. Most time I see people breaking these or taps is because they are using a wrench and not a tap handle.
I'd probably be better at it if I could drill a straight, and centered hole.
