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Old 03-19-2018, 06:30 PM   #1
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Any ideas for rusty screw removal from panels and ceiling??

Well My wife and I have removed a gallon bucket of screws during the gutting process. Only problem seems to be almost half of the screws refuse to budge and strip out. I wanted to make sure there isn’t a better way other than grinding them all off before I go that route. We have also heard to slot the screw heads and try a flat head removal. Any suggestions?


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Old 03-19-2018, 07:33 PM   #2
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If you're routinely stripping screws you're probably using the wrong bit. My Thomas uses #3 phillips everywhere, if you use a #2 bit you'll just tear it up. You also didn't mention what you're using for a driver but I use this cordless impact and I'm pretty sure I can dismantle the entire bus on a single battery without stripping a single screw.
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Old 03-19-2018, 08:00 PM   #3
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Crap... I’ve been using a #2 dewalt power bit. Also a traditional drill. I will just man up and try the number three bit and purchase an impact driver I’m sure I’ll need it in the future anyways.


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Old 03-19-2018, 08:10 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by thrifty1 View Post
Crap... I’ve been using a #2 dewalt power bit. Also a traditional drill. I will just man up and try the number three bit and purchase an impact driver I’m sure I’ll need it in the future anyways.


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They vary, even from Thomas.

I took my entire interior out with a #2 bit in an impact screwdriver. It didn't slip, 95% came straight out and a #3 bit wouldn't fit most of them.

There are plenty of #3 Philips on the outside, but very few inside.

Neither did I find any of those square bit screws.
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Old 03-21-2018, 05:30 AM   #5
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Just an update on this, the impact driver (dewalt 20v max) I bought was the ticket. I believe I could have gotten them all out of my drill had not previously stripped the heads. But I was able to greatly reduce the amount of grinding I need to do.
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Old 03-21-2018, 10:09 AM   #6
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I have had pretty good luck tapping the bit with a hammer to get screws that were stripped by the wrong bit. Have to do that with any painted ones too.

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Old 03-21-2018, 12:07 PM   #7
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They vary, even from Thomas.

I took my entire interior out with a #2 bit in an impact screwdriver. It didn't slip, 95% came straight out and a #3 bit wouldn't fit most of them.

There are plenty of #3 Philips on the outside, but very few inside.

Neither did I find any of those square bit screws.
same case for my thomas. i also used my 20v dewalt impact for the removal, and it worked great. majority of my problem screws are the rusted out ones in the floor. some heads even just fall apart in chunks/flakes when you touch them. Any of them that gave me trouble, i took a pick tool or small flathead screwdriver and scraped all the old dirt and whatever got packed into the screw head over the years so my bit would seat all the way, and that helped with quite a few. The remaining ones im taking an angle grinder to now that my compressor arrived, but i was able to get 90% of the bus dismantled without needing plug in tools. Just some wood flooring and side walls left
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