Extractors (51 Photos): Heads For Unscrewing Screws And Broken Taps. What It Is? How Does An External Thread Extractor Work?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09

Quite often, craftsmen representing a wide variety of areas of activity are faced with such unpleasant moments as broken bolts, screws, screws, self-tapping screws, pins, taps, glow plugs (spark plugs) and other structural or fasteners. In such situations, head breaks or breaks of certain parts and fasteners along the thread occur. But, regardless of the source and cause of the problem, most often you need to retrieve the stuck fragments. In such cases, a tool such as an extractor comes to the rescue, knowing about which everything you need will be useful, including for home craftsmen.

What is it and what is it for?

To remove a stuck element, it is first of all required to hook it by any means, and only then try to turn it out or pull it out. Often, it is precisely such difficulties that lead inexperienced craftsmen to a dead end. By and large, solving such a problem is often not so difficult. The classic method for dealing with a broken bolt or other fastener is as follows.

1. Drill a recess in the center of the part.
2. Jam inside a tool that has a cylindrical or conical shape.
3. Using the free end of this extension as a wrench, remove the broken part.

It is this tool that is the extractor. Structurally, it is a kind of beard or beard, consisting of several elements.

• Directly of the working part in the form of a wedge . It is important to take into account that this part of the device has a right-hand or left-hand thread. The choice of a specific option depends on the characteristics of the extracted fragments.
• Shank with a 4- or 6-point configuration required for the use of additional tools , which can be wrenches, wrenches, heads, die holders, as well as an electric drill and a screwdriver.

At the moment, companies specializing in the production of the described devices offer a potential consumer more than a wide range of relevant products. Extractors of various shapes, purposes and, of course, sizes are available as independent devices and in sets.

Moreover, the working range in this case is quite wide, since the craftsmen have to deal with damage to parts of various diameters and configurations.

Most often, it is the kits that go on sale, which makes this tool universal . According to statistics, the most demanded are extractors from M1 to M16. And also in demand are extractors for 17 mm, which is equivalent to 1/2 inch. In this case, we are talking, among other things, about plumbing models designed to work with broken pipe fragments.

It is important to take into account that the described extractors are a specific tool . It is used in emergency situations where hardness and maximum strength of the material are key performance characteristics, which will be enough to unscrew broken parts. Extractors are made from carbide materials, high-speed and carbon steel. In the overwhelming majority of cases, S-2 tool steel, chrome-plated CrMo and other alloys with similar parameters are used.

Often on sale you can find low-quality samples of convolutions. Unfortunately, in such situations, the nozzles are often made of insufficiently solid materials. Predictably, such extractors are not initially suitable for the full performance of their key functions. That's why When choosing kits, it is highly recommended to pay attention to the brand of the instrument.

The weight of extractors is directly determined by the material of manufacture, type and dimensions. Thus, the key parameters of internal models vary in the following ranges.

• Length - 26-150 mm.
• The diameter of the tapered part is 1.5-26 mm.
• Weight - 8-150 g.

It should be noted that the weight and dimensions of the attachments also depend on the characteristics of their use. For example, extractors designed for use in tandem with a screwdriver are comparatively lightweight and dimensionally appropriate.

An outdoor tool has the following characteristics

• Length - 40-80 mm.
• The diameter of the working part is 16-26 mm.
• Weight - 100-150 g.

The markings on the devices described may be absent altogether, or display the range of working diameters, as well as the hardness of the material. In some cases, the manufacturer's logo may be present on the instrument (s). Two-sided models deserve special attention, which have designations for the order in which the sides are used. In such cases, the letter "A" denotes the side to be drilled, and "B" - the edge on which the helical splines are located.

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Today, there is a fairly rich arsenal of different types of tools for solving the described problems. They all have their own design features and work according to certain principles. For example, an EDM extractor allows you to locally remove debris from various parts and tools in holes without damaging the internal threads.

Another common type of nozzle is plumbing pipe extractors. They are successfully used by specialists to extract scraps of elements of a water supply system, a gas pipeline, as well as adapters and squeegees of different configurations.

By the way, these models are analogous to spiral-screw extractors operating on the same principle. The only difference in this case is the size.

All locksmith extractors are divided into external and internal. Moreover, the latter have an oblong shape. Depending on the device, they can be of several types.

1. Unilateral … On one side of such convolutions, there is a working part in the form of a wedge or a cone with both left and right threads with a short pitch. On the opposite side of the extractor there is a shank, which can have 4 or 6 edges.
2. Bilateral … In this case, both ends of the nozzle will be the workers. In this case, one of them is a short drill, and the second is made in the form of a cone and has a left-hand thread. Such extractors in the overwhelming majority of cases are small in size and outwardly similar to bits for a screwdriver.

It is worth noting that some sets are equipped with guides for external extractors … These fixtures maximize alignment accuracy, which in itself minimizes the risk of damage to the main product during drilling. External screwdrivers are similar in appearance to impact sockets, which are used in tandem with modern impact wrenches. The main difference here lies in the presence of sharp, smoothly curled edges inside such nozzles.

The described tool is sold most often in specialized stores . At the same time, you can buy extractors both individually and in sets. The second option is more practical and therefore popular. These tool kits minimize both the effort and the time required to retrieve the remaining parts and fasteners. Their delivery set includes extractors of different sizes, as well as additional accessories, namely:

• cranks;
• spanners;
• drill;
• adapter sleeves;
• guides for centering drills.

Predictable use of the kits will be the most rational solution because they are versatile, efficient and easy to use. Of course, the key characteristics of all components of such tool kits are directly determined by the quality of the materials of manufacture.

Wedge-shaped

Based on the name of the category, it can be understood that we are talking about cone-shaped extractors. In this case, there are no threaded edges on the working surface. The principle of operation is based on drilling a jammed part. The diameter in this case should be such that the cone of the extractor engages as tightly as possible with the fragment for extraction.

The nozzle is hammered into the made recess, after which it remains only to unscrew the damaged bolt, screw and any other element. This type of tool is easy to use. However, it is worth considering that the hole must be drilled strictly in the center of the part. Otherwise, the risk of breaking the nozzle increases many times over.

Rod

This type of extractors is distinguished by a shortened working part, consisting of straight edges with perpendicularly oriented slots. Externally, these bits are very similar to taps for creating internal threads. By the way, the principle of operation of nozzles of this variety is also identical to the specified tool.

A mark is made in the center of the fragment to be removed with a core, after which the nozzle is screwed counterclockwise. When the edges of the extractor mesh, the part is twisted.

Spiral screw

Taking into account the performance characteristics, it is the spiral extractors that have become the most popular. They are made of alloy steel for maximum strength. On the other hand, this increases the cost of the attachments significantly. If we compare the screw models with the most affordable wedge-shaped models, it will be important to note that the latter will be useless:

• in the absence of space required for driving a wedge;
• if, as a result of hammering blows, there is a risk of destruction of the product, in which the removed fragment remains.

Spiral nozzles do not have such disadvantages and therefore are rightly considered more effective. At the same time, their application involves drilling holes. In practice, it is far from always possible to crawl with a drill to the place of work to remove a broken part.

Applications

The variety of types of devices described is due to their more than widespread use. Such attachments are used to extract (unscrew, remove) any fasteners made from:

• aluminum alloys;
• become;
• plastic.

It's no secret that making a hole (depression) in a hot iron is quite difficult. In such situations, experienced specialists recommend heating the stuck part in order to facilitate the drilling process. We are talking about metal tempering, if there is such a possibility.

Extractors are becoming an indispensable tool for removing locks, removing terminals from connectors, as well as various sleeves and bushings.

But most often, nozzles are used to remove the remaining parts of various parts in the following cases

• Unscrewing broken bolts and studs from the engine block . It is worth noting that similar problems are encountered when repairing power plants on both old cars and more modern models. Unfortunately, the assembly of machines is not always complete without the rejection of certain parts, including the fastening elements of the structure. Such shortcomings, as a rule, are revealed after the purchase of the vehicle.
• Removing broken bolts from car hubs … The fact is that on some models the wheels are not fixed with studs and nuts, but with bolts. And often their caps break off at the time of tightening or unscrewing. In such cases, extractors will help remove debris and avoid costly hub replacement.

• Unscrewing remnants of fasteners from the cylinder head and valve cover

• Removing the remains of pipes of different diameters

• Unscrewing fasteners from concrete structures . Many have to find themselves in situations where a part of a self-tapping screw, an anchor bolt or a dowel remains in the wall. Parts like these tend to deform when screwed into a hard material. Extractors of the appropriate size will also help to get rid of stuck parts.
• Removing the ignition switch of the car … The point is that often the steel frames of these devices are fastened with disposable (anti-vandal) bolts. Dealing with them without a special tool will be problematic.
• Removing damaged spark plugs . It is worth noting that such troubles rarely happen, but it can be quite difficult to eliminate the consequences. It is important to take into account the design features of the engine itself, which make it difficult to access broken parts.
• Removing terminals from connectors of different designs … When repairing electrical wiring in cars and household appliances, it is often necessary to change the pins. It is important to consider that the assortment of both terminals and the connectors themselves is simply huge. However, the implementation of repair work will greatly facilitate the use of a special tool for dismantling. On sale now you can find whole sets of corresponding extractors.

7 pictures

When using the described attachments, special attention should be paid to the correct choice of the twist diameter, which must correspond to the dimensions of the removed parts . An equally important point is the cost of both individual extractors and sets. Such devices are distinguished by their availability, but it is necessary to remember about the presence on the market of frankly low-quality products, the acquisition of which will ultimately turn out to be a useless waste of money. As practice shows, such cheap extractors fail at the first attempt to use them.

And in some cases, part of the nozzle remains inside the debris of the fastener, which in itself exacerbates an already difficult situation.

How to use it correctly?

Despite the maximum ease of use of the analyzed tool, you should pay attention to certain rules and recommendations. As an example, consider the most common situation with a broken head of a bolt whose threads are stuck.

The procedure in this case will be as follows

1. Preparation of tools , the list of which includes a core, a hammer, a drill or a screwdriver, a drill for metal of the corresponding diameter and the extractors themselves.
2. Marking the center of the future hole in the rest of the bolt using a core drill and a hammer … It is recommended to pay special attention to this point, since the result of the entire operation to extract the debris will directly depend on the accuracy of the marking. It is worth considering that in case of an error, the internal thread can be damaged during drilling.
3. Drilling a hole according to the markings using a drill . Here it is important to choose the right drill itself, which should be reasonably thinner than the bolt to be removed. Often, experienced craftsmen drill a part in several approaches with a gradual increase in the diameter of the hole. In this case, its depth is determined by the size of the stuck fragment.
4. Installing the extractor into the hole (recess) . In this case, both wedge-shaped and screw (spiral) nozzles can be used. The first type is hammered with a hammer until it stops, and the second will need to be deepened a little, and then screwed in with a knob or die holder. It is important that the rotation should be counterclockwise.
5. Unscrewing the bit together with the jammed part of the bolt … In this case, it is important to control its position and applied efforts.
6. Releasing the extractor . To do this, the extracted fragment is clamped in a vice and the device itself is carefully unscrewed from it, rotating it clockwise.

Naturally, the described actions will not be relevant for all problem situations. And one of the key determining factors will be where the bolt, screw, stud and any other fastener breaks. There are three options.

1. Below the surface . Initially, it will be necessary to install a bushing of the appropriate diameter. The next step is to drill a hole deep enough in the wreck. Further actions using directly the appropriate type of extractor itself have already been described above.
2. Above the surface . In such situations, you will need to take the same steps as in the previous case. That is, a guide sleeve will also be used, which will make it possible to smoothly make a hole for the nozzle.
3. Surface level … Here you will need a center punch to mark the center of the future hole.

In practice, the process of retrieving stuck items can be much more complicated than it sounds theoretically. However, such manipulations will help greatly facilitate the following recommendations of experienced craftsmen.

• Warming up the object of attention will help speed up the whole procedure.
• If the screw thread is torn off, then you can try using a regular hexagon for unscrewing.
• Before starting all the work described above, it will be useful to lubricate the stuck debris with oil, a rust converter or acetone.
• You can pre-break the jammed element using a conventional core located at an angle of 45 degrees and a hammer. The main thing is to take into account which direction you need to turn the part in.

It can be concluded that the procedure itself using extractors and unscrewing broken fasteners and other parts is not as complicated as it might seem. In most cases, special knowledge and skills are not required to perform the required actions. The exception is situations in which specialized equipment has to be used.

And also it must be remembered that difficulties may arise with access to the object. As a result, each case requires an individual approach.