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Handy-Gaf: I messed up a laptop screw

T

trixx

Member
What are my options, I guess I'm screwed.

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/VYhUq

I was trying to open the back of my Sony Vaio to take out the battery because it wouldn't tuen on. But now I guess I can't access the back haha

The first image is the okay screw, the second one is ruined.
 
I

Izuna

Banned
Try a flathead and create a new thing to grip on.

edit: Sony Vaio? MB is probably dead. Was it exactly 2 years old?
 
lem0n

lem0n

Member
Do you have an angle grinder? Take that, with a very thin blade, and cut a tiny, tiny slice in the top of the screw, just enough so you can get a flathead screwdriver in it and turn it. That is, of course, if the screw head sits away from any plastic. If it's sunken in.... eh.. maybe try the rubber band trick- get a rubber band, lay it across the stripped screw hole, and then try the screwdriver again.
 
D

dejay

Banned
I've cut a slot in a screw head with a Dremel and a cut off wheel. That worked ok.

I've seen a youtube "life hack" where they just put a length of rubber band between the head and the screw driver and that provided enough grip to get the screw out, but I've never tried it.
 
Z

Zackat

Member
You could try putting a rubber band/piece of thin rubber between the stripped screw and the screw driver. In theory it could fill in the missing spaces and give enough friction to unscrew it. Worth a shot.

I've never done it myself.
 
B

BasicMath

Member
I think you're screwed.

I remember someone drilling through the screw with a special bit and taking it out that way. I wouldn't dare try it but it may be possible.
 
T

trixx

Member
Okay I'll try the rubber band trick once I get home of not I'll forcefully remove it

Thanks for the advice y'all
 
shira

shira

Member
strippedscrew01_rect540-e1265807015459.jpg


Google says use a thick rubber band and if there is enough grip left you can screw it
 
E

Earthbound64

Banned
Kill Your Masters said:
Try a rubber band as Extra grip.
Click to expand...

Amputechture said:
If it's sunken in.... eh.. maybe try the rubber band trick- get a rubber band, lay it across the stripped screw hole, and then try the screwdriver again.
Click to expand...

dejay said:
I've seen a youtube "life hack" where they just put a length of rubber band between the head and the screw driver and that provided enough grip to get the screw out, but I've never tried it.
Click to expand...

Zackat said:
You could try putting a rubber band/piece of thin rubber between the stripped screw and the screw driver. In theory it could fill in the missing spaces and give enough friction to unscrew it. Worth a shot.

I've never done it myself.
Click to expand...

shira said:
strippedscrew01_rect540-e1265807015459.jpg


Google says use a thick rubber band and if there is enough grip left you can screw it
Click to expand...

The Shadow said:
Heh. Was just going to suggest this. It works really well actually.
Click to expand...

extended_mind.png
 
T

Timedog

good credit (by proxy)
We should have a handyGAF OT. I always have questions, like "if the hole in wood for a screw is stripped, can you fix it?", but don't want to make an entirely new thread.
 
K

killamajig

Member
Timedog said:
We should have a handyGAF OT. I always have questions, like "if the hole in wood for a screw is stripped, can you fix it?", but don't want to make an entirely new thread.
Click to expand...

You can use a toothpick or a similar piece of wood that you can put into the stripped hole. It should tighten it enough to get it to bite. That is of course if you can't use a bigger screw.
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
MAB128 said:
I think you're screwed.

I remember someone drilling through the screw with a special bit and taking it out that way. I wouldn't dare try it but it may be possible.
Click to expand...

Those bits work as advertised.

I successfully used the 'cut a slot in it' method before those hit the market, though.
 
T

Timedog

good credit (by proxy)
Kill Your Masters said:
Have you heard of Google?
Click to expand...

You can't ask google follow-up questions with specifics, give pictures, get clarifications, etc. You could, if you really wanted, shitpost sarcastically about google every time anyone ever asks a question on this forum. I'm sure it would make you feel superior to others, but it would be a waste of time.
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
trixx said:
I don't have a Dremel and judging by the cost of it seems I'm better off cutting my loses
Click to expand...

You could use a hand saw designed for metal (small teeth) or a file. Would just be more tedious.
Or buy a Dremel. They're fuckin' sweet.
Or just get one of those "As Seen On TV" bit sets for $20 or whatever they cost now. That's assuming you have a drill...
 
K

killamajig

Member
trixx said:
I don't have a Dremel and judging by the cost of it seems I'm better off cutting my loses
Click to expand...
The file idea might work too. Maybe even something like a file on nail clippers might work if you don't want to spend the money on stuff you might not ever use again. It's probably tedious but if you have the time.

It almost might be worth getting a set of precision screwdrivers. If you have a choice of sizes it might keep you from stripping out more screws.

I fix stuff for a living and sometimes I get lazy and don't want to go out to my van to get the proper screwdriver and I struggle. Finally realize I just need to take the extra minute to walk to my van to get the right size screwdriver.
 
I

I H8 Memes

Member
If you dont have a dremel then a small flat head screwdriver and a hammer will do the trick. You just need a small amount of + surface area to grip.
 
slade

slade

Member
See if you can stick a Robertson driver (square head) in there. Might be just enough grip to turn it. If not, and it's in a hole, then that rubber band trick may be your only recourse.
 
S

SwiftDeath

Member
Wow that's quite the head trauma

Maybe try some allen keys as they're hexagonal and would probably fit now if you go small enough
 
K

Kill Your Masters

Member
Timedog said:
You can't ask google follow-up questions with specifics, give pictures, get clarifications, etc. You could, if you really wanted, shitpost sarcastically about google every time anyone ever asks a question on this forum. I'm sure it would make you feel superior to others, but it would be a waste of time.
Click to expand...
Your question is so unspecific and broad its faster to find a result in a search instead of posting on a forum, if you don't want to make a specific thread about it. Just saying.

I mean most of the posts in here are from the first few search results of Google. (I used the rubber trick plenty of times though, guess where I found it?)
 
T

trixx

Member
tried the elastic band trick didn't work.

But I unscrewed all the ones I could get and forcefully removed the cover. Of course the part of the cover broke and the screw is stull stuck in but I got access to the battery. Thanks fam
 
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