How to get metal shavings out of inserts?

[kjl]

I accidentally stripped two centerdisk bolts and have successfully drilled the heads off and then removed the rest of the bolts with pliers. So everything is good to go now except that there are all these little steel shavings and splinters everywhere from when I drilled out the bolts, including inside the inserts.

Anybody have a good idea of how to get those shavings out?

A magnet was not as effective as I thought it would be.

Would a bottoming tap work, or would it just drive the metal shavings somewhere bad (or fail to remove the shavings)?

Thanks.

[davekempmeister]

Maybe I am not understanding the problem, but if I am, I first thought of some Q-tips slightly dampened with rubbing alcohol. The softness of the Q'tip head would allow the shavings to imbed in the cotton. The alcohol will briefly denature the shaving before it quickly evaporates, both of which are desireable, right? Any cotton fiber remaining would be self evident and easily tweezed. Sorry if this is off the mark.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Safety glasses + moist towel + air nozzle = blow out shavings.

Caution , blowing shavings into your eyes is something you do not want to do. Look away and wear a safety shield of some kind.

Another safer option is to try a vacuum. Typically not quite as effect compressed air.

[Jonny]

If you know a custom golf clubmaker, ask for a little "rattlestop" (basically ratglue). Load it on a fluffed-up q-tip and sponge the insert out. Repeat until it's clear. Cleanup with Acetone. Failing that, do the same thing with honey, then cleanup with dish detergent.

[bjvircks]

kjl.... is there a long spiral of remaining material (remnants of male thread) left in the female thread? If so, you may need a good magnifying glass, a tight/bright light and a sharp tipped precision angled tweezers. CAREFULLY partly chasing the female thread with a bottoming tap may dislodge the top end coil enough to grab and pull out with the tweezers.

If just loose chips... What the other guys suggest! For compressed air and safety glasses maybe hook up a needle (don't know the name for the fitting used to inflate basketballs) to compressed air to get air direct to bottom of insert, better to carry chips out.

[lowrider]

You have a little project. Because you say the bolt stripped i would assume binding of metal surfaces is involved. Lucky so far to have been able to remove old bolt by drilling and extracting. Stainless and aluminum is famous for pilling up so a bottoming tap is the only effective way to be sure you have a clean thread surface for the new screw. Even a new bottoming tap will not thread to the very bottom of the hole so the only way to clean to the end of the threads is to grind a tap flat. I would suggest you tap the top of the hole before grinding it down to be absolutly sure the modified tap follows perfectly in the hole.When taping to the bottom back the off tap every turn and remove debris. lubricate often the back and forth rotation of the tap will polish up the threads and smooth out any burrs. Patience At least if this goes south on you a heli coil is still an option. If you are sure the debris is very minor you can make a thread chaser by hack sawing another bolt perpindicular to the threads just deep enough to mimick a tap it will clean up any burrs. Lub it well

[murphy12]

If I recall, a bottoming tap is sometimes used in gunsmithing. By way of a possible scource.

[kjl]

Thanks, I'll try q-tipping the big stuff out with something sticky and then blowing the rest out with compressed air. Compressed air easier to find at Home Depot or Radio Shack?

[Petrol]

Thanks, I'll try q-tipping the big stuff out with something sticky and then blowing the rest out with compressed air. Compressed air easier to find at Home Depot or Radio Shack?

"compressed air" = most service stations;

air compressers = home depot;

"canned air" = radio shack, staples, etc.

[OhD]

Safety glasses + moist towel + air nozzle = blow out shavings.

Caution , blowing shavings into your eyes is something you do not want to do. Look away and wear a safety shield of some kind.

Another safer option is to try a vacuum. Typically not quite as effect compressed air.

When wearing safety glasses or a shield, face the work so the chips will bounce off the front of the shield/lenses rather than off the back and into your eyes! BTDT.

[bjvircks]

"compressed air" = most service stations;

air compressers = home depot;

"canned air" = radio shack, staples, etc.

"Hot Air" = next door know-it-all

[CaRtharsis]

Use a little vaseline on your q-tip or a small jewellers screwdriver.

[bobdea]

I use dental picks to clean threads, then blast with air. both ar complimentary and indespensible when working on anything that has alu parts with steel bolts and screws that happens to see dirt and mud. also, in any ski shop.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93958

if its stripped, yeah, get the taps out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=164

[NateW]

Compressed air easier to find at Home Depot or Radio Shack?

Or find a drinking straw, and take a deep breath... :)