screw removal in handset after head sheared off

[winkydink]

I need some advice on how to remove a screw from a 302 handset.

I was installing a new cord, re-attching wires when one of the screwheads sheared off.  I would like to try to remove the embeded screw without damaging the threads of the handset.

If you have experience with this type of proceedure please advise.

As always, thanks in advance for all of your help

Jim Milutinovic

[AE_Collector]

The tool you need is an "easy out". You have to carefully drill a small hole part way into the broken piece of the screw that is in the handset still and then use the "easy out" to extract the piece. It is essentially a gizmo sort of like a drill bit but it is threaded backwards and the edges of it are fairly sharp. You apply pressure pushing the "easy out" into the hole you drilled in the broken screw and rotate counter clockwise to unthread the broken piece. The sharp edges of the easy out bite intot he broken screw and allow you to back it out.

There are different sizes of "easy outs" to deal with small through large screws.

Terry

[Wallphone]

Before you drill the hole, center punch the screw stub as close to the center axis as you can so your drill won't wander. If you have an assortment of small drills you might be able to drill the hole large enough without drilling the mating threads and then dig it out. If the screw has not bottomed out many times once you drill the hole through the broken stub it will relieve all the side pressure making it easier to get out. If not then get an EZ out like Terry said.
Doug Pav

[winkydink]

I tried to do this and sadly it did not work.  it was virtually impossible to drill a hole in what was left with the old screw.  Then the old screw kind of split and disintegrated.

I wound up just using a drill bit to get chunks of the old screw out.  Natually this ruined the threads of the existing hole.  There was enough metal left of the taps that I wound up using a small wood screw to secure the terminals and metal piece in the hand set.

(The screw was the one for the black wire for the transmitter on a f1 handset)

I have not put the phone totally back together, but I will report back whether this "fix" worked.

Thanks again for the suggestions.