What Type of Screw is This?

Question

I have a 90 year old house and am removing a large Murphy bed that is attached to the plaster wall. Toward the ceiling, these screws are securing the bed frame to the wall. The head of them is perfectly round, so I can't figure out how to remove them.

Do I just remove them like a nail? They are not threaded.

Just being cautious here because the old plaster will crumble if I get sloppy with the removal.

Thanks!

George P. · Answer

its stripped. you can tell it's newer since it's silver color. use an easy-out. drill a hole, put the easy-out on the drill and it has reversed thread that will grab onto the screw head. screws right out.

Patrick Martinez · Answer

Use a Dremel to score a line across the screw head, than use a flat head screw driver to remove the screw. Make sure the screw driver fits entirely across the screw head slot that you've cut.
Good Luck!

Scott J. · Answer

After a brutal head-scratching hour I finally got that sucker! Felt better than s... well, nevermind.

It was a square-headed screw that was stripped and had become round. There were actually two of them. On one I was able to put in the screwdriver, tap it with a hammer and pull it out about a 1/4". Then it wouldn't budge, so I grabbed some vice grips and was able to work it out from there.

The second one I couldn't get no matter what I tried so I went with your recommendations and grabbed SpeedOut (damaged screw extractor) for $20. It took all of 10 seconds to get that puppy out. I never knew those tools existed... amazing!

Thanks guys.

Mark Langdon · Answer

I like the right angle grinding idea. See if you can slide a metal Sawzall blade in there and cut it off if you have the room.

Shanker Nair · Answer

@Scott J. I am certainly no expert in handyman type matters but it almost looks to me that this might be a 'Molly Screw'. I had to contend with a whole bunch of these when we moved into our 'older' home last year where it seemed the previous owner had a strange fetish and affinity to these when attaching things to walls, frames etc. He must have had the foresight 30 years ago that NJ was due for a Hurricane at some point in the 21st century and wanted to be sure his bloody blinds don't fall off the window frame! And they were/are ugly blinds at that! These 'devil' screws have additional pieces of metal or plastic that act as anchors and designed to expand behind whatever it is screwed to (drywall, wood etc), to spread out the weight n the hanger or the screw reventing the scrw from slipping out through the hole (and in my case with little chance in hell of ever trying to remove them). Your post made me look it up on google and apparently if I had bothered to research how to remove these before drilling holes around it and trying to remove it (with the end result looking like a bazooka shot through my wall), I would have saved myself much anguish, frustration and choice words for the previous owner - this link may help - http://www.ehow.com/how_5607858_remove-molly-bolts-wall.html

I guess I will try and remove the rest of those stinking blinds this weekend now that I know how! Thanks for making me research this......

Bill S. · Answer

@Scott J. You can grind the head off with a $20 made in China angle grinder from Harbor Freight. Pulling or twisting will trash the wall around it. Should take no more than 2-3 min each to cut off the heads and then frame will be free.

Scott J. · Answer

You guys are awesome! I'll give these ideas a try tonight. Thanks.

Keith Thomas · Answer

Looks to me like it's a square headed Roberts bit.  Pick one up and give it a try.

Keith

Wayne Brooks · Answer

It has threads.  Use a vice grip, or grind/cut the head off, if the above ideas don't work, then cut off remainder after you remove the frame.

Sam Erickson · Answer

Looks like stripped head to me.  I think the upper part of the shaft is smooth and the lower half probably has threads.

Might have to get something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Alden-8530P-Grabit-Damaged-Remover/dp/B000ETLK7O

What Type of Screw is This?

Most Popular Reply