pfrost Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 The first time I got into the head of my Mille for cleaning & oiling, I found that a couple of the screw heads had been torqued on so tightly (by the manufacturer) that I was barely able to get a Phillips head screwdriver to turn them. When I finely did get the screws to turn, one of them was pretty badly mangled. DH suggested that I replace these aluminum screws with steel screws from the local hardware store. That's what I'm now trying to do; however, that one screw is sooooo badly messed up on the head that no Phillips screwdriver will turn it. We've tried several different sizes & they all just slip & slide, continuing to reem out the head of that screw. I need to get this screw out! Any suggestions on removing it? HELP!!! Pat AZ:cool: Mille Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Hi Pat, When I have a screw head that is stripped out here at the factory, I use a center punch and hammer. Tap the center punch with the hammer on the edge of the screw head to make a diviot, then angle the center punch so when you tap with the hammer you are tapping in the direction to loosen the screw. That will bread the screw loose. This works every time. If you don't understand what I'm explaining, call us and Amy or I can walk you through it. 800-426-7233. Take care, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 The method that Mark suggest works for me all the time also. If you still have a issue Sears has a screw extractor set that really works. It is about $25 not cheap but it has several size extractors. These are not the old EZ Out. I would install the orginal screws and not tighten them so tight (girl tight is fine). (This term comes from Cheryl Uribe). John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted June 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Will give these methods a try. Thanks, Guys. BTW, "girl tight" for Cheryl & "girl tight" for me must be 2 different degrees of tightness. The screw was originally bungled by me, due to the torque put on the screw at the factory. After cleaning inside the machine's head, I did reuse the same screws, making sure the one with the bungled head was the easiest to get to. Now, when I want to get into the machine head this time, my "girly tightening" job must still be too much! This screw won't budge! DH has also tried his hand at loosening it with different sizes of Phillips head screwdrivers, but nothing has worked except we've changed the configuration of the head of that screw. Now off to try to get that screw out with one of your methods. Will let you know. Thanks again. Pat AZ:cool: Mille Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted June 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 Those would be the ones, Myrna. Thanks so much. You may reach me at pfrost@npgcable.com. Thanks again. Pat AZ:cool: Mille Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjaquilter Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Hi folks, I'm a newbie and have the very same problem. I just posted my frustration on the wrong forum ( cuz I'm new) My husband has one of those things that you hit and is supposed to get the screws out...It did not work. I need to adjust the blue 8 thingy...but cannot get into the machines' innards. I'm so frustrated right now and I may have ruined the screws. I was afraid that pounding would hurt the machine...though my husband said it wouldn't and he did try to no avail. Does he have to grind the screws off? Won't that destroy my brand new Millie? Please HELP Agnes ( biting her nails and wringing her hands!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Hi, Agnes. I feel your frustration, as I had that very same experience...here's what we did to finally get the mangled screw to move. First of all you want to prevent scratching the paint on that pretty new machine, so protect the area around the screwhead with some kind of batting. Secure it in place with painter's tape (I used something a little stronger & it ripped off a bit of the powder finish ). Then take a keyhole saw & very gently & slowly pull it through one of the slots (or what's left of a slot for the Philips screwdriver). You'll need to do this several times...be very patient (don't rush!) & deliberate in your movements 'cause you don't want to go outside the slot that you're trying to create in this screw head. Also, you don't want to ding the machine. (We pushed the machine to one end of the table so that there was no movement on the carriage or rails, either. That way we could put a bit of leverage against the stubborn screw without the machine trying to run off from us!) With each pass of the keyhole saw, you'll pull the saw in only one direction--not back & forth in the typical sawing motion, but, rather, just pulling the saw toward you, slowly. After several passes with the keyhole saw, you'll see that the saw is scoring a line across the top of this screw. When you have a fairly deep line in the screwhead, take a slot-headed screwdriver & insert it into this scored line. With a hammer, very gently tap-tap-tap the end of the screwdriver in the direction it's supposed to turn. You'll be tapping that screwdriver at an angle (counter clockwise). If the scored line is deep enough, the head of that slot screwdriver should stay within the line. If it's not deep enough & the screwdriver slips out of it, go back to using the keyhole saw again--until the line is deep enough to support the use of the slot-headed screwdriver. Mark recommended the use of a tool, a center punch, but we didn't happen to have one of those. The keyhole saw blade makes a longer area on the top of the screw in which work with the slot-headed screwdriver, so I feel that you'll probably get more leverage with your slot-headed screwdriver. (It may ruin the top of the screwdriver, but who cares. We're trying to maintain a pricey piece of equipment!) Once you get the aluminum screw out, you'll probably want to replace it with some regular steel screws that you can purchase at the hardware store. Steel screws are tougher & won't mangle as easily. And like the other girls have suggested, don't screw your new screws in as tightly as the factory did. Hope this helps. Remember, patience is key to working on those tough screws! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjaquilter Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Well , thanks so much for the suggestions. I might actually manage this danged thing after all. When hubby gets home I'll set him to work. I can't get much power or leverage from this little 4'11'' frame that nature stuck me with. Thanks again for all the advice and quick response. Agnes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Agnes, Go to Walmart or a hardware store and buy a battery powered screwdriver. I'm only 4'11", too, and believe me that battery powered screwdriver is a miracle worker as far as I'm concerned. I thought they were silly until I struggled for an hour taking out screws on a desk one day. When I couldn't do anymore I asked my son to do the rest. He went and got his battery powered screwdriver and finished taking it apart in about five minutes. Then it took him about fifteen minutes to put it all back together after we moved it. The next day I went out and bought myself one. I wouldn't be without it. It makes taking the screws out of the Liberty and putting them back in so much easier! Phyllis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Phyllis, I may be wrong, but I don't believe the battery-powered screwdriver will have any effect on those screws once their heads have nothing to catch onto. They'll just spin around & around, further reeming out the top of the screwhead. They do work great, tho, for removing & replacing screws that still have a decent head on them. I used one on some of the electrical outlets I installed a while back & they can sure save your wrists and hands. They are very handy tools! Pat AZ:cool: Mille Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjaquilter Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Thanks to all you folks with your great suggestions! I finally got my Millie opened up and she is running smooth again. We had to hammer those screws off. We won't be using those any more! I got myself my own drill for the future so that I can save my strength for quilting. Thanks again, Agnes:D;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 If the screw tops are really stripped out that badly, no, you'll have to go to brute strength and a hammer. But a lot of mine are partially stripped out and my battery powered screwdriver works great on them. Once the bad ones are replaced, that screwdriver will make it so much faster and easier to get them in and out. I use mine all the time and couldn't do without it around the house as well as on my Liberty.It can usually handle screws that are "man tight." I guess I was thinking past the "bad screws." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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