One way screw removal

[Jabumbo]

Does anyone have a tried and true method for getting these screws out quickly and easily?

I have 2 baskets that need new poles and so I need to remove them to slide off the broken pole and put in the new one. I would like to avoid hauling the baskets back to the house and not having a playable course for however long it takes for me to get them back.

All the hardware is in good shape so I would like to avoid damaging anything if possible. I'm not fully convinced one of those countersink devices would work for a stainless screw.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[markmcc]

We did a bunch of basket refinishing at a state park. They had the tool for those one way screws and it was hit-and-miss. We ended up using medium curved jaw vice grips around the outside to get them out. It chewed them up a little but they went back in fine. Really couldn't find any other way.

 

[biscoe]

yep- vice grips, buy new screws if you louse them up- they are cheap.

 

[InnocentCrook]

Yep, vice grips was going to be my recommendation as well.

 

[Tripper]

Use your tongue like the Zohan.

 

[davetherocketguy]

yep- vice grips, buy new screws if you louse them up- they are cheap.

^^^THIS

Just went through moving a bunch of Discatchers and this is basically what we did with those stupid screws.

 

[biscoe]

i don't really see why anyone thinks they prevent theft.

 

[Tripper]

i don't really see why anyone thinks they prevent theft.

They use them for toilet partitions in public restrooms where folks are less likely to have vice grips with them. So in that application they are pretty good at theft prevention.

 

[ejvogie]

The store I worked at had security hex head screws holding down the credit card machines. If someone were determined to get into one, all they had to do was walk down to hardware and steal a bit...

But yeah, vice grips :thmbup:

 

[lyleoross]

Does anyone have a tried and true method for getting these screws out quickly and easily?

I have 2 baskets that need new poles and so I need to remove them to slide off the broken pole and put in the new one. I would like to avoid hauling the baskets back to the house and not having a playable course for however long it takes for me to get them back.

All the hardware is in good shape so I would like to avoid damaging anything if possible. I'm not fully convinced one of those countersink devices would work for a stainless screw.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I wonder if you used a hammer drill if it would work despite the one way screws? I've never had anyone steal a basket by removing the screws.

 

[Jenga54]

carefully dremel off the head of the screw

 

[davetherocketguy]

carefully dremel off the head of the screw

Maybe...but if you want the shaft itself out this is not a good idea.

 

[Bultx1215]

If you go to the trouble of using a dremel, grind a couple of flats in the haed and use pliers or a wrench.

Visegrips are the worst kept secret for removal.

 

[Jabumbo]

well i guess i need to make a visit to the park with my bucket of hand tools!

at least those screws aren't super long so they won't be that terrible....

 

[f'in draggin']

get a small, thin cutting wheel with a shaft. put it in your drill. grind a slot for a flat screwdriver. use aforementioned flat screwdriver to remove screw.

 

[markmcc]

Depending on how long those crews have been in a flat blade screwdriver will likely just tear the head up. After removing and refinishing the 54 baskets at Farragut State Park, I'm telling you that the answer is Vicegrips, plain and simple...

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Depending on how long those crews have been in a flat blade screwdriver will likely just tear the head up. After removing and refinishing the 54 baskets at Farragut State Park, I'm telling you that the answer is Vicegrips, plain and simple...

No impact driver possible? There are even bits for removing some of these style bolts. Never tried on baskets though personally.

 

[markmcc]

No impact driver possible? There are even bits for removing some of these style bolts. Never tried on baskets though personally.

Didn't have one to try, so I don't know. We did have the manufacturer supplied tool and we used it successfully and a couple of baskets and without success on many more. The tool has a couple of carbide points that are intended to "bite" into the head. Even if we could get it to bite it was hard to get enough torque and crowd on the tool to back the screws out.

I suppose if you had the carbide tool chucked into an impact driver you might be able to get them loose, but the screws we took out were very tight all of the way out. They'd been in a while for sure.

Once we had the Vicegrip on we could simply turn them all of the way out. With the driver it was a little bit at a time.

I'm sure that there are other ways to skin this cat, but most folks have access to Vicegrips and I don't see a downside to using them.

 

[Jabumbo]

For the record, I did end up using a pair of vice grips to swap out the hardware on my damaged baskets. They paired up nicely with some adjustable pliers. I made the repairs on separate occasions, but each basket took about 30 minutes on my own.

Ironically, the new poles didn't have a slot for the one way screw at the catcher, so I only had to put two back. Worked out though because each basket had one that was amazingly bent yet still in tact.



Side story: As I'm carrying the pole down the hill to make the repair, a pair of guys playing the hole say "that hole isn't the right height" (since the short broken pole). So in I come to magically make the fix. I get done just before they come around to play the hole again and same guy parks one at that pin (semi-blind downhill shot) but I opted to switch pins since I could finally do it. He wasn't as happy after that!