fixing stupid mistake?

[LCHIEN]

I attempted to drill with a .041" bit, but the bit is limber and wanted to walk off the center every time.
I'll try to center punch it to make a starting dimple.



whacked it three times with an 8 oz hammer and awl and only succeeded in blunting my awl. I guess Allen wrenches, even HF ones, are made of hard tool steel, hardly make an impression I could see, but it bent the tip of my awl. I could feel it hooked.




Tried making a screw slot across the set screw... I'm not sufficiently steady holding the dremel to make a clean slot.

[atgcpaul]

Unfortunately I don't have any reverse fluted small drills (or any for that matter). If I drilled it with a reverse bit it would either chew up the ball or unscrew the set screw either of which would be good.

So maybe that's the answer...jam something (or epoxy) in there and back out the ball end AND set screw, and replace the set screw with a new one?

[nicer20]

What if you were to use a 1/16ths bit instead of 5/64ths to drill it? Wouldn't that be able to drill most of it out leaving a very flimsy thin walled piece (assuming you were dead center) that can be easily carved/pried out then?

Just a thought.

[LCHIEN]

I already used all the fine picks and probes I have to try and dislodge it. no luck. Its not loose, its quite tight so no magnet will work. I've slammed it open side down hoping it will pop out, no go.

Unfortunately I don't have any reverse fluted small drills (or any for that matter). If I drilled it with a reverse bit it would either chew up the ball or unscrew the set screw either of which would be good.
Or use a regular drill like 5/64ths and hope it chews up the ball. It probably won't rotate since its hex shaped in a close fitting hex hole. At worst I could break the bit

My other choice is just use it until it jams and I have to disassemble it and then toss it and buy a new one. $15.50 may be less money than the work I will do to recover it.

[leehljp]

If a very small screw driver or even a pointed pick could lodge the ball loose, a strong magnet might could pull it out, if it doesn't fall out once loose.

[d_meister]

Maybe slotting the screw with a Dremel cutting disc, unscrew the set screw with a slot screw driver? New Allen screw after that.

[atgcpaul]

Or people say heat up the outer metal and maybe it'll expand and the ball end will fall out. I've never tried it myself but that's an option, too

[atgcpaul]

I'd probably try with a tip of a knife (I don't care about) and work it between the ball and the sides of the socket to make them parallel to each other and hope the ball end falls out.

[LCHIEN]

In a moment of stupidity with the bit pulling out of my Vix bit, I attempted to tighten the bit retaining screw with a ball head 5/64ths Allen wrench.
And you know they have a cut out (undercut) just behind the tip allowing the wrench to swivel a bit. Of course that is a weak spot and I knew about it. I avoided using it but in a moment of forgetfulness I used the ball end instead of the straight end... I felt it give a little and then it was too late.
The ball head snapped off leaving the set screw plugged with the end.

Remembering that this is a tiny 5/64th remnant (none of this "drilling it out" nonsense), is there any way to salvage this thing so I can work on it again? I already tired some microfine electronics tweezers and probes but there is nothing to grab onto. I can't seem to budge it. It appears that the silver hex of the driver has rotated a few degrees past the hex of the black set screw so it appears to be wedged in there.