Comments on: Reader Question: Bit Trouble

By: casey

casey — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:23:21 +0000

i have the makita 18v, and have had a few get real stuck a few times. most of the time i can knock it on something and the bit falls out.

sometimes i have had to clamp some visegrips on the bit in a way that allows me to knock on them with the hammer straight away from the driver. i find this to work better than putting the bit in a bench vise as you can deliver blows straight to the bit which is stuck, rather than just trying to pull.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:02:47 +0000

Hammer the shit out of you driver… It won’t fix it, but should make the problem go away with some entertainment value…

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:40:13 +0000

Been there done that.

1) Get a can of computer keyboard spray air.
2) With the can upside down and with the straw in the nozzle, spray the bit holder with the frosty liquid that comes out. Not a scold as liquid nitrogen, but cold, safe and cheap enough to do the trick.
3) Retractthe bit holder flange and with a pair of small hemostats, like the mosquito wing hemostats/forceps someone else suggested, pull out the bit.

Another satisfied customer!

By: John E

John E — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:52:08 +0000

Screw philips head screw into a board. Dab some super glue on the top of screw head. Wait a minute or two, this is the hard part. Pull.

If you can get some WD-40/lube around the sides with out getting it on the head of the bit, it’ll help.

By: Rick Reimundez

Rick Reimundez — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:09:11 +0000

Hah.. you guys Rock!.. good call on the parts breakdown.. I will study that this weekend and report back.

By: makes_stuff

makes_stuff — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:14:52 +0000

Rick, $62 for a new gearbox/chuck is nuts (thanks Zeros, for the link).

Since it sounds like the release collar still works, I propose super gluing a new screw to the bit (like NickC said). Clean the screw and bit tip well and keep the screw as the lowest part during alignment so you don’t drip glue into the chuck. I don’t know how the bit forced its way past the locking detent bb’s, but if the chuck is undamaged, not that much force should be needed to pull the bit. After the super glue cures overnight, PULL STRAIGHT OUT ONLY, NO BENDING. This technique has worked for me on a few cheap headphone plugs that came apart in jacks.

Oh yeah, in case the groove inside the release collar is damaged, try rotating the release collar 90 degrees before the attempt.

Good luck.

By: Zeros

Zeros — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:27:34 +0000

if you are going to take it apart, here is the parts breakdown:

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/bosch-ps402-3601j09010-impact-driver-parts-c-128_1240_9787.html

And the replacement chuck is $62. Damn thats expensive, but not as much as a new PS40-2 I suppose.

By: Trizguy

Trizguy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:45:24 +0000

What about trying the Freeze and Release product reviewed on Jan 20th. If you froze the bit, it might contract enough to allow you to break it loose with vice grips or other ideas presented here.

http://toolmonger.com/2009/01/20/freeze-your-nuts-off/#more-18802

By: Zathrus

Zathrus — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:01:23 +0000

Those black impact driver bits/nut drivers are actually not as hardened as the standard chromed/grey bits. The difference is that when they fail they’ll deform instead of shattering — which is a lot safer for anyone and anything nearby!

By: Joel Spangler

Joel Spangler — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:58:49 +0000

I was googleing for the DW2169 and actually found a link back to this site http://toolmonger.com/2008/03/03/dealmonger-dewalt-38-piece-impact-driver-accessory-set-24/

Is now on my amazon wish list (which I use as a gift idea repository for the wife - so she knows what I want/need)

By: Theron

Theron — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:03:46 +0000

I found it - the DW2169. Amazon it.

By: Theron

Theron — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:01:30 +0000

People have asked - I did buy a set of impact driver rated bits made by dewalt. They are black and hard. I haven’t broke one of them yet in my Makita. The set came with some deep well sockets and a socket adapter. The sockets work great on toilets, they are all the right sizes.
It looks like you will have to take it apart to take it to a service center and have it done. I looked inside my Makita chuck and it looks like what happened to you can’t happen to me, different design. So if you have to end up buying a new unit, the Makita is good for not doing that, and mine also stays cool to the touch (you or someone had mentioned that they get hot).

By: bob

bob — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:43:00 +0000

If you were to ignore Brian’s good advice you would probably want to disassemble it ourself by 1) googling ‘disassemble bosch ps40-2′, and reading through hundreds of postings until you find the page that has pictures. Someone has probably walked this path and posted a how-to page. If not, 2) Use a digital camera to take pictures from every angle every step of the way. 3) Take detailed notes as you go, numbering parts. 4) Don’t force plastic casings if they have to be split. I hope the others are joking about extra parts.

By: kif

kif — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:42:32 +0000

Here are some untested theories: clamp the end of the bit in a bench vise, then take something that vibrates, like a pad sander and hold it on the other end of the vise jaws. Run the sander while applying pulling pressure on the Impactor. Or, get a quarter inch socket onto one of those impact drivers you whack with a hammer. Slide it over the bit. Get someone to hold the Impactor on a bench while you use the impact driver to exert blows counter to the force applied to the chuck when tightening screws. Or, apply some quick shots of liquid Nitrogen to the bit while the Impactor is pointing towards the floor and pressure is applied to retract the chuck, wear gloves.

By: dcdude

dcdude — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:16:11 +0000

Same thing happend to me with a phillips tip. I guess I never should have put it in there. I had to take it to a repair shop. Bosch agreed to warrant it. They could never get a new chuck, so they shipped me another PS40. It took about a month to wrap it all up.

By: Fletch

Fletch — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:44:09 +0000

I’m gonna need some pliers and, ahhh, a set of 30-weight ball bearings.
Now you prepare that chuck with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads!
And I’m gonna need about 10 quarts of antifreeze, preferably Prestone. No, no, make that Quaker State.

By: Robert Blackmon

Robert Blackmon — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:41:18 +0000

I use straight bits in my Makita impact occasionally and they sometimes get stuck but a few light taps with anything makes it let go, but maybe the Makita chuck is different.

By: fred

fred — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:17:00 +0000

Never had the problem with this tool - but had similar problems.
If you have a friend in the medical profession - a mosquito hemostat or an ear polypus

http://www.gpcmedical.com/products.php?pcode=211&ccode=752

might do the trick

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Please take the drill to the nearest Bosch Service factory service center, or authorized service center in your area. This was a common problem with the original PS20-2, pocket driver. When bosch updated the tool recently the addressed this issue. The new PS20-2A comes is equiped with a holder for both 1/4″ drive power bits and standard bit tips.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:54:43 +0000

Why not just put it in a bench vise (clamp the bit down not the drill) and just tug on it hard?

By: Ross

Ross — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:15:58 +0000

I had this happen with a Dewalt impact driver once. I ended up buying a new andvil (chuck part) for $15, taking the drill apart, and replacing it. All my efforts with cobalt drill bits and screw extractors were useless.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:41:17 +0000

I had this exact problem. Used a thin metal grinder to notch the bit, then vice grips to remove. Not easy.

By: NickC

NickC — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:30:35 +0000

I clearly don’t type as fast as Rick. Or to quote the late great Don Adams: “Missed it by that much.”

By: NickC

NickC — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:26:20 +0000

You could also try finding a screw that the bit fits really snug into and try gluing it onto the bit. That would give you a better grip. I’m not sure what kind of glue I would recommend the bond metal on metal. I would guess standard super glue wouldn’t be strong enough. If you have an arc welder you could try welding the screw to the bit, but that could prove harmful to the chuck.

By: Rick Reimundez

Rick Reimundez — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:26:10 +0000

Thanks guys for some ideas.. Like Jeffrey said, I’m reticent to take apart the chuck since I have been in the unenviable position of having parts/screws left over.

I considered welding something to then of the bit to pull it out, but it’s so close to the chuck, I’d be concerned about damaging the chuck itself. There’s not enough bit past the end of the chuck to get a claw hammer on it -even if I were to be able to grind the bit down.. I’m going to see if can sacrifice a set of feel gauges to slide those down and see if I can’t disengage the detent ball.

I’ll report back if I’m successful.