How to remove drill bit stuck in wooden door

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

I've been replacing my shiny brass door handles with oiled bronze handles. In most cases, I've had to drill deeper holes in the door frames to accommodate the new screws. My narrow drill bit broke off in one of the holes. I'm able to grab a small bit if the broken bit with needle nose pliers, but backing out the bit manually seems impossible. Is there a way to remove the broken bit? Or could perhaps push the broken bit farther into the door and install the new screw behind it?

Featured Answer

woodbutcher_ca

2 years ago

Hi,

Maybe take a utility knife and cut out a little wood around the bit enough to get a good grab with a pair of needle nose pliers turn counter clockwise and pull at the same time. You might want to use some spray lube on the bit before you pull on it. If you get the hole to big just fill it with epoxy.

Good Luck Woodbutcher

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Comments (8)

Stax
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Instead of pulling the bit out, "unscrew" it by turning anticlockwise with a simultaneous light pulling action.
Deb thanked Stax
Deb
Original Author
2 years ago
Tried it. The portion sticking out is too small for me to get an adequate grip on it. I saw a youtube video that showed a guy using a screw extractor to drill out the wood around the bit. I'm thinking that I could drill down a little way, enough to get a grip so I could unscrew the bit. Then like in the video, I could glue a dowel end into the widened hole and cut off the excess part of the dowel to create a new surface for the screw. What do you think?
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3onthetree
2 years ago
First, you don't have to drill a deeper hole in a door jamb for a strike plate. Note that a full-length pilot hole depth would be for a hard wood; here, it looks like a softer pine jamb (most common) with an oak casing. And it already has the "pilot hole" completely through the jamb = the old one. The jamb is only 11/16" thick, then there is a small airspace, then you should have the 2x4 from the wall framing jack stud. So the screw size should be the same IIRC 8-32x3/4", but if your new ones are longer just screw them in as is, no drilling needed.

For the stuck bit, vise grip locking pliers are usually better to hold on to it and turn it counterclockwise. But if not enough meat to grab, then use a smaller bit, like <3/32" to drill right next to the broke bit and "widen" the hole. Then grab the bit with the vise/needlenose and rock it to loosen it out. If you used the proper bit size to begin with then the extracted hole shouldn't be much bigger, but you can always use a longer screw (like 1 1/2" or 2") to fasten into the jack stud.
Deb thanked 3onthetree
Stax
2 years ago
Try 3onthetree if my approach is "too hard."
Deb thanked Stax
Stax
2 years ago
Boy, that sounds familiar, "widen" the hole? lol
Deb thanked Stax
Rose Pekelnicky
2 years ago
If you.can get a grip on it with a small pair of vise grip pliers, you may be able to turn it more easily
Deb thanked Rose Pekelnicky
Deb
Original Author
2 years ago
I used an awl to expand the hole a little. Then, as woodbutcher suggested, I sprayed WD40 in the hole. Grabbed the drill end with my needlenose pliers to pull and twist. That puppy popped right out before I even had a chance to twist. Thanks, everyone!

How to remove drill bit stuck in wooden door

woodbutcher_ca

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Stax

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How to remove drill bit stuck in wooden door

woodbutcher_ca

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