[TexasTimbers]

Here is a machinery question. While changing the blades in my planer this a..m., I had the great idea to use a 12" allen straight wrench in my drill. Was working great and i was saving beau coup minutes. Then, it came loose from chuck, so I re-inserted it and tightened it down real tight. Stuck it in the nex screw and pulled the trigger. Forgot to click the reverse switch on the drill. Wasted the sides in the nut. This also tightened the nut to extreme.
No problem right? Got the extractor set out and pulled out an appropriate sized extractor and the 7/64" left handed drill bit it called for. Drilled the hole down to the bottom of the screw, broke off the drill bit in the hole right before I got there. Blew some compressed air into the hole and the bit flew right out.. Lucky. Finished drilling the hole with another bit and inserted the extractor, turned with steady pressure ...... turned a little more .... SNAP. Broke it right of in the screw. It ain't coming out. I need something that will brab the top of the screw now because I can't drill the extractor tool out and compressed air didn't touch it. Of course it buried itself into the metal of the screw before it snapped. It is too hard and brittle to drill at least with any of my HSS or carbide bits.
Help. :cursing:

 

[TexasTimbers]

After tinkering with it more I think I am going to have to remove the cutterhead and take it to a machine shop. :icon_sad: :icon_cry:

 

[TexasTimbers]

After I looked at how involved it was going to be to get that head out I said "Huh uh." So I decided to grind the screwhead off and do without it. Missing one of 8 wasn't going to hurt. So I grabbed the flex-shaft grinding tool, one of the few Craftsman power tools I own, and started grinding when I realized I should try to grind a flat spot on this large allen screwhead and tap it out with a punch.
I ground a nice one and took a 3/16" machinist flat punch and tapped that sucker right loose!
Now that sure felt good. Back in business. :thumbsup:

This is the first time I have ever posted a problem, said forget it, then solved it. :laughing:

 

[Burlkraft]

Nice job......You can be a machinist too...:shifty: :shifty:

I hate broken bolts and screws..:cursing: :cursing: :cursing:

I got a guy in my machine shop that is a wizard at them. Everyone in the shop runs to him with stuff like that and in minutes he's got them taken care of. The guy is invaluable..:yes: :yes:

His favorite thing...broken exhaust manifold bolts..:blink: :blink: