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update: many thanks to keyl's dad who suggested a torx key... total success!

dear internets, please help! especially anyone who has ikea flatpack experience, p_dan_tic i'm looking at you

Comments

[harmlesskitty]

i have 7000 ikea allen keys. would you like me to post you a couple?

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thanks but i do have a key now that i'm trying to take it down, it's just that the thread on four of the screws has been wrecked and kind of made circular by us using a screwdriver to put them in, so now they won't come out!

[keyl]

I don't know this from experience, but maybe see if anyone has a power drill/screwdriver which has a magnet on the end? I know they exist. One might help.

I just asked my dad and he said you can get something called a "screw extractor", that goes into a drillbit when you've damaged the head of a screw and it bites onto the end of the screw, then you can slowly twist it out. I'm picturing some kind of corkscrew style implement, but who knows!

He also suggested a Torx key set, which he just showed me and the ends kind of look like Star-of-David style allen key, which he said have good grip into things like that and could possibly get it out.

I'd suggest going to your local hardware store, I'd bet they'd have something.

I hope that helps! Good luck!

[keyl]

You could also try getting a set of a needlenose pliers into the hole of the screw, expand them, and then try to twist the screw out... but I think you might do more damage than good that way.