Stud Extraction

Post by **Tim** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 9:09 am

The other day, while using my beloved PC sander, the handle broke off. The bolt that secured it to the sander body broke just inside the threaded portion of the body, a victim of plain and simple metal fatigue.

Can anyone suggest a way to remove the remains of the broken stud? I know the technology must exist; engine guys break headbolts and the like all the time, and need to extract the stud. What to I need to do this?

JetStream · Post by **JetStream** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 9:52 am

I've taken out a lot of studs like that. First thing I always do is get a little penetrating oil on the stud, regardless of how loose it might be. Then, since the handle likely held all the bolt tension and the stud is not likely bottomed, it is probably fairly loose. That being the case, you can sometimes walk it out gingerly with the tips of a pair of small sidecutters. (A very slight tap with a drift to free any thread binding might help.) If that fails, the only right thing to do is centerpunch it, drill a hole and use an "Easy-Out" (available at any auto parts store). It is important to get the hole in the center in case you have to drill thole thing out. For studs that are truly socked, I have drilled out the bolt until I just break the root diameter, then with a pick, the thread itself, can be curled out. On old VW blocks where you inevitably ruin the hole, we used a product called "Helicoil" that are truly marvelous.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 9:53 am

WOW, Something I might actually know the answer to!!
Tim, they make left-hand drill bits. Center punch the broken stud in the center as well as you can and drill it out with a left hand drill bit. When the bit grabs in the bottom (as all drills do) it should spin the broken piece out.
The broken part should actually be loose in there becasue the bolt tightens on the shoulder/head, which is now gone.
Good Luck
Dan

Post by **Tim** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:33 pm

In the end, I drilled out the top part of the stud, and was then able to easily unthread what remained using the blade of a screwdriver. Thanks for the tips that I needed to get me going.

And yes, it took me 2 weeks to get around to this simple task...

Thanks again.