Lucky Nolichucky: Ceiling Panels

[avianlaw]

I started trying to take out the screws on the ceiling panels and was having very little success. Half we're already stripped. Others instantly stripped. Tried using angle grinder to cut a slot in the stubborn ones and used a flat head to back them out but damn it if they didn't break two of my impact rated bits!! I tried redicing the torque a little but then they just wouldn't budge. I'm over it. So I'm just using the grinder to cut the panels off the ribs, leaving the strip of screws in place. Mmmmm love that glowing fiberglass and sparks in my face.

[o1marc]

Best solution has been an air chisel with the chisel edge ground just right and it knocks the heads right off, not sure if it works as well with screws as rivets.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Air chisel or drilling them out are the cleanest options...
there is also the woodpecker, aka impact driver most decent impact sockets sets have one in them.

https://www.amazon.ca/Klein-Tools-70...ag=googcana-20

the shock effect of the hammer can break the torque and then you can carry on with your drill

[ermccune]

Weird as it may sound, try using a hand drill with a ratcheting feature. I had the same problem with an electric drill, but a hand drill took them right out.

[Jman6631]

This difficulty seems to come up all the time. A hand chisel and heavy hammer work fine. It's a workout and PITA but they'll snap right off.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Jman6631

This difficulty seems to come up all the time. A hand chisel and heavy hammer work fine. It's a workout and PITA but they'll snap right off.

Are we talking the same for solid screws as hollow rivets?

[jjhwick119]

Originally Posted by avianlaw

I started trying to take out the screws on the ceiling panels and was having very little success. Half we're already stripped. Others instantly stripped. Tried using angle grinder to cut a slot in the stubborn ones and used a flat head to back them out but damn it if they didn't break two of my impact rated bits!! I tried redicing the torque a little but then they just wouldn't budge. I'm over it. So I'm just using the grinder to cut the panels off the ribs, leaving the strip of screws in place. Mmmmm love that glowing fiberglass and sparks in my face.

I removed mine with my 20v dewalt impact driver. If there is any kind of dirt or anything in the screw head, clean it out with a pick or something first. If the phillips doesnt sit all the way in you will strip them. I had that problem at first doing my floor but once i cleaned out the screw heads they came out much easier.

The vast majority of my roof screws came out fine, but the ones that didn't I just ended up using a drill bit and drilled them out. I only had about 15 or so though that i had to drill out, might not be the fastest if you have a lot of them, but it does work.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by jjhwick119

I removed mine with my 20v dewalt impact driver. If there is any kind of dirt or anything in the screw head, clean it out with a pick or something first. If the phillips doesnt sit all the way in you will strip them. I had that problem at first doing my floor but once i cleaned out the screw heads they came out much easier.

The vast majority of my roof screws came out fine, but the ones that didn't I just ended up using a drill bit and drilled them out. I only had about 15 or so though that i had to drill out, might not be the fastest if you have a lot of them, but it does work.

Most of the screws from what I've seen can be better served with a Robertson of the appropriate size. But 100% on the cleaning of the screw head, a pick, some degreaser spray (water and vinegar is good enough), and boom

[dan-fox]

I've heard that putting a little bit of valve grinding compound on the screwdriver bit helps it grab and not spin out, also. No personal experience, just passing on a tip.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Originally Posted by dan-fox

I've heard that putting a little bit of valve grinding compound on the screwdriver bit helps it grab and not spin out, also. No personal experience, just passing on a tip.

It works, there is also a product made specifically for this purpose too.
https://ezgrip.net/

[2martins]

I switched to a square bit for some that got stripped and it worked. On others I angle ground in a big slot and used a flat head screwdriver bit. A couple required extra motivation from a hammer and old screwdriver and I think I gave up and ground off a couple.

Originally Posted by Yukon Cornelius

It works, there is also a product made specifically for this purpose too.
https://ezgrip.net/

[cromulence police]

I got every single one of my ceiling screws out with a hammer and a regular cordless driver. Some came out with just the driver, the rest got a few good hard whacks with the hammer and then a second try with the driver. For the remaining few extra stubborn ones I pushed the sharp edge of a crowbar up against the side of the screwhead and hammered the other end of the bar a few times (to jolt the screw from a sideways direction in addition to the previous vertical hammer blows).

I've found that this method even works on rusty exterior screws, with the addition of a little PB Blaster.

[Celestina]

I was using a #2 Phillips screwdriver bit and was stripping about 30% of them until my brother suggested using the square bit. Works like a charm. Only a few that have gunk built up in the center give me problems now.

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Celestina

I was using a #2 Phillips screwdriver bit and was stripping about 30% of them until my brother suggested using the square bit. Works like a charm. Only a few that have gunk built up in the center give me problems now.

This is where you use the angle grinder to make the slots bigger and cleaner. And the PB blaster and horizontal whacks as mentioned above, too.

[o1marc]

Or use the correct tool for $3, an impact square drive 3" bit.

[avianlaw]

I just ended up taking a grinder to the ceiling panels and left all the screws in the ribs, aint nobody got time to unscrew all those squirrely bastards.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by avianlaw

I just ended up taking a grinder to the ceiling panels and left all the screws in the ribs, aint nobody got time to unscrew all those squirrely bastards.

I guarantee I can remove the screws faster with an impact drill than you can with a grinder, not even close.

[Whatthefak]

My drill stripped some too. I used a black and Decker impact from Walmart with a Milwaukee impact bit kit, the larger size fit perfectly and I didn't strip a single screw after that.

PS I now have a 1gal bucket full of screws, but it beats the hell out of rivets

[Celestina]

Originally Posted by 2martins

This is where you use the angle grinder to make the slots bigger and cleaner. And the PB blaster and horizontal whacks as mentioned above, too.

So finished removing the ceiling. Used the square drive and got all but 4 screws removed in 4 hours. 40’ bus, so 16 panels with 61 screws per panel. Ceiling stayed up on its own. Came back the next day and started pulling the panels down. Took 15 minutes, mostly because I forgot about the four screws that were stuck and I had to grind off. There was a paper like something on the back of the panels. I had the kind with zillions of holes in the metal. The paper stuff was very fragile and would disintegrate on contact. Make a mess, almost like snow.

[avianlaw]

Originally Posted by o1marc

I guarantee I can remove the screws faster with an impact drill than you can with a grinder, not even close.

LOL come on over then!! I used my impact drill, like i said the metal was soft. the torque was too much and ripped up the hole. Tried a regular drill and if the torque wasn't enough then it wouldn't budge, but if too much then it stripped the metal. broke several impact-rated bits. I have bursitis in my shoulder i was over it.