Waterblock Standoffs stuck to pcb.

[Maybowl]

While the issue of the backplate has been solved..

I'm now struck by a new issue.

For the past several days I've been trying on and off to get the standoffs off my pcb, as they came out of the block after finally being able to take the backplate off.

 

Issue being, i think back in the time, i used the wrong screws, 2.5x6 instead of 2.5x4.

They are stuck. Like.. really really stuck.

 

I've tried a plier and right size screwdriver bit. Plier and fingers, plier, rubber bands and screwdriver. I've not yet resorted to glue as i find it risky around the open pcb.

 

I'm also very scared of having to drill the screws out as this is my beloved 2080Ti we're talking about.

 

Does anybody have any suggestions? cus I'm at a dead end currently.

[W-L]

24 minutes ago, Maybowl said:

While the issue of the backplate has been solved..

I'm now struck by a new issue.

For the past several days I've been trying on and off to get the standoffs off my pcb, as they came out of the block after finally being able to take the backplate off.

 

Issue being, i think back in the time, i used the wrong screws, 2.5x6 instead of 2.5x4.

They are stuck. Like.. really really stuck.

 

I've tried a plier and right size screwdriver bit. Plier and fingers, plier, rubber bands and screwdriver. I've not yet resorted to glue as i find it risky around the open pcb.

 

I'm also very scared of having to drill the screws out as this is my beloved 2080Ti we're talking about.

 

Does anybody have any suggestions? cus I'm at a dead end currently.

 

You're best to clamp those standoffs in a vice and try to undo the screws from the back of the PCB. If those screw heads have been stripped then it will be a lot harder. It is possible to drill out the head of the screw to have it release the standoff but you will need to then obtain new mounting hardware and standoffs. 

[Maybowl]

2 hours ago, W-L said:

You're best to clamp those standoffs in a vice and try to undo the screws from the back of the PCB. If those screw heads have been stripped then it will be a lot harder. It is possible to drill out the head of the screw to have it release the standoff but you will need to then obtain new mounting hardware and standoffs. 

What size drill bit should I use? The smallest i can find is #0 which is said to be 2mm to 3mm, but the thread size is only 2mm, so wouldn't #0 be too big in that case?

[W-L]

6 minutes ago, Maybowl said:

What size drill bit should I use? The smallest i can find is #0 which is said to be 2mm to 3mm, but the thread size is only 2mm, so wouldn't #0 be too big in that case?

I assume the head of the screw has been stripped badly, try holding the bottom stand off in a vice to undo with a screwdriver if possible.

 

If not possible it is best to use a left hand drill bit but you can try very carefully using a small bit I'd say like 2-3 mm just enough for it to take off the head of the fastener. You don't want to drill through the whole bolt just the head so it can get popped off from the machine threads below. I would do this as a last resort however if all else fails. 

 

 

[airborne spoon]

grab the standoff with vice-grips and get the screw off from the other side with a screwdriver. If the screw is stripped then either use a second pair of vice-grips if you have the washer gap between the screw and the board otherwise just hit it with a drill while the vice-grips are holding the standoff. You don't need to go all the way through the thing just enough to get the head from the screw gone so it'll slide through the PCB.

[Maybowl]

9 hours ago, W-L said:

I assume the head of the screw has been stripped badly, try holding the bottom stand off in a vice to undo with a screwdriver if possible.

 

If not possible it is best to use a left hand drill bit but you can try very carefully using a small bit I'd say like 2-3 mm just enough for it to take off the head of the fastener. You don't want to drill through the whole bolt just the head so it can get popped off from the machine threads below. I would do this as a last resort however if all else fails. 

 

 

I don't think the standoffs sit off the pcb far enough for them to be accommodated by a vice. And sadly the screws have a flat head, meaning drilling the head is a lot more difficult than the screw listed above

[W-L]

On 2/18/2021 at 9:46 PM, Maybowl said:

I don't think the standoffs sit off the pcb far enough for them to be accommodated by a vice. And sadly the screws have a flat head, meaning drilling the head is a lot more difficult than the screw listed above

If it's a flat head screw it just means the head portion is larger you don't need to worry about removing the entire flat head just the diameter of the threaded portion once you drill down a small amount. The screws they use are usually not of a super hard metal like other kinds of fasteners which will be very difficult to drill. As suggested if you cannot get a vice in place your best option would be a pair of vice grips. 

[Maybowl]

On 2/20/2021 at 2:12 PM, W-L said:

If it's a flat head screw it just means the head portion is larger you don't need to worry about removing the entire flat head just the diameter of the threaded portion once you drill down a small amount. The screws they use are usually not of a super hard metal like other kinds of fasteners which will be very difficult to drill. As suggested if you cannot get a vice in place your best option would be a pair of vice grips. 

Drilling them out worked quite well in the end, and I was at least able to salvage 3 of the standoffs. one standoff sadly had the screw break off when trying to twist it out, but I used a standoff which only used larger screws, which the only issue I had then was sanding down a screw, which went relatively well. Everything is up and running again