I am doing a playfield swap on a Banzai Run and I broke a couple posts off screwing them into the new playfield. Can anyone recommend a good way to extract the broke post?

I am doing a playfield swap on a Banzai Run and I broke a couple posts off screwing them into the new playfield. Can anyone recommend a good way to extract the broke post?
Don’t risk damaging the Playfield. Get one of these.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-Spiral-Screw-Extractor-Set-5-Piece-A96SE51/205469301
There are other styles too.
Ok, first I have to ask how hard are you torquing these things down to snap them? I see stress cracks in the clear around the ball guide screw too. Ease these in...
That screw looks way too small to try to center drill and use a a standard extractor on.
Now. What I would do. I’d buy a screw extractor from Rockler. It’s a pain in the arse to use but it drills *around* the broken screw. I use these when I can drill a new hole all the way through. I then use a post I can secure with a locknut underneath. Far more secure against angry pinballs.
*extractor disclaimer. Much easier to use if you make a guide block to drill through and clamp it down to the playfield-examples of this are online- and these things are brittle. If you screw up and hit the metal screw, it will break some teeth. If you don’t have a Rockler nearby, order two.
And note they have several sizes. Pick the one that works for you.
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Quoted from jhanley:
Are you drilling a pilot hole before installing the stud?If not you need to.
Yes this was my mistake. I need to drill out each hole to make them a little bigger. The copper type post studs are very weak and it doesn't take much to break them. It didn't take much tork at all.
Quoted from MrArt2u:
Ok, first I have to ask how hard are you torquing these things down to snap them? I see stress cracks in the clear around the ball guide screw too. Ease these in...
That screw looks way too small to try to center drill and use a a standard extractor on.
Now. What I would do. I’d buy a screw extractor from Rockler. It’s a pain in the arse to use but it drills *around* the broken screw. I use these when I can drill a new hole all the way through. I then use a post I can secure with a locknut underneath. Far more secure against angry pinballs.
*extractor disclaimer. Much easier to use if you make a guide block to drill through and clamp it down to the playfield-examples of this are online- and these things are brittle. If you screw up and hit the metal screw, it will break some teeth. If you don’t have a Rockler nearby, order two.
And note they have several sizes. Pick the one that works for you.
[quoted image]
Great suggestion, i just ordered one of these. It maybe the only way to go. They are not stress cracks you are seeing, just micro scratches in the clear.
Quoted from Gritty:
Great suggestion, i just ordered one of these. It maybe the only way to go. They are not stress cracks you are seeing, just micro scratches in the clear.
Ugh. Why does everyone keep suggesting these? They leave an ugly patch in your pf. Not what you want to see on a restored machine.
Here is the best solution. Not as cheap as the ugly bore & plug method. But a better method used by pros:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/a-joust-restore-insert-catchy-title-here/page/2#post-4552766
Heck no on that huge hole saw! Use a small center punch or hardened nail head to put a start point in the center of that screw. Put painters tape around the area to protect from scratches. Slowly Drill a 1/16” hole down the center of that screw. Proceed to a 3/32” or 1/8 inch drill after. When clear, If the hole is a bit large put a drop of epoxy or filler in the hole and drill new hole to mount post and done.
I suggested it because I restore dozens of playfields a year and use these whenever I run across a broken stud topside, particularly if it was broken by ball contact. Using a locknut/washer under the playfield makes for a more secure post when the job is done. What type of ugly patch are you talking about? This method drills a hole through the playfield that you then fill with a new post and secure from below. I’m not talking about using it for under playfield screws, there’s a hundred other ways to skin that cat.
That said, I followed your link and am willing to try that method next time if I remember it. You can never have too many tools.
Quoted from djblouw:
Ugh. Why does everyone keep suggesting these? They leave an ugly patch in your pf. Not what you want to see on a restored machine.
Here is the best solution. Not as cheap as the ugly bore & plug method. But a better method used by pros:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/a-joust-restore-insert-catchy-title-here/page/2#post-4552766
I have had great success just putting some thick tape on the playfield for protection, then drilling a very small (1/16) hole in the center of the broke off screw, then use a hand turned drive (not powered) screw extractor that is just a tad bit bigger than your 1/16. It will grab and get the screw up above the playfield just enough to then either 1.dremel a slot in it to remove it with a small straight screwdriver OR, place tiny vice grips on it and turn it out the rest of the way. I've used this method many times without failure for 10+ years. It is time consuming but if successful, you can never tell anything was ever wrong with that screw/post.
Quoted from MrArt2u:
I suggested it because I restore dozens of playfields a year and use these whenever I run across a broken stud topside, particularly if it was broken by ball contact. Using a locknut/washer under the playfield makes for a more secure post when the job is done. What type of ugly patch are you talking about? This method drills a hole through the playfield that you then fill with a new post and secure from below. I’m not talking about using it for under playfield screws, there’s a hundred other ways to skin that cat.
That said, I followed your link and am willing to try that method next time if I remember it. You can never have too many tools.
Sorry, didn’t mean professional pinball restorers; Wooden boat restorers, and all the screws that break off from rust.
If it’s a high hit area, coring the screw out and adding a t-but would be okay. But this is just a simple plastic spacer post. Plus it looks awfully close to that lamp socket. I’d rather replace it with the same type post, I to the same hole.
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