How To Remove Broken Drill Bit from Metal

Have you recently started a DIY or professional project with your drill bit set? But suddenly the required bit piece is broken with the metal. Ain’t this frustrating? Anyway, if you have been using a drill bit that has split off and become stuck in some metal, this article will make things easier since the content will share how to remove broken drill bit from metal and some easy tips to unstuck the tool.

Therefore, the solution is to remove the broken bit from the metal by using locking pliers, screw extractors, alum, or dragging out the broken bit with something. Plus, other varieties of removal tools can remove the jammed bit from the metal as well.

Whether your drill bit is stuck on metal, drywall, wood, or any other material, our instructions will help you resolve your problem without any difficulties, no doubt! So, let’s go take a look at the article and get your answer.

Why did My Drill Bit Break?

Usually, the drill bit breaks for various reasons. Let’s have a look at the possible cause of the broken bits.

• Utilizing the incorrect drill for the material being drilled will cause the drill stuck with metal.
• Whenever the workpiece and drill are not tightly secured.
• Poor chip removal that is not cleaned might cause drill bits to break.
• Flexing the bit possibly results in broken or trapped bits.
• The drill bit breaks at the end of the flute as a result of undetected damage caused by radial force.
• Your high torque that leads to twisted breakage normally causes the drill bit to break in the center of the flute.

Can you still use a Broken Drill Bit?

We commonly use these kinds of bits as a professional driller until the carbide is entirely broken. When a broken piece is visible above the surface, try to grasp it with vice grips and spin it counterclockwise.

However, start the drill slowly and make sure it’s pointed directly at the damaged bit. Turn on the drill machine to its maximum speed and press down with your hands to drill into the broken bit’s end.

Can a Bit Drill through a Broken Drill Bit?

You should attach a drill bit that has a smaller diameter than the broken bit to your power drill. Also, with the ideal drill bit, you can drill through the glass.

A drop of cutting oil applied to the end of the bit will lubricate the drill and make it simpler to enter the metal of the shattered bit. Then add cutting oil to the surface of the damaged drill bit to ease in releasing it.

How to Fix Broken Drill Bit

Whenever your drill bit becomes stuck and needs to be removed from the metal, it essentially depends on the type of metal. If it’s embedded in a metal that doesn’t contain iron, a shattered steel twist drill can be rusted out using alum mixed with water.

A user inquired, “I was constructing a mount for my personalized bobber. The 1/4″ carbide drill bit I was using snapped off into a 3/4″ metal plate. How do I remove it?” Don’t worry! We have the perfect troubleshooting section for those who have encountered the broken drill bit problem. Let’s talk about the steps in detail.

Safety Equipment First

Get all of the safety gear first. Protect your eyes by putting on a set of safety glasses. The extraction of a broken bit can send small metal pieces flying off at crazy speeds, which can ultimately hurt your eyes and possibly cause you to lose your vision.

Pull Out The Broken Bits

How about pulling out the drill bit? Let’s try this idea! Broken drill bits can be covered with lubricating oil and pieces of dirt. Ultimately, these things make it challenging to grasp them with pliers. Therefore, you need to thoroughly clean the broken bits with a cloth.

Broken Drill Bit Extractor

When a drill bit becomes stuck, we always prefer to have a screw extractor on hand. What should you do in order to remove the bit? Let’s share all the stems below.

• To begin with, the broken bit’s end needs to be flat so that you can drill a guide hole to extract it. It’s better if you use a center punch. To make a small divot on the end, firmly use your hammer to tap the center punch.
• Use two lightweight hammers and two punches that are each half as wide as the drill flutes. Then set the punch using the drill flutes at approximately a 90-degree angle to the broken bit location in the reverse direction from the first drilling process.
• Utilize a power drill with a smaller drill bit and coat the end with cutting oil. When the drill bit is 3/8 inch, use a drill bit that is 1/4 inch or smaller.
• The bit’s tip should now be directly in the divot. Drill carefully and straight down into the bit’s tip to a minimum depth of half an inch. Also, we advise drilling into the broken bit by around 1⁄4″ or 0.64 cm.
• Now, enter the hole with the extractor bit’s cone-shaped end. The extractor’s end should be just a little bit smaller than the hole.
• After that, a tap extractor should be attached to the drill bit.
• For this reason, the extractor has flat edges at the top. With the wrench, rotate the extractor counterclockwise to release the shattered bit.

Using Alum

Using alum is a different, effective way to get rid of your broken bits of metal. What is the process? When the remaining drill bit is too small to handle, this removal technique is ideal because the metal is added to a solution to dissolve the bits.

• First, you need to verify the metal, because this alum idea does not work with steel-type metals. Gather supplies like alum, water, a non-steel saucepan, and a stove.
• Use a glass pot or saucepan whenever possible because the alum corrodes steel. Make sure you never fill the pot to the top.
• Place the alum in the water right now. 1 cup (237 ml) of water should be mixed with 4 teaspoons (31 g) of alum.
• After that, slowly soak the metal, making sure to completely cover the drill bit. We hope your bits are almost coming out.
• Heat the solution slowly in the pot on the burner. Alternatively, you might let the metal soak in the mixture for a few days or overnight. Remember that heating increases activity.
• Although the drill bit may dissolve within a few days, don’t forget to focus on your work.

Locking Plier Method of Faulty Drill Bit

Another simple method for removing the broken bits from the metal is to clamp a pair of lock pliers onto it and drag the bit out by turning it counterclockwise. Therefore, let’s talk about the steps.

• If it is possible, secure locking pliers to the drill bit’s damaged end. Remember, you need to turn the pliers counterclockwise.
• Use a set of pliers with serrated jaws if you lack locking pliers so you can grasp the shattered drill bit’s end.
• The broken drill bit should be placed in the jaws of the pliers, and the handles should be squeezed together. Continue to squeeze the jaws tight around the fractured bit until they lock into place.
• If you are unable to access the broken end using pliers, you may need to use a chisel to form a small space around the bit. You’ll need enough room to latch the pliers’ tip onto the bit’s tip.
• Now, take out the bit by turning the pliers counterclockwise.

Preventing Future Breaks

Before using your drill bit, lubricate it to reduce the possibility that the same issue will arise in the future. When drilling into anything, especially hard materials like metal, add a drop of cutting oil to the bit’s tip. Additionally, it’s essential to gradually increase the drill’s speed while working.

Drill Bit Removal Tool

The electrical arc disintegrator is a technology that can help you with drill bit stuck in metal problems. If it’s smaller, you can put it in the freezer. The metal should begin to gently compress as a result, making it simpler to remove.

In order to solve the issue, we also recommend using vice grips or drill drift, which can ensure broken drill bit removal effortlessly. We sincerely hope that the problems we have discussed and the solutions we have offered will be sufficient to get the drill out of any metal components without causing you any further difficulty.

FAQ on How To Remove Broken Drill Bit From Metal

Final Words

Now, we would like to conclude the content regarding the topic: How To Remove Broken Drill Bit From Metal. You’ve got the possible causes of broken drill bits inside the metal, along with the way you can remove bits from the metal without hassle. Simply, take your safety gear, and use a screw extractor or locking plier to unstuck the drill bits from any elements like metal, wood, glass, or any other materials.

If our troubleshooting section helped you to resolve your issue, don’t forget to check our upcoming article about drill bit problems that we users usually face and grab your solutions from here. Till then, fix your present issue just by following our given instructions.