rusted old screws

[trulli]

Whats the best thing to try and get some really old (i'm talking perhaps 30 years!) rusty screws moving?

[joko]

try wd40

[Ethel]

WD 40 soaking for as long as possible.

Or use the tip of a very holt soldering iron to heat the head of the screw. The heat should expand the screw head and loosen the rust.

[jake-the-peg]

As the others say WD40 leave for a little while and then when you are turning the screwdriver gentley tap the top of the screwdriver with a hammer (obviously use a hand screwdriver !!)

[trulli]

Cheers for all the anwers!

[noxlumos]

WD 40 is the way to go, but if the slot is rusted off them and you can't get them to turn, homebase sell a little brass thing that embeds itself in the end of the offending screw and digs in as you try and turn it making it possible to remove. My wife bought one and I didn't think it'd work, but she's always right :( and it did beautifully.

[trulli]

Thanks again. Will let you know how I get on!

[raysparx]

Hi truli, try the wd40 if it doesn't work,you can try tightening them up a little before trying to take them out,and when you put the new screws in tighten as much as possible then just loose the screw by about a quarter of a turn,they will never stick again then,good luck, Ray

[trulli]

Thanks again. The blinking things are right under my little old trailer tent so they are not in the easiest position either!

[raysparx]

Hi truli, it they are a right pain, drill them out,make sure you have a really sharp drill bit though

[trulli]

Don't know about trying that. I am a girl!

[raysparx]

I thought you probably were,but you can do it,just start the drill very slowly,or ask a neighbour,I am sure they won't mind, or if there is a tradesman working in the area you are,ask him to have a look,we can never say no to a lady who smiles and makes a cuppa you know, oh and a biccie!!! Good luck, Ray xx

[trulli]

I'm afraid my tea making is about as bad as my drilling. We've probably both set the feminist movement back a decade by the way.lol.

[Toureman]

Use an impact driver. Available cheaply at any good tool store even Halfords, about �10.

[trulli]

Impact driver? Is that tough screwdriver sort of thing?

[qapmoc]

No, an impact driver is a tool which you can attach various things to the end such as a screwdriver bit or a socket for bolts etc... How it works is that you hold it on the screw or bolt and then hit the other end with a hammer, due to the mechanism inside it will turn slightly and the force of the hit will make it dig in even more to the screw so it wont slip off.
This combination of a sudden twist and downforce will often move even the tightest screws/bolts.
It can be set to work clockwise or anticlockwise.

[Thunderbird+]

Rusted old screws are the bane of my life!
All the advice given above is great including Ray's tea and bici's, chocolate hobnobs work well and bacon butties even better!
What I've found is, that the screw often starts to turn and then just go's round and round, this is usually because ths screw has lost its grip in the wood or the point has broken off, if this happens, you can sometimes prize up the head of the screw a little, just enough to get some pincers under to finnish the job. A good pair of pincers will usually have a small cleft on one of the handles which can also be handy to. Good Luck.