Broken hex bit stuck

[TejasPS]

I have an issue that hopefully someone here can answer. While tightening my rail, the hex bit I was using snapped off in the small hex screw 1.55mm or 1/16. What’s the best way to remove?

[grayfox]

Before we comment, can you post a few pix, hopefully some enlarged/ for details. It's hard to say what to do without seeing what's going on.

[TejasPS]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16206[/ATTACH]

[65Whelen]

Tap the back of the broken bit with a 1/16" or smaller drift pin. hopefully it will loosen up and fall out. Also, try magnitizing the drift pin and pull it out. good luck

[grayfox]

Hex bits and such are probably made from tool steel, pretty hard stuff, hard to drill into.
So does that hex portion normally screw in from this outside view?
Can you get a grip on the hex with some small needle nose? Don't need to unscrew all of it, just wiggle the hex piece free.
Will the handguard come off as-is so you can look to the inside?

Can you dribble some kroil onto it or liquid wrench, then heat up the assembly and try to back out the hex bit, or maybe wiggle it loose. Sometimes heatup causes one metal to expand more than the other. Up to about 15-=175 deg should be able to do it, I use our oven (for all metal stuff that will fit), set the temp, 15 minutes of heating.

Only other thing I can think of is to gradually enlarge the insertion hole around the hex until you can get a grip on it to wiggle/reverse it out.

Just some thoughts off top of my head.
ps, I'd throw that set of hex-es away, they seem too brittle for you to trust them.

[grayfox]

edit to add: there's a chance that the screw itself is cross-threaded or galled into the fitting, just a thought.

[pinetreebbs]

Get a left handed cobalt drill bit to drill out broken bit. If you're lucky it may just loosen the bit and allow it to be removed.

Good cobalt drill bits are very hard.

[TejasPS]

Thank you all for the responding. I was able to tap the broken bit out with a drift pin. Thanks Grayfox.

[grayfox]

Glad to hear, you're wlecome.

[js8588]

Exact same thing happened to me with a gas block installation yesterday. Fortunately the broken bit just fell out.

[NugginFutz]

Two words:

F.A.T. Wrench




This has given me the peace of mind that my scope rings, bases, mounts, etc. are all torqued to the correct settings, as well as having saved me countless stripped screws.

[Old Bob]

Yeah, what NugginFutz said. When used correctly, torque wrenches can prevent a lot of problems when putting anything together that uses screws or other threaded devices in their assembly. The F.A.T. wrench is good - used one for ages - but the Fix it Sticks torque devices work pretty well also. Google "small screw torque tables" & look at some of the torque specifications tables if you're unsure what torque to apply to a screw. It'll save you some consternation...

https://store.fixitsticks.com/

[65Whelen]

Thank you all for the responding. I was able to tap the broken bit out with a drift pin. Thanks Grayfox.

Lol, what, I get no love?

[rabiddawg]

Lol, what, I get no love?

You don’t reply in book form

[js8588]

Two words:

F.A.T. Wrench




This has given me the peace of mind that my scope rings, bases, mounts, etc. are all torqued to the correct settings, as well as having saved me countless stripped screws.

One is currently being shipped to me.

[grayfox]

Lol, what, I get no love?

C'mon boys, c'mon.... big group hug for 65W...!!!

[65Whelen]

C'mon boys, c'mon.... big group hug for 65W...!!!

Gees thanks, now I feel better. The world is right again.

[brockkl]

F.A.T. Wrench is the bee's knees. It's really hard to bugger something, when you're that close to the work. I got mine for Christmas, and it has since, grown roots into my belt.




This has given me the peace of mind that my scope rings, bases, mounts, etc. are all torqued to the correct settings, as well as having saved me countless stripped screws.[/QUOTE]