Threaded a VERY small screwhead

[Sam On Maui]

Long story short: there's a teeny tiny Phillips head screwhead that holds the print head to the printer. We have no idea how to get it out. We've tried a number of things to no avail.

• We tried a larger screwdriver head.
• We tried using a rubber band.
• We tried using super-glue to get the screwhead and screwdriver together.

We want to replace the head as well as all the screw and such, but need to get this one out.

 

[GAC05]

You have a photo of what you are trying to do?
Is the screw head stripped out and stuck or you can't grip it to get it up off the head?
If the screw is stripped and you are going to replace the head anyway - if there is room drill the head off - remove the head and then get some needle-nose vice grips on the stub.

 

[netsol]

in a perfect world, you would get a couple "jeweler's screw extractors, in the proper size & a TINY NUMBERED DRILL BIT of the proper size

if the screw goes into the head (the thing you want to replace) just drill it out as has been suggested.

if the screw goes into a piece you value, you might want to recognize that this repair may be above your skill level.

a good friend thought he was going to scrap one of his mimaki's a couple months back, when he discovered that he had destroyed a plate that held the head in place.

fortunately, i found him the part that mimaki said he could no longer obtain

GE GENTLE and figure out how you are going to keep the drill perpendicular BEFORE you start drilling. save yourself the probems later

 

[netsol]

DO NOT buy screw extractors OR ANYTHING ELSE FROM TEMU

calling them a chinese sh*t merchant would be sugar coating it. they sell nothing but garbage i am told

 

[Sam On Maui]

DO NOT buy screw extractors OR ANYTHING ELSE FROM TEMU

Oh, that won't be a problem. Never bought anything from them and don't intend to start. I try to avoid Amazon when possible.

You have a photo of what you are trying to do?
Is the screw head stripped out and stuck or you can't grip it to get it up off the head?
If the screw is stripped and you are going to replace the head anyway - if there is room drill the head off - remove the head and then get some needle-nose vice grips on the stub.

Photo attached. The head has turned from a nice + shape to more of an octogon, it seems. The upper-left hand screw (the others are highlighted so I could find the screws). The big thing is making sure we don't damage the "sled" the head is on or the other parts. It's a *really* awkward place to work.

 

[GAC05]

Oh, that won't be a problem. Never bought anything from them and don't intend to start. I try to avoid Amazon when possible.


Photo attached. The head has turned from a nice + shape to more of an octogon, it seems. The upper-left hand screw (the others are highlighted so I could find the screws). The big thing is making sure we don't damage the "sled" the head is on or the other parts. It's a *really* awkward place to work.

hummm - if the area under that screw is fairly supported you might be able to hit (light hammer taps) the screw head with a drift punch to get some of the cross-point shape back and have the shock loosen up the screw at the same time. If that's a no-go then I'd break out the drill and go down just enough to take the screw head off without drilling into the sled. Last resort, hit up your local dentist and see if you can borrow a pair of these:

 

[damonCA21]

They are an absolute pain to get out! ( I speak from experience ) as there is very little room to get any sort of pliers or extractors onto them The only real option is to drill off the head of the screw, then remove the heads, remove the head carriage and hope you can get some pliers onto the end of the screw from the underside to undo it. If this doesn't work you can get used replacement head carriages on ebay to replace it

 

[netsol]

drill out the head, then you will be able to remove and worrk to remove the shaft left behind

i would be cautious about tapping with a hammer, i can only imagine the problems we can create by skewing the sled. the hed mut be perfectly perpendicular. if you cause a "tramming" problem, you will ish you could get back to a stripped or broken screw.

it might be better, to use some sort of bit in a dremel to drill or grind away the screw head

if we end up damaging the sled, i would look on ebay, for someone who has sold mechanical parts for your model, or similar . (advanced search)
then go to an item they have currently listed & Contact seller/ask seller a question. if necessary, cast a wide net, contact several seller

 

[netsol]

one more thing, if you try to locate an ebay seller with your part
YOU MUST REQUEST THAT THEY LIST THE PART ON EBAY (or you both will be "banned for life"
an experienced seller Can not respond unless you include the "list on ebay so i can buy it" request.
they can not afford to respond and risk being banned or losing power seller status. format your request properly and most sellers will respond (i do this all the time, looking for hard to find parts.) ALMOST ALWAYS A SUCCESS

 

[damonCA21]

drill out the head, then you will be able to remove and worrk to remove the shaft left behind

i would be cautious about tapping with a hammer, i can only imagine the problems we can create by skewing the sled. the hed mut be perfectly perpendicular. if you cause a "tramming" problem, you will ish you could get back to a stripped or broken screw.

it might be better, to use some sort of bit in a dremel to drill or grind away the screw head

if we end up damaging the sled, i would look on ebay, for someone who has sold mechanical parts for your model, or similar . (advanced search)
then go to an item they have currently listed & Contact seller/ask seller a question. if necessary, cast a wide net, contact several seller

Definitely! Hitting it with a hammer is likely to cause damage to the heads, and if not will bend the carriage as it's not very thick metal, and you would never be able to straighten it again.
Searching on ebay for roland head carriage there are a few sellers who have them listed for various models if needed-

 

[damonCA21]

You may also find when drilling it out that you damage the brown plastic holder the head fixes too. These can be found on ebay too

 

[weyandsign]

It's not a phillips. It's a posidriv screw.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Use Dremel to grind a slot in it then use a flathead screwdriver

 

[damonCA21]

Use Dremel to grind a slot in it then use a flathead screwdriver

No way to get a dremel into the space. You literally have a few mm's either side. Even with an extension fitted you won't get it anywhere close. You are also pretty much working blind so could easily damage the head. The only way to remove is to drill off the head of the screw so you can get the heads off to give you more of the screw to work at

 

[Jim Hancock]

It's not a phillips. It's a posidriv screw.

It's a phillips screw, The proper screwdriver is a PH1 (not PH#1).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C597GNM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
The long PH1 in this set is my go-to screwdriver for working with printheads.

 

[Jim Hancock]

Posted something for a different thread... need more coffee!

 

[JBurton]

I was going to say these look like posidrives... I really need to get a set before I really need a set...

 

[netsol]

It's not a phillips. It's a posidriv screw.

if the whole world used posidriv (torx) we would all be better off
it can be a resl bitch to find those really small screws with anything but phillips

 

[netsol]

I was going to say these look like posidrives... I really need to get a set before I really need a set...

there are all sorts of assortments online, (chinese garbage, to be sure) but, at least YOU have the pleasure of stripping or shearing them yourself

 

[cornholio]

if the whole world used posidriv (torx) we would all be better off
it can be a resl bitch to find those really small screws with anything but phillips

Pozidriv isn't the same as torx. It's a enhanced Philipps.
I only use drivers from reputable companies like Swiss PB, or German Wiha or Wera. Life is too short to use mediocre tools.
Their cost may seem a bit high, but it pays off over time. Some of them even give a liftime warranty.