Miniature impact driver?

Has it been locked in with threadlocker? If so you will have to use heat. Else:

First, good penetrating oil (I use Kroil) and time. Second, paint or no paint I suggest a really pointed butane flame like the ones you get from this:

I use a 3/8" air impact wrench driving Proto hex bits. But if you can't, then just make sure you are using a quality hex wrench, that it's fully seated, and apply your torque as strong as you dare and then hit it a little.

You might try the correct hex bit driven by a hand socket wrench too, just for leverage.

GWE

Have you given it a good whack yet? That often loosens screws that just don't want to come out easily.

-- Why do penguins walk so far to get to their nesting grounds?

Use a hand held impact activated by a sharp hammer blow. Works great and probably won't strip anything.

I managed to remove some glued philips screws from a television lens by heating the end of the screwdriver red-hot, pressing and holding it in the screwhead for 20-30 seconds then loosening. I had to do it several times.

Might work for you without mucking up the paint.

A Cordless hammer drill in hammer mode.

A cordless drill with a clutch, at a low setting, gives a good imitation of a hammer drill for these purposes.

If you use a socket to drive a hex bit, you want the hex part as short as possible, lest it twist off and possibly damage the screw head in the proces.

Ed,

Heat a bar of suitable dimensions to red hot at the tip, and rest it on the screw head. The heat will conduct into the screw and expand it. When it cools and contracts it should be freer. This also has the advantage that it should break the bond of any thread locker.

AWEM

I remove screws like this regularly. The problem with flat socket head screws is that they take to small a wrench for the bolt size so this problem is pretty standard. The screws I remove have loctite on them but I never have had to resort to heat. A good wrap with the flat side of a small ball peen hammer will bring them out every time. In your case a hard hit might not be possible but a bunch of small hits can sometimes do the same thing. Another approach that is sometimes effective is to put the allen wrench in. Use a small piece of pipe for a cheater (important) and then use the hammer to hit the bend portion of the allen wrench while trying to turn the screw.

Be sure and use good quality allen wrenches. I've had great luck with Bondhus brand wrenches.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

Use a soldering iron to heat the screw, then let it cool. If it's a particularly stubborn bastard, try several cycles. As mentioned, use a hand held impact driver with a new hex bit with a firm grip and judicial hammer blow.

Tight socket head screws really need to be 'shocked' loose with the hex driver; not slowly torqued. Good way to strip the hex. If you can get a tight fit with an allen wrench, double up on it with something like a 6"

Sometimes...sometimes...as a absolutely last resort..you can get a Quality TORX driver up inside a rounded out allen head with some bashing...cringe..and the bashing may get it loose.

YMMV

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the s*it out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Bondhus are all that Ill keep in my service kit. Ive had too many Allens break off. Particularly ball nosed ones

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the s*it out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

Just drop the pressure on the air supply to the impact driver to reduce the torque to a reasonable level. It should hammer the thing loose with a little patience. Bugs

I've got one set of Allen brand in my pickup. I hate them for there shape as much as for the lousy metal. In the shop I really abuse allen wrenches. I have a repeat job of rebuilding Tuthill brand "vacuum boosters" (read that as blower) and they extensively use flat head and button head socket head screws in them. The rebuild kits come with new screws that already have loctite on them. Plus they need to be really tight or something will work loose in use. I've had Bondhus brand allen wrenches bent with at least 1/4 turn from a cheater and they just spring back. Occasionally I'll have one bend or more likely twist at the short end but that's just from abuse. Now don't get me wrong I've managed to break a few but never without excessive force.

For the money they cost there's no reason not to have them.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

--I guess I was unclear; what I've got is one of those massive handheld things that you smack with a hammer. It must weigh a couple of pounds and that's just too much mass.

Maybe something like this would get it out? It's a two-part tool, (double-ended I think). First end cleans up the head, second one removes the screw/bolt

Bob ..............

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They sell a little bottle of magic at Sears. It is 400 grit or finer in a light oil - It is squirted or dropped on the tool - and the little bits dig into the screw for a tighter grip. Less slippage that way. - Hum - that wet dry 600 sandpaper - what solvent... :-) Martin Martin Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH, NRA Life NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Gunner Asch wrote: