How To Drill Out A Broken Bolt – Ultimate Guide

How To Drill Out A Broken Bolt

Extracting bolts is as easy as bolting but not as easy. And if it is broken or rusted, then it can be the worst.

A damaged bolt can waste a lot of your precious time and energy. But there are some smart tools that you can use to get rid of this problem.

Bolt extractors are the most effective of them all.

Today I will tell you the correct way to use Bolt Extractor. No matter how smart or efficient the tool is, its output always depends on its usage.

So I was hoping you could read my full article to know how to drill out a broken bolt efficiently.

These are some steps you should follow to extract a broken bolt:

How To Drill Out A Broken Bolt – Step By Step

Drill Out A Broken Bolt

1. Installation

Find out all information about the machine or drill bit for drilling out broken bolts you are buying. Try to know the function of each part of the bolt extractor and how to run the machine.

Each bolt extractor comes with an installation manual or user guide through which you can learn a lot about it.

The extractor’s manual guide will help you learn two things.

The first is what kind of work your extractor and drill bit set capability and what kind of facilities you will get due to using it. Knowing this will prevent you from installing your machine incorrectly.

And the second one is the capacity of your machine. If you put more pressure than the machine’s capacity, it can be damaged or could create a safety issue.

So my recommendation would be to read the user manual thoroughly. Read more about the top wire wheel on the market

2. Drilling a Hole

Bolts and screws rust after a particular time if it is not made with stainless steel.

Sometimes the old screws get damaged due to rust, and it is not possible to extract them naturally. In this situation, you may need a bolt extractor.

The first operation with the bolt extractor is making a hole on the screw, and below I mentioned how you should do it.

  • Measure the screw you want to extract and then put the same size drill bit on the drill machine’s head. If you try to do it with the wrong drill bit, the screw can be more damaged.
  • Drill a hole along the middle, and it should be straight. If the hole is not straight, it will be much more challenging to extract.
  • Try to make the hole deeper. In this way, the bolt extractor will be able to rotate effectively and will quickly extract the screw in a short time. Also, it makes the possibility of slipping much less.

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3. Bolt Extraction

After drilling a hole in the screw, an extractor needs to remove it. So, attach the extractor to the head of the drill machine and tighten it very well.

If you have a socket adapter with your machine, check the user manual for suitable sizes of socket adapters to use.

Except for the specific sizes, all the extractors can be attached directly to the machine with the connectors’ help.  Also, you can check another handy thing the masking tape for painting.

This way how you should remove the screw with a bolt extractor.

  • Attach the extractor to the connector or the socket adapter.
  • After that, attach the connector to the machine and tighten as much as possible.
  • Place the extractor on the hole of the screw and remove it with the help of the machine.
  • Note that this time the machine must rotate in reverse, towards anti-clockwise.
  • If the screw does not come out, drill a deeper hole again and extract it again.

It would be best if you took Some Precautions before drilling out a broken bolt:

  • Wear safety goggles for eye protection. It is because dust flies during the bolt extraction and can get into the eye at any time.
  • If possible, use hand gloves, it also works very well in hand safety protection.
  • When making a hole, make sure that it is along the middle and completely vertical. Otherwise, the extraction process will be complicated.
  • Never use this type of bolt extractor like a hammer drill. Their RPM is very low; it could be broken down due to heavy work.

Final Words

Broken Bolt

Even if you buy the best extractor on the market, you will not get good results unless you know how to use it properly. So, first of all, learn about their use.

Today, I told you how to drill out a broken bolt or screw with the help of an extractor.

However, I would recommend that you must read the user manual and safety instructions before using the bolt extractor.