It’s happened to all of us. You’re trying to drill a hole in something, but you can’t get the drill bit past the first inch or so.

This is because it broke off inside the material, and now you have no way of extracting it without damaging what you are drilling into or just making an even bigger mess than before. Well, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways on how to remove broken drill bits from your project with minimal damage done!

How To Remove Broken Drill Bits?

These 5 methods will guide you on how to remove broken drill bits from a manual machine.

Method 1: Use Vise Grips or Channel Lock Pliers

If you have a vise grip tool, then this is the best method. You will need to clamp down on either side of the broken drill bit and pull it out. The only problem with channel lock pliers is that they do not work well in confined spaces because their jaws are wide open. So if your machine has a small hole where the drill bit broke off, then use vice grips instead of channel locks.

Method 2: Use A Clamp And Vice Grip

If there is enough space around the broken part of drill bits, you may be able to hold onto them by hand while turning them counter-clockwise with another wrench or pair of pliers grasping it from below.

Method 3: Drill A Hole And Use Bolt Cutters

Drill a small hole over where the broken drill bit is. Then use bolt cutters to snip off the top of it, leaving just enough room for another tool with which you can unscrew it out.

Snipping off the head will leave sufficient metal in place so that you should not have problems when removing or installing new bits. Just be sure before cutting anything! You don’t want to remove too much and have your bearings fall out from underneath your machine’s housing!

Method 4: Get Help From Your Local Hardware Store Or Make One Yourself

If all else fails, then go ahead and get help from a local hardware store or build one yourself if necessary. It may be difficult to remove a broken drill bit, but with the right tools, it can be done.

Method 5: Use A Drill Bit Extraction Tool

If there is enough metal to drill a hole in, you can use a drill bit extraction tool instead.

These usually have two holes and fit over the broken part of your drill bit so that when you turn it clockwise, it will extract the broken pieces out one at a time without damaging the rest of your machine.

Is Removing Drill Bits Difficult?

It is not too difficult if you know what to do. Otherwise, it may be a bit frustrating and time-consuming as well as dangerous if your drill machine’s bearings fall out from underneath the housing.

But with these methods in mind, removing broken drill bits should become much easier. You can also check our post about sharpening your masonry drill bits and know how you can remove a broken drill bit.