Drills have always been a game-changer in cutting or manufacturing processes. In actuality, they are cutting tools that are used to create holes in a circular cross-section. All people don’t need the same kind of holes. So, to let you create the holes of your choice, drill bits are attached to the drill which enables it to cut through the workpiece.
As the drill bit moves through the material due to rotatory motion, so they can be stuck at some points. Many times, the drill bit broke in the material where you’re making holes. Well, in this situation you need to take off that broken bit to continue your work. But how to remove a broken drill bit?
The fact is that the broken drill bits are hard to remove from materials as they got stuck there. And many times, you won’t find the edge of the broken bit outside the material as it broke in a way to remain fully incorporated inside the material. What to do then?
If you’re new to this field or are unable to extract the broken drill bit, stick with us to get access to handy methods to perform this task. Let’s discuss this in detail!
Read the Comparison guide about Drywall Screwdriver vs Drill vs Impact Driver.
How to Remove a Broken Drill Bit from Wood?
On the clear ground, the drill bit is often stuck in the drill while woodworking. And sometimes it gets broken inside the drill, which is hard to remove. You might be facing different situations with the drill bit such as the broken drill bit with the protruding shank or the fully embedded broken bit in the wood. To be clear, you have to differently deal with each situation. Let’s discuss how you can successfully remove the broken drill bit from the wood.
Method#1: Make use of Piler
If the drill bit broke in such a way that its shank remains protruding from the wood, then you can easily remove it by using piler. All you need to do is to take in count the following steps.
- First of all, grab compatible piler. Which piler is good for the task? Well, you can use any piler like with a locking mechanism or serrated jaws. But be careful as the broken bit might be ultra-sharp to hurt any touching body part.
- Next, you need to widely open the piler and then grab the shaft tip to get off the stuck bit from the wood.
- Then firmly press the piler handles and try to rotate the drill bit in an anticlockwise direction.
- What if the bit isn’t moving at all? Don’t worry, just drop in any good lubricant oil to seep in.
- Once the drill bit is loose and free, gently pull it out. Remember, never jerk the pilers as it can further break the drill bit which will be much harder to extract.
Method#2: Make use of the Screw Extractor
If the broken drill bit is fully embedded in the drill, then this method can perfectly hold you back. To make the right use of the screw extractor, try to follow the below-mentioned steps.
- Measure your broken drill bit and then opt for the right-sized extractor for the need. Remember, if the broken drill bit is too thin, you might not be able to follow this method.
- Next, perfectly fit the extractor tool in a drill in a way that the drilling head remains stuck out.
- Then reverse the drill as the screw extractor kit perfectly works in a counter-clockwise direction.
- You need to drop a bit of oil on the snapping point to ensure better cooling.
- Perfectly make a hole for the extractor tool with the help of the drilling end. Try to make the hole at least 1/4 inch deep.
- Now remove the extractor tool from your drill and place it back with the drilling end that lies inside the drill. Here, keeps the drill rotation in an anticlockwise direction.
- Continue to press inward and then turn on the drill at a very slow speed. Finally, it will rotate the broken bit to get it out of the wood. And you’re done!
Method#3: Drill out the bit
If you remain unable to get off the broken embedded drill bit by the second method, then drilling out the broken drill bit can hold you back. Just follow the below-mentioned steps to take off the broken, fully embedded drill bit from wood.
- The very first thing you need to do is to measure the diameter of the stuck bit with the help of calipers or measuring tape.
- Then choose a metal drill bit of the same diameter on the power as of broken, stuck bit inside the wood.
- Perfectly position the tip of your power drill bit over the exposed end of the broken bit.
- Now it’s time to drill through the shank of the broken bit.
- To remove the metal shavings, occasionally get off the bit of the power drill.
- Continue to drill straightly through the shank of the stuck bit to remove it from the wood.
How to Remove a Broken Drill Bit from Metal?
Removing the broken drill bit from the metal surface is quite more difficult and trickier than taking it out from the wooden surface. Although you can use the same methods as discussed above, here you need to be extra conscious to perfectly take the drill bit out. But why it’s harder to remove broken drill bits from metal compared to wood? The reason is that drill bits have grooves that can be stuck more firmly in metal than wood.
Here are the methods;
Method#1: Make us of nails and piler
If the drill bit isn’t firmly jammed into the hole, then you can make use of a needle nose piler. All you need to do is just put the nose piler down the flutes and try to hold the broken bit end with it. Once you get it, hold it firmly and start unscrewing out of the hole.
But if the broken bit is badly stuck in the metal, then you must lubricate it with penetrating oil to get your job done with greater ease. Moreover, you can grab nails or tougher steel pins to take off the broken bit with the help of piler.
Method#2: Welding with Metal Rod
This is the most efficient way to take off the broken bit, even when no end of the bit stayed outside. To accomplish this method, you have to go through the following steps.
- First of all, you need to grab a metal road and then weld it on the top of the drill bit at a 90-degree angle.
- Next, you have to use the rod as a lever to turn out the drill bit in a reverse direction.
- Grab a hammer and punch, gently hammer on the end of the drill bit to loosen it.
Method#3: Use Screw Extractor
If you remain unable to remove the broken drill bit from metal by the above two methods, then the broken drill bit extractor can do the right trick for you. Let’s discuss the steps to accomplish this method.
- Firstly, you need to wear a pair of safety glasses to protect the eyes because extracting the broken bit can cause tiny metal pieces to fly off at a very high speed.
- Next, you need to make the surface of the broken bit completely flat. You can do it by chiseling off the jagged edges with the hammer.
- Now grab a center punch and create a divot on the bit which will guide you to use the drill to extract the broken bit.
- Then use a smaller drill bit in the power drill, quite less in diameter than the broken bit. Put a drop of cutting oil on the end of the power drill bit which allows it to easily penetrate the broken bit.
- Further, place the end of the drill bit in the created divot and slowly start the drill. Gradually increase the drilling speed and gently apply some pressure with your hands to perfectly drill into the broken bit.
- Now it’s time to make use of the tap extractor, hold it, and insert it into the created hole in the broken drill bit. You need to secure the extractor in place by tapping its end with a hammer and try to slide the metal collar as down as you can to tight it over the broken drill bit.
- Finally, you need to turn the extractor in an anticlockwise direction to remove the broken drill bit. Continue to turn it until the broken bit comes out of the metal.
How to Remove a Broken Drill Bit from Brick?
Removing the broken drill bit from brick isn’t that difficult. You can easily take it off by going through the following steps.
- Locate the position of the broken drill bit in the brick.
- Mark some points around that drill bit.
- Now grab a drill and make holes at the marked positions.
- Then you need to hold the piler and try to extract the broken bit with it.
- Finally, you will be able to take off the broken drill bit from the brick.
Final Words
On a clear note, a drill bit is an important part of the drill without which the drill won’t work to create perfect holes. But when we drill through hard surfaces like wood, metal, or brick, the drill bits sometimes can’t survive and they get broken in the material.
And removing them is essential as the broken bit imposes many dangers including uncontrolled drill position and unexpected flying of broken metal pieces. So, you must know how to remove a broken drill bit.
Well, after going through the above guide, you would be able to easily answer how to get a broken bit out of an impact driver and you must now be able to smoothly take off the stuck or broken bit.
