Help, screw extractor

[msindt19]

I recently bought the intel 320 160GB SSD to use as my boot drive in place of my optical drive; however, while I was going through the process I came to the last screw holding the drive in place and stripped the hell out of the screw!

I did some searching on here and found this:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1162873/

and a few others mentioning the same set of screw extractors.

My question is: Does anybody know of a local place that sells #00 extractors? My search on google brought up the smallest extractor to be for a #1 phillips. I'm in NYC(new to the area), so if anybody knows of a local computer/hardware store that may carry the correct tool that'd be great.

P.S. walk through Grand Central Station everyday, and WOW the new Apple store is MASSIVE!

 

[GoCubsGo]

Did you walk into a Lowe's or a Home Depot? I would do that first then buy online.

 

[msindt19]

I have not physically gone into either of those stores. I searched online and only saw extractors down to size #1 for both. I went to the nearest hardware store last night as they were closing so I was unable to check there. After searching there the other day for some general tools, I doubt they carry the extractors(though I plan on checking when I get off work). Unfortunately I'm stuck in my cube for the rest of the day and won't make it to Home Depot until 6:30-7pm.

I was wondering if it would be a waste of my time and if I should just order the Moody's set mentioned in the previous post, or if somebody had found a set elsewhere that I could pick up.

Thanks for any help.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Never seen them, I tend to order online more often than not.

 

[philipma1957]

DOES not exist but there are ways to get the screw out.

can you photo the problem?

Some times other screw drivers can fix it like a flat tip or a torx. if you can show us a photo I may be able to help I live In NJ and have torn apart a few small screws. I just had the problem with a lacie little big disk.

 

[msindt19]

what does not exist? A small enough screw extractor from a local source?

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures and I'm at work till tonight. but the screw is completely stripped. As you have mentioned, I tried using another screwdriver (torx & flathead) to only strip it more.

It is the screw located in the upper left hand of the attached picture and is stripped pretty bad. Obviously I do not want to drill it out (and I don't have a drill at my apt), I tried a rubberband which was mentioned at lifehacker to get a stripped screwout, so the only other thing I could find is the screw extractor.

What other ways to get the screw out are there? Any help would be amazing!

 

[squeakr]

As was stated before, you could possibly use a flat head or a torx head screw driver that fits tight enough to grab enough of the head to remove the screw. I have also used an allen head and tapped it into a stripped screw lightly enough to grab ahold and remove the screw.

 

[msindt19]

Helps to add the picture eh?

I also found this site: http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-notebooks/245794/i-blew-it-i-stripped-screw/

where somebody used an exacto blade so maybe I'll give that a go too. Mostly I'm trying to save money and not have to wait for shipping, though I'll probably end up ordering the Moody's screw extractors...

thanks everyone for your help, keep the ideas/advice coming please.

 

[squeakr]

You could take an old screw driver and some strong epoxy and epoxy the tip to the stripped screw. Be very very careful with that approach though.

 

[msindt19]

hahaha thanks squeakr, you must have known what was going through my mind last night. I picked up some krazy glue at the local pharmacy. I gave it one decent effort but was too afraid that my shaky hands would end up dripping glue all over the place.

In the second thread I mentioned, another person mentioned JB Weld glue as well, so when I go to home depot I'm going to check that out.

I have ordered the screw extractor kit so now I just have to wait a week till I can finish putting in the SSD unless another viable solution peaks its head.

Thanks for everyone's help, I'm still searching for a quicker solution so keep em coming.

 

[msindt19]

Just in case anyone was worrying if I would ever get the darn screw out....I DID! the Moody's precision screw extractor set came yesterday and I went right to work. The stubborn screw came out with a bit of work so if anyone is stuck in the same perdicament, I definitely reccommend the Moody's screw extractors.

 

[upanizoba]

Hi everyone,
So I have the same problem with my MacBook Pro 13". Stripped the 5mm Phillips screw on the superdrive (shown in the pic) badly
Ordered the moody extractor set mentioned and it's been no help so far. Maybe I'm not using it right or I don't know which extractor is right

Any one help please???

 

[Buckaye]

So stripping screws happens all the time in the world of remote control helicopters - and one dude posted a fix that I have never had to try myself... but I'll pass it along in case it may help you.

He took a dremmel tool and put the thinest cutting tip on it he could and then used the dremmel to create a slot through the top of the screw head (so he could use a a standard slotted screwdriver). The trick, of course, is that there needs to be enough material in the head of the screw to provide enough torque without breaking off 1/2 the head of the screw.

Use at your own risk - but it looks like your getting to "try anything" mode.