Stripped Heatsink Screws!! How To Get Them Out???

[Paralys]

>_< Ok. So... If anyone else has read my last 2 threads, I've been building a new computer. Spent nearly 400 bucks on it so far, (that's a lot since I'm a student in highschool lol) So I ran out to buy a heatsink/fan for my processor today. I'm using an AMD Athlon 64 (2.2ghz) so I bought a really nice heatsink/fan at staples for about 30 bucks. It does AMD and Intel, though you have to switch out screws. So, I was switching them out and two of them stripped instantly (after ONE turn of the screwdriver on them.) So, the heads are stripped quite horribly. I know that they sell stripped screwdrivers, but I'm really broke, so if anyone knows an easy way that I could get these out GENTLY, it would be REALLY great lol.

[Rab]

sounds like soft metal, reckon you could sorta re-etch it?

[moonlit]

Drill them out?

[VaKo]

Needle nose pliers, brute strength and EXTREME care.

[revolations2525]

This might sound a little stupid, but maybe try using wire cutters. I have done this on other things. It usually grabs the screw right so you can get it to turn once or twice. But it works better on small screws.

[jollyrancher82]

Needle nose pliers, brute strength and EXTREME care.

Brute strength AND extreme care?

[rFayjW98ciLoNQLDZmFRKD]

you could use a dremel and cut a slot in the head to screw it out. you will have to be careful of the sparks, sing how hey can melt things (the motherboards, ribbon cables, anything else that is plastic).

[Paralys]

This might sound a little stupid, but maybe try using wire cutters. I have done this on other things. It usually grabs the screw right so you can get it to turn once or twice. But it works better on small screws.

Not stupid at all, I've did that before, though I suppose I neglected to mention that the screws are lower than the metal so the wirecutters cant grab the sides of it

sounds like soft metal, reckon you could sorta re-etch it?

Sounds like an ok idea, I'll try it but not sure that I'm strong enough to scratch it out.

[SomeoneE1se]

If you can get to the back of the screws you might be able to drill them out.

[W4RP3D]

ermm could you glue a small piece of dowel road or something to them and turn that, just an idea, no idea if it will work in theory though.

[VaKo]

Just remembered, plumbers and boat mechanics use this putty like substance that sets as hard as steel. If you go down to your local hardware store you should be able to find some, fill out the head of the screw and simply make a new groove by pushing the head of the screwdriver into it before its set.

[DarkRoux]

It's called J&B Weld. Works like a charm but be careful once it is on its there to stay.

[metatron]

Drill them out, and then re-tap the holes.

[Paralys]

Well, after trying and trying to get them out unsuccessfully (by trying to re-etch the head like Rab said and a few other methods) the screws finally stripped beyond repair and the heads ended up having perfectly round holes in them. So, I give. I took the heatsink/fan back to staples, got my money back because they didn't have anymore heatsinks or fans that would fit a socket 939, and finally ended up ordering a cooler master heatsink/fan from newegg. Thanks for all your help everyone (on the brightside one almost started to come out before they stripped so bad)

[sneaky_rupert]

Just remembered, plumbers and boat mechanics use this putty like substance that sets as hard as steel. If you go down to your local hardware store you should be able to find some, fill out the head of the screw and simply make a new groove by pushing the head of the screwdriver into it before its set.

Marine Tex is what theyre using these days on boats. Gunsmith's use it too. You have to be careful with epoxy though, because it wont just bond to the screw, but the hole it is in as well. I recommend using a release agent on anything you dont want it to bond to. Vaseline works well I think, but your talking such a small area, this might not be the way to go.

Tell me, can you screw it all the way through? As in, is it tapped all the way through, or do the threads bottom out? They make a tool called an easy out, and it is very cheap. All you do, is carefully drill a hole through the center of a screw, and put the easy out in. It has a hollow channel that will grip the inside metal of the screw. They sell them in all sizes.

I have been successful in doing similar to what you talked about, using them in small applications, to removing broken exhaust bolts from an engine block (we're talking broken inside.) If you would like some more information on how to do this, feel free to reply to this, and I will be glad to walk you through it.

[Guest ABC]

put their clothes back on :P

</spam>

melt solider into the heads and stick something in the solider ... like, a coctail stick .. remove

[sneaky_rupert]

melt solider into the heads and stick something in the solider ... like, a coctail stick .. remove

Again, solder (like epoxy) would mechanically bond to everything. To get solder to even bond, you have to get the target piece hot enough for it to bond with. If you got it that hot, you have two problems, a stripped screw, and a filled in hole thats been bonded shut with solder.

[Matt {Undead}]

when buying a amd chip i would advise you to get one that comes with an amd manufactured heatsink and fan.

That way you have no problems with fitting the heatsink on and if it breaks then you should get a free replacement.