Removing rusty self tapping screws

[gwdixon]

Ah, right on. That is the secret of pulling nails too. I've salvaged a lot of lumber from structures and learned that a long time ago (thanks to my late friend, Will Slayton). Step #1: give every nail a good whack. Then they come out like butter, instead of the heads breaking off.

When logging, the pulleys used by the mule to move logs to the landing were secured by cables to stumps using what looked to be railroad spikes.

The first time I saw the guys on the hill move the pulley they first smacked the spikes with a sledge hammer - driving them farther in. I asked what was that for? They said they were "waking up" the spikes.

OK, a bit off topic.

 

[lostcause]

i'm guessing it's screws like these: Flooring Screws | Fastenal

last winter i had t re-deck my snowmobile trailer and i had used the same (but shorter) screws to secure the plywood decking. i will say that I had absolutely no success in removing the screws in a reasonable time frame, so i just broke them all off with a drill, then ground them off on both sides of the trailer, then re-drilled and installed new screws of the same type.

in my case the wood deck was so rotten i was able to pull it off past the screw heads in most cases anyways. not to mention that the screws all twisted off because they had rusted down to 1/16"-1/8" diameter in the wood from prolonged exposure to salt. i can say that for me there was absolutely no success in trying to punch them through 3/16" steel with those fine threads. also, they aren't a lot softer than a drill bit to start with, so you won't be drilling them out either.

the welding approach seems like a unique idea, but it seems rather tedious - not to say that re-drilling all new holes won't be.

 

[J_J]

I believe my screws are a little different as they are still good. Even with an impact screw gun, a few or the TORX screws came out, but most did not. . Kernopelli tried to heat up just the screw, and it did work, so I am hoping the heat will break the rust bond. If I heat the screw up cherry red, will it make them less hard. I am hoping to impact them out. If this fails, I will grind them off and install new screws.

 

[sandman2234]

The ones I removed didn't have any problems coming out, as long as I could keep the Torx bit from shearing off. Seems I must have located a good supply of CHEAP Torx drivers, lol.
David from jax

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

I think you could use a grinder to cut down on thescrew head then pry the board off the screw. After the boards are off hit the sceew with a big hamer on the side and they wil break off. Trying to reuse the old holes will take a long time measuring and driling the wood and you will still mis on most of them. The new screws should be self driling so all you have to do is dril them in.

Believe it or not, i have seen the following work. Do whatever you have to to remove one of the larger center boards, then take a large sledgehammer and go along whacking the planks on their sides, right where the floor screws are located (you hit the board sideways in a sheering motion against the screws0 and the old rusty screws just 'snap' off clean at the crossmembers.

Once you have all of the old boards and screw nubs ground off, clean it up, prime and paint the crossmembers (or undercoat them with some good spray can goo) let it dry overnight and start putting the new floor in.

Be mindful to create new screw holes in the crossmembers, it actually makes for a stronger floor in the end.

MAN!! I got sweaty just writing about it... have fun.

Craig thetrailerguy

 

[Short Game]

Soundz like a plan.