Even if the drill bit doesn’t bite drill 2/3rd the length of the bolt.The bit will bite into the bolt and it will start unfastening with the rotation of the drill.Drill at a slow speed and apply pressure.Put your drill bit on the indentation mark and hold your drill straight.Now fix the left-hand drill bit in the drill.It will really facilitate the extraction. Add some thread cutting oil to the bolt.Even if you are not able to remove the bolt at this step, using a left-hand drill bit will ensure that the bolt is not driven in tighter.

Now you need to drill with a left-hand drill bit with a diameter less than that of the bolt. If you have an automatic center punch it will make your job much easier and you will not need to use a hammer. This indentation will help guide your drill bit. To avoid making any mistakes in this regard, use a center punch and a hammer to mark the center of the bolt. This factor is whether or not you manage to drill in the exact middle of the bolt. There is one main factor that can decide the success or failure of your extraction. Wearing your safety glasses and gloves will protect you from any injury caused by the debris. Now that you have gathered all the tools, you need to make sure you are taking the necessary safety precautions.Īs you will be drilling metal, there can be flying metal shards during the process. For removing a stuck/broken bolt with a left-hand drill you are going to need the following tools: The first step for any task is gathering all the tools that you are going to need. I have compiled a foolproof step-by-step guide for you to accomplish this task without breaking a sweat. Bolts that are stuck due to corrosion tend to be more difficult to remove as compared to bolts that are stuck due to material failure. How to Use Left-Hand Drill Bits for Removing Stuck Bolt?Ī stuck bolt can be really difficult to extract, based on why exactly it is stuck. You can select any of these options according to your use and budget. You can easily find left-hand drill bit sets (Check on Amazon) as well as left-hand drill bits with screw extractors (Check on Amazon). And while you might not need them too often, they will really ease your job once you do.

I personally suggest that every DIY enthusiast should invest in a left-hand drill bit set as it proves to be worth every penny you spend on it. But if the fastener doesn’t budge with the left-hand bit, you now have a hole available for using other extractors. If used probably, a left-hand drill bit alone can do the job for you. But in some situations, you just have to get that fastener out and that’s exactly when you are going to need a left-hand drill bit.Ī left-hand drill bit is the easiest and most efficient tool for extracting a broken fastener without damaging the work material. In this article, I have compiled a comprehensive guide for using left-hand drill bits as an extractor.Īt times you end up breaking or bending a fastener and it doesn’t really matter. While there are several tools and tricks available on the internet, left-hand drill bits are my first choice for removing a broken fastener. Throughout my DIY journey, I have had to deal with a number of broken fasteners and have tried every other tool under the sun. If you have not already been able to remove the fastener, you can now use the hole for using other extractors. Drill 2/3 times the length of the fastener into it. Now drill into the fastener using a left-hand drill bit with a drill on reverse gear. How to Use Left-Hand Drill Bits? For removing a broken fastener first make a mark in the fastener with a center punch. If you are left with a broken fastener or are in general curious about the use of left-hand drill bits, I have answered all the questions in your mind in this article. If you are ever stuck in a situation where you have stripped or broken a screw or bolt, left-hand drill bits can actually save you from the frustration of dealing with a broken fastener that does not budge.īroken fasteners are one sticky situation to be in and if not extracted properly can manage to ruin your work material. While normal bits have clockwise twists, left-hand drill bits have counter-clockwise twists. Nowadays left-hand drills are used to extract broken fasteners. Back when the option of reverse gear was not available on drills, left-hand drill bits were used for this purpose.

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