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Showerthought: a stripped panel screw on an A320 wing access door ate 3 hours of my shift
Thought it was a quick turn, grab the screwdriver, pop the door, done in ten minutes. That one screw head was rounded smooth and nothing would bite. Tried a rubber band trick, then a left hand drill bit, then finally drilled it out and ran a tap through the hole. Started at 8am and didn't get the panel back on until almost 11. What is your go to when a screw is too far gone for extractors?
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rowan66610d ago
Heating the screw head with a soldering iron for 30 seconds before you even touch it with an extractor makes a huge difference (the heat breaks down the thread locker and expands the metal just enough). Most guys jump straight to drilling, but the heat step costs you almost no time and saves the slot half the time. Good call on the tap, that part is the real fix anyway.
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