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mat
27th May 2005, 02:15 PM
I have never had great success using easy outs. Never seem to be able to drill a nice central hole in the remaining screw/bolt. The drill always seems to wander, often to the edge of the screw/bolt into the surrounding material.
What are the tricks to use for success :confused:

HavinaGo
27th May 2005, 02:58 PM
Hi Mat,

I've had mixed success as well but when things work it is:

a) smooth the surface of the offending stud if possible with grinder or file
b) use a rigid drill in a rigid drill press (ie use a centre drill to start the drilling and start small, and expand to the size hole needed for the easy out) also clamp everything down.
c) hope the broken bit is not in too tight as the easy out tend to expand the broken bit in the hole, binding up the whole thing.

d) if all else fails drill out and rethread! .. or through bolt (I know not always possible)

e) if the broken bolt is hardened ... give up .. or weld to it

Ashore
27th May 2005, 03:40 PM
Ah!!! easy outs the agony and the ecstasy
Agony when they snap , Ecstasy when they work
First you must decide on weather you are going to use easy outs or not. Don't try other methods first then easy outs as a last resort
Here is some of the things I have learned over the years
Good quality easy outs P&N etc not made in china $5 a set and a good "t" handle (never use a shifter)
Choose correct size easy out for the bolt to be removed taking into account material its made of and surrounding Material ie brass bolt one size smaller easy out as it doesn't need as much force, plus the brass will tear away from the easy out thread Stainless steel bolts drill to as large as possible but leaving enough metal for the easy out thread to cut into without damaging the thread in the hole
Drill to EXACTILY the right size to suit the bolt to be removed (leaving enough metal for the easy out to bight into) and the recomended drill size for the easy out you are using. ensure drill is correctly sharpened and drill straight. mark center of bolt well with a centerpop after flattening the top if possible . If you can't flatten smooth the top to mark out correctly try something else . Drill straight use a press if possable if not drill small pilot hole and put a rod in it to check it is square if it is then drill to correct size if not try something else Drilling the exact center is a maxmium for sucess
The easy out is tapered so turning in two directions only cuts deeper into the bolt and doesn't help Tapping the top of an easy out is not good idea they are hardedad and shatter easily and are harder than drills so you can't drill them out and you have a much bigger problem
apply good even pressure on both sides of the T Handle get directly above job if possible
and the bolt will either loosen and come out or the damm thing will break

If you can think of another method use it ie...drill the thing out and tap to the next size , drill out and use heli coils to replace the threads, if big enough drill out center of bolt and tap to a smaller size using a smaller bolt
Easy outs can work very well but the agony when they don't ......so my advice is to think at least twice before using them

Rgds Russell





Procrastinate Now , or think about it and do it later

gatiep
27th May 2005, 09:05 PM
Use a centre punch to dimple the metal BEFORE you attempt drilling

Drill a small hole first, doesn't need to be deep, it just lines up the proper size dril.

Then drill the correct size hole to match both the bolt diameter and the e/out. If you leave too little of the bolt, the e/out stretches what is left and the more you try to unscrew the tighter it becomes.

Sometimes it helps to spray a bit of Inox on the bolt first.

Sometimes it is quite useful to use a standard thread tap in the hole you drilled to screw the broken stud through, or deeper, then some more Inox and then unscrew the stud with an e/out.

Take your time, plan the steps otherwise you'll end up with a stuck, drilled broken bolt that just won't budge!

Easy Out does it. :)

mat
3rd Jun 2005, 02:33 PM
Thanks all for your replies. Will try a few of these techniques when I next consider use of easy outs.

Sir Stinkalot
3rd Jun 2005, 10:20 PM
What is an easy out?

RETIRED
3rd Jun 2005, 10:54 PM
An Ezy-Out(TM) is a reverse threaded hardened steel taper of various diameters that are inserted into a drilled hole for removal of broken studs or bolts. HTH

RETIRED
3rd Jun 2005, 11:00 PM
Or go here:http://www.brokentap.com/easy-outs.html

journeyman Mick
3rd Jun 2005, 11:07 PM
Stinky,
Imagine a tool steel tapered square bar, that's had a reverse twist put in it. Come in different diameters. In use, you drill a hole inot the centre of the broken bolt or stud, insert easy out and turn it anti-clockwise, Because it's got a reverse twist in it, it will draw itself into the hole, where due to the taper it will bind up. As you continue to turn it anti clockwise it will unscrew the broken bolt.

That's the theory......

In practice the action of the easy out forcing itself into the hole may expand the bolt, causing it to bind up more firmly and the easy out snaps off. I've rarely had success with them. I've found that heating up broken or seized components with any oxy until they're cherry red and then letting them cool will usually loosen them up.

Mick

gatiep
3rd Jun 2005, 11:13 PM
Stinky:

An Ezy-Out(TM) is what Robbo said

but

an easy out is a small white lie!

Grunt
3rd Jun 2005, 11:14 PM
My advice is don't by cheap easy outs. I broke a bolt off when removing a water pump once, went down to the tool shop and had a choice between cheapies and good ones. I thought, I'll never use them again so went for the cheapies. Snapped it off in the bolt in a second. No way to drill it out. The water pump was fixed with large quantities of gasket goo around where the missing bolt was.

It was my first lesson about cheap tool purchases.

Sir Stinkalot
3rd Jun 2005, 11:38 PM
Thanks all ... makes perfect sense.

soundman
11th Jun 2005, 11:26 PM
I've only had one ocasion to use the @#$&$#@ things & that was a failure.

One thing occurs to me.
If one is trying to undo a bolt & it broke off, Why would an easy out have any chance of getting it out.

What I'm getting at is that it has to be an easy job for an easyout to work.

cheers

Ashore
12th Jun 2005, 06:38 PM
One thing occurs to me.
If one is trying to undo a bolt & it broke off, Why would an easy out have any chance of getting it out.
I agree easy outs are mis-named But they do work if the bolt has bottomed out the hole was not deep enough, high tensile bolts were used under sheer loading, overtighterning with too much force ie putting a piece of pipe on a spanner or using 300mm shifter on a 6mm bolt ,
when this type of break happens with the bolt shearing at the top of the thread then if used correctly the easy outs work.

But they are not for every job.


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