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Thread: Frozen side plate screws.....

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Frozen side plate screws.....

    My 24-3 has sideplate scews that won't come loose. The rear most one has a busted off screw head. I've put Kroil on them but have not tried to get the front two ones loose since. Should i ever need to get into the inards it would be a problem.
    "If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Eek! Hopefully the Kroil will come to the rescue! Every time have seen a smith disassembling a revolver in that configuration they seem to be beating on it with a rawhide mallet or piece of wood like it owes them money!


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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I put a screwdriver bit tip in my drill press that fits the screw head correctly.
    I then clamp the frame down.
    Then I can lower the tip down in the drill press and turn the chuck by hand using a home made spanner wrench that fits in the chuck key holes.
    This gives you down pressure on the screws as you try to turn the chuck.
    All this is done after soaking the frame in something like Kroil for a few days to a week.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by LAGS View Post
    I put a screwdriver bit tip in my drill press that fits the screw head correctly.
    I then clamp the frame down.
    Then I can lower the tip down in the drill press and turn the chuck by hand using a home made spanner wrench that fits in the chuck key holes.
    This gives you down pressure on the screws as you try to turn the chuck.
    All this is done after soaking the frame in something like Kroil for a few days to a week.
    Excellent advice!

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
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    Using a drill press as said above is good policy,,, as is using a flat punch as close to the screw head diameter as possible, to give it a good rap beforehand..

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Right now would be an excellent time to remove all of the sideplate screws if they will cooperate. Any chance you have Loc-Tite on those threads? If so, heat would be required to "melt" the solid (dried) adhesive into a liquid, then immediately remove the screws. If they resist normal pressure from your screw driver, apply heat and pray they come out. An electric heat gun set on "high" temperature is called for here. Pop off the sideplate and hope you have enough material remaining from your "headless" screw to heat and remove it. If this fails, a trip to either a competent gunsmith or directly to S&W would be worth while to avoid further damage. Will be following this thread to learn how you succeed.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
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    All the above plus use a 50%/50% mixture of acetone and transmission fluid. By far the best penetrant (even better than my beloved Kroil) I've ever used.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master TurnipEaterDown's Avatar
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    50/50 Mixture of ATF and Marvel mystery oil works well to unstick piston rings as well, but I've never used it on a gun.
    I just mention it because of my automotive experience w/ it as a penetrating oil. My experience was back when LV & ULV trans fluid didn't exist. Just old Type F & GM ATF. Don't know how the low viscosity & ultra low viscosity would work in a mixture.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

    Plate plinker's Avatar
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    Acetone. Not sure why ATF is so popular in a mix with the acetone. Seems to me the acetone alone should creep in deeper and possibly or probably liquify solids better. The ATF may help to stop the acetone from flashing off is that the real purpose of the ATF in the mix?

    I’m also a big fan of KROIL. KROIL has never failed me yet.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plate plinker View Post
    Acetone. Not sure why ATF is so popular in a mix with the acetone. Seems to me the acetone alone should creep in deeper and possibly or probably liquify solids better. The ATF may help to stop the acetone from flashing off is that the real purpose of the ATF in the mix?

    I’m also a big fan of KROIL. KROIL has never failed me yet.
    “Machinist’s Workshop” recently published information on various penetrating oils. The magazine reports they tested these products for “break out “torque” on rusted nuts and bolts. A subjective test was made of popular penetrating oils, with the unit of merit being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted” bolt. Average torque load to loosen nut:

    No Oil used ……………………516 foot pounds
    WD-40 ………………… ……..238 foot pounds
    PB Blaster …………………….214 foot pounds
    Liquid Wrench ………………….127 foot pounds
    Kano Kroil …………………….106 foot pounds
    ATF/Acetone mix…………………. 53 foot pounds
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  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The one thing that makes those side plate screw hard to remove is the counter bore they sit down in. The square shoulde of the head and square face of the counter bore lock together tightly when seated. ( flat heads and countersink is even worse). This mechanical "bond" had to be broken then the screw spins out freely. Usually a few sharp taps on the screwdriver while turning does this. Why you see smiths hitting the screwdriver with a mallet. The drill press is good for brute force and better control.

    The broken head may need to be tapped or picked out with a small punch and hammer. Here the punch is set in at an angle approximating the rotation and tapped to drive the screw out.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by M-Tecs View Post
    “Machinist’s Workshop” recently published information on various penetrating oils. The magazine reports they tested these products for “break out “torque” on rusted nuts and bolts. A subjective test was made of popular penetrating oils, with the unit of merit being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted” bolt. Average torque load to loosen nut:

    No Oil used ……………………516 foot pounds
    WD-40 ………………… ……..238 foot pounds
    PB Blaster …………………….214 foot pounds
    Liquid Wrench ………………….127 foot pounds
    Kano Kroil …………………….106 foot pounds
    ATF/Acetone mix…………………. 53 foot pounds
    I had read this a little while back, I had been using ATF and 99% alcohol forever. Those numbers alone was enough to convince me. And significantly less expensive than the various panther p**s that's available.
    Oh, and don't try and store the premix in a janitor spray bottle......

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  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    I’ve found that after soaking penetrating oil and waiting, an impact type screw remover works wonders. The type you hit with a hammer and the force keeps the blade in the slot and turns it at the same time.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE View Post
    I’ve found that after soaking penetrating oil and waiting, an impact type screw remover works wonders. The type you hit with a hammer and the force keeps the blade in the slot and turns it at the same time.
    Yep, been looking at a 1/4" drive one...
    "If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"

    "A rat became the unit of currency"

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