Broken barb removal

[Law]

Well, I broke a barb off last night trying to get the end cap off a LPR. What’s the best way to go about getting the broken part out with the least amount of damage? There doesn’t seem to be enough edge to grab it with pliers.
Thanks.

[Interl0per]

Wonder if an ez-out screw extractor would work

[Law]

That’s a good idea, I’ll have to see if the hardware store has one small enough.

[superman]

So i really recommend not using an ez out. More people screw stuff up with those than anything else i swear. In this instance, I would use a screw extractor like this style. Especially since it already has the hole in it.

https://www.amazon.com/CRAFTSMAN-CMM...8726859&sr=8-8

[Interl0per]

Oh yeah that looks a lot better

[Siress]

So i really recommend not using an ez out. More people screw stuff up with those than anything else i swear. In this instance, I would use a screw extractor like this style. Especially since it already has the hole in it.

https://www.amazon.com/CRAFTSMAN-CMM...8726859&sr=8-8

That's an off-brand EZ-out, so what did you mean? I'm just curious as I rarely deal with difficult extractions and have a set of these on hand for when the day comes. I typically get them out quickly with just a dental pick or similarly sized driver.

[superman]

Everyone looks to the ez out brand, they really don't have the right taper or size to get something out like this.

[Trbo323]

For something that small, I have a set of jewelers screwdrivers (the really small ones) I find one that's slightly too big to fit down the center hole, line it up on top and give it a smack with a small mallet. The screwdriver steel is harder than whatever the barb is made from so it sinks into the metal. Turn out or if I need grab the shaft of the screwdriver with vice grip pliers for more leverage

Sent from my motorola edge 2024 using Tapatalk

[latches109]

I do this but with heat first

[Olsson]

I used a set of torque bits when a brass barb broke. Since brass is rather soft, I gently hammered the torque that fit into the barb and then gently tried to work it out, simply unscrewing it. If it is a barb in steel, this torque method will probably not work, or at least not as easily.

Anyway, the first torque bit didn't get enough grip, and/or the barb was still fastened too tight, so the barb was just shaved down a bit. So I used the next size torque bit and repeated the process.

It was quite some time ago, so I don't remember if I succeeded with the second or third torque bit, when finally the barb end got loose. The trick, of course, is to not use a torque bit that is large enough to damage the threads of whatever the barb is screwed into.

However, if I had had a set of screw extractor easily available, I would have used those obviously.

[Buff_phroggie]

Industrial maintenance guy here who has had to remove a broken barb recently. The best way IMO is to find the correct tap drill size, even better if left hand. Once you get it drilled to the end of the barb eithe the threads will come out with a pick, or find the correct size tap. I think those are 6-48

[Jordan]

*6-40

[PBGunny]

According to my wonderful Starrett Inch/Metric Tap Drill Sizes & Decimal Equivalent sheet hanging at my workplace, the correct drill size would be a #33 (.113").

[Siress]

I hope you post pictures of it successfully removed... clearly we've become emotionally invested here.

[Law]

Will do, but I need to wait for the weekend to head to the hardware store. The sad part is it might cost the same to buy a replacement sledgehammer, but of course that wouldn’t be as fun.

[Law]

Success, I picked up the 6-40 tap set. Drilling into it split and popped the barb out right away. The threads didn’t look great so I ran the tap and it cleaned them. Either they were filled with pieces of the original barb or the original thread size was smaller. Either way, one of the barbs in the pile fit so success. Thanks for the help, here are some pictures.

Also, it seems like it would be pretty easy for someone who knew what they were doing to make a collar that could turn the adjustment screw from the outside in these..

[Blackmagic71]

Well done! 👍

[Law]

Related question: how hard should it be to thread an LPR into a front block? It’s been I while but I remember it not being all that difficult to hand thread the thing in until the end. With this one I get one revolution in before I need a wrench, and two revolutions before it’s impossible, seems like it should go in a lot more, but again it’s been a while.
Do LPRs have different threads maybe?

[flyweightnate]

LPRs use an 1/8 NPT thread, and people screw these threads up often (by tapping with a worn tool that's under diameter, or not tapping deep enough). You can always just tap the block a little deeper by hand or pick a different nipple to change engagement.

Regarding the adjustment thing, Belsales Twister caps turned a Sledgehammer into a nice LPR. I don't remember exactly how but it replaced the end with a tall segment with a knob.