Stripped screws inside MacBook pro

[Compaq]

Hey,

I hope TPF houses someone who has experienced stripped screws inside electronic devices. When trying to replace my optical drive with an HDD, I encountered some really tight screws. These are now stripped, and I am unable to get them loose. Rubber band does not work. I have tried gluing the backside of another screw onto the head of the stuck one, but it will not sit hard enough for me to get them loose (I have used ethyl cyanoacrylate, not epoxy). I have tried other shapes of screwdrivers, and I have even tried to gently hammer a tiny PH into the screw. Nothing works. I am a little reluctant about drilling into this tiny screw inside my computer.

So, is there any hope? If I send it in to those geniuses of Apple, will they get the screw loose? Maybe I could file through whatever is keeping the optical drive in place, and order new fastening stuff online to use on my OptiBay enclosure.

I am almost out of ideas. Every piece of advice is greatly appreciated!

Anders

 

[waday]

This is a pretty good idea if you are comfortable with soldering and don't want to drill:

 

[Compaq]

I have never done any soldering before. But I will look into it and see if it is doable; the screw is not easily reached (such as the one in the video). Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[tirediron]

The video isn't working for me ATM, but I can't imagine what soldering would do. If the head is accessible, get a Dremel, or similar and cut a slot for a common screwdriver into the head,

 

[waday]

If the screw is not easily accessible, the soldering method probably wouldn't work.

The video isn't working for me ATM, but I can't imagine what soldering would do. If the head is accessible, get a Dremel, or similar and cut a slot for a common screwdriver into the head,

The point of the soldering method is to solder another piece of metal to the screw. Rotate the attached piece of metal to remove the screw. This would be one of the 'last resort' methods, such as drilling.

 

[tirediron]

If the screw is not easily accessible, the soldering method probably wouldn't work.

The video isn't working for me ATM, but I can't imagine what soldering would do. If the head is accessible, get a Dremel, or similar and cut a slot for a common screwdriver into the head,

The point of the soldering method is to solder another piece of metal to the screw. Rotate the attached piece of metal to remove the screw. This would be one of the 'last resort' methods, such as drilling.

Yes, but unless the screw is a copper alloy (brass/bronze) which is unlikely, soft solder isn't going to work.

 

[Compaq]

The two screws at Step 14 are stuck and stripped.

MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012 Optical Drive Replacement - iFixit

 

[waday]

Yes, but unless the screw is a copper alloy (brass/bronze) which is unlikely, soft solder isn't going to work.

I'm not sure what type of metal Apple uses, but definitely agree that iron/stainless/steel/aluminum will not bond without special solders/fluxes.

The two screws at Step 14 are stuck and stripped.

Here's a cheap, quick method to try. Not sure if it'll work, but it's worth a try.


In any event, good luck. Hope you find a solution.

 

[The_Traveler]

Small screw extractor Ryobi Steel Spiral Screw Extractor Set (5-Piece)-A96SE05 - The Home Depot
or
12 Piece Screw Extractor Set

 

[tirediron]

Small screw extractor Ryobi Steel Spiral Screw Extractor Set (5-Piece)-A96SE05 - The Home Depot
or
12 Piece Screw Extractor Set

Unfortunately Lew, I don't think those will work. 2.7mm is I think, roughly equivalent to 6-32 in normal measurements and in my experience trying to use those on anything smaller than 1/4-20 UNC isn't going to end well.

 

[JohnnyWrench]

Looking at that picture, the heads seem to be exposed, as opposed to being countersunk and flush. Can you grab the head with some needle nose vise grips?

EDIT: I see you're from Norway and might not know what vise grips are... So needle nose locking pliers.

 

[The_Traveler]

Mini Screw Extractors to the Rescue!

When that tiny screw breaks off in the hole, use one of our mini screw extractors to remove it. The specially formed tip of the screwdriver-like tool engages the fractured end of the screw so it can be backed out of the hole. Set of 6 double-ended chrome-vanadium bits includes 8 extractors (.039 thru .079 inch diameter) and 4 screwdriver tips (Phillips #00 and #0 plus flat blades .070 and .086 inch wide). Anodized knurled aluminum handles include polymer swivel caps, stainless pocket clips and spring-steel bit retainers. Made in the USA by Moody Tools; backed by an unconditional life-time warranty.

Mini Extractor / Screwdriver Set

 

[robbins.photo]

Ok, well assuming they aren't stripped out too bad, take a big rubber band, place it over the screw, then push down into the screw using the screwdriver and force the rubber band into the slots for the screw, then turn.

Option two is a dremel, if you can cut a notch in the head for a regular had screw driver and remove it that way.

Option 3, take an exacto knife and carefully cut around the edges of the head of the screw until you have enough of it exposed, then you can use a small set of needle nose pliers to remove

Option 4 - get a very cheap set of jewelers screw drivers (or a couple of those kits with they cheap eyeglass screwdrivers in them) and some superglue - glue the head of one of the screwdrivers to the screw, wait for it to set, then remove. Toss it away, use a second screwdriver to get the second screw, etc

 

[Compaq]

Thank you for all the advice! I have tried supergluing a tiny screwdriver onto the stripped screw, but it won't hold. Not enough surface area, I think. The screws are stripped pretty bad. If I apply a lot of pressure, I can feel that it bites some. I will order one of those precision extractors; they may be able to get a even better bite. I already have replacement screws, so I just need to get them out, somehow.

I just want to install my new 1TB HDD to store photos on my mac!!!!


P.S. How do I use these extractors? I have never used such tools before. Should they be hammered into the screw, or do I just apply pressure? There is a limit as to how hard I can hammer something on my computer, but I don't know how much vibrations will affect the hardware; a computer is handled quite roughly.