Hi All –
Gotta question. I’m installing a mount and the only lag screws i had on had was aluminum ones. Predrilled and all and one of the heads snapped off……
I’ve got 2 studs I can only hit and this hole is the only spot for where the screw mount is best. Just short of putting a 1/4 molly in this area, do you think if I run a drill in the same spot where the aluminum lag screw broke off, and then run a steel 1/4 lag screw, will the steel *outstrong* the aluminum and make it conform in the predrilled hole I have in the stud already. Argh………
Replies
I'll bet it will start down the hole ok, but will go to one side or the other of the broken screw and end up not going in straight at all. If that's not a problem then drilling the aluminum sounds like a reasonable solution.
If it does have to go in straight then I'd try a broken stud remover (easy out) that is incerted into a hole in the broken stud and backed out. My guess is a normal easy-out will simply strip in the soft aluminum, but Napa autoparts sells one that has a splined rod that is driven deep into the hole in the bolt and turned with a special nut.
Good luck.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
If you're putting up a mount for a TV or something that has the weight placed far away from the wall surface, you can drill on a downward angle and miss the old screw. Otherwise, if you can, drill slightly above the old ones and use a flat washer on the screw. 1/4" shouldn't make that much difference. If there are two rows of screws (one above the other) and this is one of the bottom screws, it's not in tension so there's not as much problem. The top ones are the most important. How long are the lags?
I would never recommend using aluminum lag screws when supporting anything like this. The damage from dropping onto a person is too great. Irwin makes bolt extractors what are like a socket and have a left-hand helix in it, to grab whatever you need to remove. If the aluminum is fairly hard, it may work since it's on the outside of the screw.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Edited 11/25/2006 12:35 pm by highfigh
Edited 11/25/2006 12:36 pm by highfigh
Yep, it's a plasma mount. I've had it sitting in the box for 2 months now and finally got around to installing it.It's a Chief PLP series mount. Not alot of play / room to put another 1/4 lag in the same spot, even if I angle it. Unfortunately I don't own a ez-out but I guess it gives me a excuse to buy a set ! I'm using 3.5" lags. Sheetrock just happens to be two layers of 5/8 and the unit is a 50" plasma.Hmmm...dunno how good are those ez-outs as opposed to just drilling it out with LH drill bits....which both types I don't own
Edited 11/25/2006 2:12 pm ET by chefwong
Are you next door to Dante's Inferno or something? Two layers of 5/8?
If just the head snapped off dig down deep enough to put small vice grips on it and then backfill the hole if necessary.
Edited 11/25/2006 2:36 pm ET by rasconc