Screw removal from gate help.

[Fergie 307]

Stainless are notorious for their heads snapping off. It is best to drill a pilot hole for hardwood , and don't use too long a screw. Also handy to put that last little bit in by hand, as the heads can also chew out.
It isn't recommended that you use stainless screws in conjunction with galvanised fittings as it can cause corrosion, though you can do it without too much trouble in sheltered areas and away from coastal regions

Screwfix now do a new range, I think they call them superscrews or similar. Stainless but with a good thick section under the head. Much stronger than the older types where the head broke off if you so much as sneezed at them.

 

[Fergie 307]

when I ws repairing antiques, I purchased every "broken screw removal " tool I could find. They were all inadequate in one aspect or another.

The panacea I found was a split roll pin, which are available in many sizes inexpensively.



A quik dremel cut off wheel turned the edge of the "split" square, to resemble the edges of a plug cutter.

You choose one slightly less that the diameter of the screw threads, chuck it in a drill and run it backwards

What happens, as you cut down, the heat of the friction, and the friction eventually causes the e broken bit to just pop up.

I know I've posted video on this before, but long ago and cannot find the link....tie to do it again.

I make my own from bits of scrap, just turn them and bore them in the lathe to the appropriate size, then cut teeth as you describe. Laborious but work well on the very small screws on clock cases etc.
Never thought of using roll pins, brilliant idea.
I have a whole box of assorted sizes, if I can remember where I put them.

 

[Fergie 307]

It seems that people use an impact driver for all the wrong reasons, to me its a tool for construction work, burying big screws and the like, for any thing else just use a normal driver, and treat stainless steel screws as if they are made of cheese.

I always drill clearance/pilot holes and run in a steel screw the same size first, I also put a bit of wax on the threads as well, and know when to stop screwing!

I have an impact driver. Can't say I like it much. Very good for driving big wafer heads or the like, or where space is limited. For anything else I find it rather crude. Much prefer a cordless drill, far better control.