Broken Mogul by SVRailroader posted Jul 22, 2017 at 3:22 PM The other day I was working on a Bachmann 2-6-0, trying to replace a pair of hex screws on the drivers. Unfortunately, I broke the head off one screw trying to tighten it; when I replaced the screw on the opposite side, it also snapped off. I can't figure out how to get what's left of the screw out of the driver, and Bachmann is currently out of stock of replacement driver sets. Any ideas?
I would try to find a screw extractor (easy out) small enough to fit that. If not, I think just finding a drill bit the same size as the screw and just drill out the screw might work too. Either way, you need a new screw because you just drilled it to smithereens.
An EZout that small is a tall order. Drilling it requires perfect aim to avoid removing the threads--and still doesn't remove every trace of the old screw, so I generally consider that the last resort. If there's enough of the shank poking up out of the hole, a screw can be turned with a pair of needle nose pliers. Sometimes a jeweler's file or a tiny drill can be used to painstakingly cut a slot in the broken end of the screw, making it possible to use a screwdriver on it.
If there is enough shank, you could also cut a slot with a Dremel and turn it out with a screw driver.
I started trying the "drill it out with a tiny bit" trick on one side, and I'm running into that issue. The bit I chose is a little small, so it's not geting the whole screw, and while I thought the remains in the threads would knock out easily (especially if the screw broke with little effort), that's proving to be false. There is no screw shank poking out of the hole, otherwise I would have tried the plier trick earlier (and that's actually how I broke one of the screws, because at the time I didn't have a better way to turn them). I MIGHT be able to try the jewel file trick on the other side, but that's assuming I have a screwdriver that small. The screw itself is maybe 1.5mm diameter to begin with.
Is the screw steel or brass? If brass when you drill the hole smaller than the actual tread portion you can sometimes back the remaining threads of the brass screw out with the tip of a number 16 exacto blade as it's stiffer than an number 11 blade and carefully work it out that way being carefull not to mess with the threads. I have done this and it does take awhile, but we all have nothing but time, lol
