drilling tool steel?

[ajaxgs]

does anybody have any ideas for getting a snaped off allen head socket tool bit out of a cap bolt from the handle bar bolts wont come out with a magnet ...have tryied jb weld ect  ....... cheep bit 8mm was tourquing the bars down and it f@#@ing snapped flush ! ..i think the bit twisted a little and a litle bit of rust in the bolt head is preventing it from comming out . what drill would you use to drill it out. i have never drilled tool steel before .

[Absolute Rescue]

Might try one of those titanium bits and make sure you have some sort of lubrication, easiest would be motor oil. Keep the tip of the drill wet and don't use too much pressure. May be worth picking up a couple of bits just in case. Take it slow you should be able to drill it out.

[dgyver]

You will need a carbide bit to drill tool steel.

[ajaxgs]

thanks ...i was not sure which ones to try , i only have high speed steel bits will try to pick some up!!!!!

[scottpA_GS]

try drilling and taping? Put a screw in it and pull her out 

[ohgood]

1) you aren't drilling tool steel
2) you don't need carbide or ti to get it out

take one of your GOOD bolts to a local machine shop (or just take your bike) and ask one of the old salts for a left hand drill bit. (he'll want to know why, and prolly pester you about it) show him your perdicament, and he'll show you the proper size, speed, and preasure to remove broken RIGHT hand bolts/screws with LEFT hand bits.

it's easy, and once you've done it, you'll feel like a champion. it's much cooler than beating a part to bits.

good luck !

[dgyver]

does anybody have any ideas for getting a snaped off allen head socket tool bit out of a cap bolt from the handle bar bolts wont come out with a magnet ...have tryied jb weld ect  ....... cheep bit 8mm was tourquing the bars down and it f@#@ing snapped flush ! ..i think the bit twisted a little and a litle bit of rust in the bolt head is preventing it from comming out . what drill would you use to drill it out. i have never drilled tool steel before .

From what was written....the allen wrench is broken off in the head on the bolt.

[sledge]

Yeah I read it as being a broken hex-bit stuck in the socket of a socket-cap bolt........anyway my suggestion. Make the pilot hole with a carbide bit, push in a suitable size rawlplug and screw, tighten the screw as hard as you can till the plug bites, grip the screw with a pair of pliers at 90 deg to the screw and try to lever it out......the broken remenent wont be too tight.

[ajaxgs]

Quote from: ajaxgs on September 18, 2007, 10:00:43 AM
does anybody have any ideas for getting a snaped off allen head socket tool bit out of a cap bolt from the handle bar bolts  wont come out with a magnet ...have tryied jb weld ect  ....... cheep bit 8mm was tourquing the bars down and it f@#@ing snapped flush !  ..i think the bit twisted a little and a litle bit of rust in the bolt head is preventing it from comming out . what drill would you use to drill it out. i have never drilled tool steel before .


From what was written....the allen wrench is broken off in the head on the bolt.

this is what has happened ........

i was just inquireing what is harder than tool steel that will drill into this sheered off tool so i can jam a screw into it and plull straight out!

thanks for the ideas though

[ohgood]

well now. that's a different thing to tackle. so sorry.

let's assume a good deal of torque is on the screw anyway. (it broke an allen key)

select a size drill that will just drill the hex out, leaving nothing but the threaded screw.

drill off the screw head, then use that left hand drill bit from my previous post to extract the remaining threaded portion. should be able to do it without hurting anything.

thanks for the clarification.

[colobluefox]

Just my 2 cents.  Before you try to drill it out you may try to use a center punch and a hammer.  You can get good purchase with the pointy tip into whats left of the allen wrench.  Use the hammer to gently tap it in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.  You may be able to get the allen to un-wedge it from the bolt edges and it may just fall out.  It is worth a shot before you start drilling holes.

[trumpetguy]

If you have access to a wire feed welder (even a cheap 110V one), tack weld a junk bolt to the allen stub and pull it out.

[ajaxgs]

well thanks for all the ideas guy!!!!!!! 
i ended up useing my dremell last night with a diamond ball bit and started to grind a hole in it and i would use a magnet to pick up the filings well the broken piece just popped out ! with the magnet ... i guess a bit of rust in the bolt head was holding it and with the vibrations from the dremell it broke the broken piece loose ........so thanks again

[foobar]

those bolts on the top of the handlebar clamp only require about 9 ft-lb of torque. definitely use a torque wrench on them because if one is tighter than the other, the one thats not will become looser over time, which will cause the tighter one to become looser as well from vibration. when there is even torque on all of them, they all stay tight 

the bolts that hold the clamp on the tree only require about 22 ft-lb (max ~31).