strap button screw broke

[James Willer]

I was installing a strap button today on my R Taylor and the screw broke off flush with the wood!!! I had a nice pilot hole drilled and the screw was going in easy and it twisted off. I've never had this happen before and I've done quite a few of these. I bought a Taylor chocolate suede strap. These are very comfortable and fit great on strap buttons. Well, off to the hardware store. I hope they make extractors this small.

[oldpepsiguy]

OUCH!, that hurts, I hope all goes well with the extraction. Jim <><

[bernaby]

I wish you luck. I have a 354ce-L7 that had a problem with the neck. The dealer sent it to Taylor for me and they put a new neck on under the warranty, but they did not put the strap button on the new neck. The store owner went to put a button on for me and as he was screwing the button on the screw snapped flush with the wood, just like you describe. He brought the guitar to a Taylor certified luthier who tried to drill out the screw. The luthier could not do it and the store owner bought another new neck out of his own pocket to make it right. Seems he didn't drill the pilot hole in the right spot and hit some reinforcing material in the heel.

[James Willer]

No luck, the screw broke again as I was drilling and went into the wood next to the screw. Still, if I can get the screw out you'll never notice as it will be covered by the strap button.

[Chazmo]

James,

This is a real shame... This might be something for a luthier to handle. I don't know what to suggest.

I'm wondering if, rather than drilling out the metal or widening the hole, maybe some sort of post can be glued to the stub of the screw and then unscrewed/backed-out. Not sure if any glue has that kind of shear strength, though.

[rattletrap]

That just HURTS!!!

Good luck with the extraction!

[lotech]

I have no experience with removing broken screws from wood, but in my former life as a machinist, we would always use a left-hand drill (bit), to drill out broken screws and bolts (if we had one on hand).

With a left-hand drill, all the torque is applied in the direction that tends to cause the screw to back out of the hole, often causing the screw to loosen and come right on out, without need to use an "easyout" or other type special extractor.

I'd be afraid, if a right hand drill were used to drill out a wood screw, that the torque would tend to drive the screw deeper, bottoming it in the pilot hole, and perhaps even splitting the wood.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/hanson/hanson.html

I'm sure MSC also has them:
http://www.mscdirect.com,
but their site seems to be down at the moment.

[brokepick]

You know, from what I read here, the screws included with these buttons must be made of some very sorry metal. Are they made of brass or something for appearance?

[James Willer]

Originally Posted by lotech

I have no experience with removing broken screws from wood, but in my former life as a machinist, we would always use a left-hand drill (bit), to drill out broken screws and bolts (if we had one on hand).

With a left-hand drill, all the torque is applied in the direction that tends to cause the screw to back out of the hole, often causing the screw to loosen and come right on out, without need to use an "easyout" or other type special extractor.

I'd be afraid, if a right hand drill were used to drill out a wood screw, that the torque would tend to drive the screw deeper, bottoming it in the pilot hole, and perhaps even splitting the wood.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/hanson/hanson.html

I'm sure MSC also has them:
http://www.mscdirect.com,
but their site seems to be down at the moment.

I looked for one of these as it was my first thought. I just looked and the strap button fits over the broken screw for a guide so I dont make the hole even bigger. Like brokepick was wondering, these screws seem really soft. If I did one, I did a 100 of these and never had a problem till now. And of course it's on my R Taylor.

[TaylorMartin]

Originally Posted by brokepick

You know, from what I read here, the screws included with these buttons must be made of some very sorry metal. Are they made of brass or something for appearance?

I don't think that the screws are designed to take the torque required for creating the thread in the pilot hole. When I did this, I tapped the hole before screwing the strap button on. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Sp...t_and_Tap.html
Cheap insurance.

TM

[Trinity]

I do not know how to get the screw out but when putting one in follow this:
Select a drill that is the size of the root dia. of the screw.
Mark the drill with tape for the length of the screw less the thickness of the strap botton.
Put wax on the threds of the screw.
Turn 1/2 turn in and 1/4 turn out, 1/2 turn in and 1/4 turn out and so on untill the screw is all the way in. This opens up the threds in the wood and mininizes the friction on the screw. If the screw starts to get tight remove it and put some more wax on the threads.
I have never has a screw fail and I put in 100's of them.
Jim Holler

[Bill Cory]

James, ouch. That hurts. I haven't had this problem because I've used stainless steel screws and a generous pilot hole. The stress on the button and screw are not lengthwise, but lateral, so not too much thread bite is really needed in that hardwood.

Hope you get it fixed and replaced. Try Frets.com ... Or send it to Taylor?

[coldshot]

If all else fails and you can't\don't want to send it back to taylor you could try ringing around small engineering toolmaker shops in your area ask if they have a spark eroder.
they are designed to remove broken taps or hardened screws,let them know it's a guitar they should be able to help you out.

[Wally]

Something like this should do the trick for removal of the broken screw. I've use one on a No. 8 or 10. Can't remember the diameter of the strap pin screw.

http://www.newmantools.com/drillout/how2.htm

[Robert]