Removing rusted screws (from an Ansco 8x10)

[pjd]

Does anyone have any ideas about removing badly rusted out screws from wood? I attach two photos of bellows frames from an Ansco 8x10. The bellows needs to be replaced, but all the bellows frame screws are completely rusted. Aside from the bellows frame screws the woodwork is in good condition, although the hide glue has given out in most joints.

If I drill the screws out I don't think it will go well (a hand drill would probably slip off the screw head). I don't have a drill press - and the screws in the back standard would not be accessible using a drill press, the frame would interfere.

I don't expect that easy out / screw extractor tools will work well, but wonder if anyone has tried them in a similar situation? I have a feeling I need to cut the bellows frames out in order to get access to the screws to twist them out with pliers, but even then the screws might snap off and I'll need to replicate the bellows frames. Any ideas would be welcome. I'm in no rush with this.

[nolindan]

If it were me I would Dremel the screw heads down to nothing and then pry the wood apart. That should leave a stub of a screw remaining and that I could unscrew with visegrips.

[pjd]

If it were me I would Dremel the screw heads down to nothing and then pry the wood apart. That should leave a stub of a screw remaining and that I could unscrew with visegrips.

That's more or less what I did with an Ansco 5x7 last year, it was difficult to keep the bellows frames intact. I managed it, but the front frame was somewhat weakened in the process. The frames were still good enough for Custom Bellows to work with. I'll take my time with this, the woodwork of the camera is in good condition (with the exception of one missing cosmetic piece).

The missing piece is just held on with glue and the tacks to locate it. I have a strip of cherry wood which I'm going to apply some shellac to, but I'm not confident that I can match the finish very well. If anyone has a parts Ansco and doesn't need that strip of wood that fits on the front standard (with the Ansco badge) let me know if you'd be willing to part with it.

[LabRat]

Had to do this for an Ansco 8X10 + other wood cameras, even flush broken screws... First thing to try is taking a dental pick or heavy sewing needle and scraping out all the rust the best you can... Then place standard on a firm table top where it won't rock and heavy downward pressure can be applied, then take a higher quality well fitting screwdriver, tap handle with a light hammer a few times, then with strong downforce turn screw a little both ways, then evenly try to rotate a little at a time counterclockwise.. The initial seating is a little stuck, but once it's moving, should continue to turn...

Plan B if head breaks (usually still strong enough even rusty) is to dig around the screw head into the wood enough to grab screw body with toothed fine needle nose pliers to start turning it out directly... If head breaks, there is usually enough remaining to grab... (The wood around it can be fixed later by drilling out and inserting a piece of hardwood dowel, gluing, and drilling a new hole through it)... Then paint flat black and install with new screws...

Flat head screws are difficult to torque in tight spots as driver needs to be square on head to avoid slipping, but other heads grip better if driver is at a slight angle (Phillips, hex, torx etc)... Note that holes are shallow and screws too long will start breaking out the other side, so be careful choosing...

And don't forget to mark the orientation on the frame (up) and re-install exactly so holes will line up again...

Good news is screws are not too deep in wood, and originally not too tight, so once moving, they will remove with less effort as they turn...

Not as hard as it looks!!! Good luck!!!

Steve K

[pjd]

Had to do this for an Ansco 8X10 + other wood cameras, even flush broken screws... First thing to try is taking a dental pick or heavy sewing needle and scraping out all the rust the best you can... Then place standard on a firm table top where it won't rock and heavy downward pressure can be applied, then take a higher quality well fitting screwdriver, tap handle with a light hammer a few times, then with strong downforce turn screw a little both ways, then evenly try to rotate a little at a time counterclockwise.. The initial seating is a little stuck, but once it's moving, should continue to turn...

Plan B if head breaks (usually still strong enough even rusty) is to dig around the screw head into the wood enough to grab screw body with toothed fine needle nose pliers to start turning it out directly... If head breaks, there is usually enough remaining to grab... (The wood around it can be fixed later by drilling out and inserting a piece of hardwood dowel, gluing, and drilling a new hole through it)... Then paint flat black and install with new screws...

Flat head screws are difficult to torque in tight spots as driver needs to be square on head to avoid slipping, but other heads grip better if driver is at a slight angle (Phillips, hex, torx etc)... Note that holes are shallow and screws too long will start breaking out the other side, so be careful choosing...

And don't forget to mark the orientation on the frame (up) and re-install exactly so holes will line up again...

Good news is screws are not too deep in wood, and originally not too tight, so once moving, they will remove with less effort as they turn...

Not as hard as it looks!!! Good luck!!!

Steve K

Thank you for your detailed reply, I had not thought of your plan B - this seems an excellent idea. The head of some of the screws has already rusted away so badly that this will be plan A in some cases. I'm moving slowly with this partly as I'm actually in the middle of another camera rebuild right now, but I'll update progress later on.

[maltfalc]

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/mil...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Rosoi Vlad]

You drill a whole into it with quality drill, you use a quality screw extractor -not from china- and you will have a nice empty hole not a mangled mess

[Jim C.]

I'll second what Labrat suggested, one thing thing to point out is that not all flat blade screwdrivers are the same
most are ground with a taper, they don't grip very well and they can cam out and mess up the slot in old rusty slotted screws.
Guess they grind tapers is that no one really uses slotted screws anymore, rather they're used to open paint cans more often

If you're handy you can modify them to be hollow ground, grinding the blade on both sides so that the faces
start parallel, I've done it to a few flat blade screwdrivers I have. Alternately you buy hollow ground screwscrew drivers
from gunsmith suppliers.

[cpa/austin]

I have 3 Ansco 5x7s. Send me a pic of the location of the missing piece.

[pjd]

You drill a whole into it with quality drill, you use a quality screw extractor -not from china- and you will have a nice empty hole not a mangled mess

I'd thought about this, one problem is that I live in Seoul, getting any high quality tools involves big shipping costs in addition to the cost of the tool itself. Likewise for the hollow ground gunscrew drivers, they sound great! But there aren't many gunsmiths around here.

Not all bad news though, I have a couple of camera rebuilds on the go, one of which needed a new leather handle. I tried a shop in the US; they wanted $25 shipping, plus a $5 fee for filling out a customs declaration, at which point I decided to go local. Turned out there's a leather crafts shop 5 minutes up the street from me who made some great looking leather handles at a fair price.

cpa/austin, thanks for your post, I've just sent a PM.