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Messed Up Screw

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musawi

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Location
Bahrain
Well when I got my case they used a machine to drill the screws in, and they were in really tight. So I sat there trying to unscrew it for such a long time and I managed to mess up the inside so when i finally got my hands on a drill where I can drill it out, the screw wouldnt turn. The insides were messed up. My cooling isnt good enough and I want to add thsi fan to the front and a Denki where it is now at the back. How do I go about removing this fan?
 
I am not quite following this is the fan still mounted in the case?
What exactly did you do with the drill when you used it? What type of screw is it? A self tapping screw that has cut threads into the fan shroud. Or a screw with a nut on the back?
 
It is a self tapping screw that has cut threads into the fan shroud. The fan is mounted in the case. When I got the drill, I took the tip from the screwdriver and put it into the drill, worked fine for the other 3 screws but the one that is messed up wouldn't turn and wouldn't get out. Its one of those diamond screws, dont know what you call it. Hopefully you know what I mean. I am not good in this area, please bare with me. Doing my best.
 
Can you get a small pair of vice grips locked onto the screw head? If so, that should loosen it up.
 
Yeah I thought of that but then I found out that there is no space to catch onto the head of the screw. The screw is in the case. So when I look straight on I can only see the diamond shape (well its not a diamond atm).
 
musawi said:
Yeah I thought of that but then I found out that there is no space to catch onto the head of the screw. The screw is in the case. So when I look straight on I can only see the diamond shape (well its not a diamond atm).

Ok so you have a stripped phillips head self tapping screw. There are two ways to remove the screw. The right way and the I really don't have the proper tools to this way.

The proper way is to go to the store and buy a screw extractor get one sized for the screw head.

That would be a number 2 screw extractor and a 7/64 bit to drill the center of the hole then using a T-handle to hold the extractor or an adjustable wrench turn the extractor as if you would to loosen the screw .

The link is an example of what the tool looks like.

Ok now for the other less then steller may or may not work ways.

Take a small drill bit and a metal pointed punch and a hammer. with a drill and a 1/16th drill bit drill a small divot in one side of the screw. Take the hammer and placing the punch in the divot hole tap the screw head to loosen it.

The other less not exactly the right way. Take a drill bit. A number 7 should work drill off the head of the screw remove the fan then take some vice gripes and remove the screw shank.

I hope this helps.

EC
 
That's a phillips head screw.

You have two options from what I understand of your situation.
You can use a 1/4" drill (6-7mm roughly) and drill through the phillips head diamond shape intil the head is smaller than the hole...it should pop out the other side along with the fan when it's drilled enough. You should remove the electronics from the case, or at least tape over all the holes so that no small metal bits get inside to your electronics.
Or you can carefully pry the fan away from the screw, breaking the plastic around the fan's corner. 3 corners will still hold a fan relatively well, some cases come with only 2 screws in the fan.

Have fun, and good luck!

Hmmm..EC, If I only hit reply a few second earlier..:D
 
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Thanks guys, I got exams all this week and next. So when I am done I will be getting on with this. Thanks!
 
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