Help! The screw is stuffed.

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cosimo, Feb 4, 2:10pm
A very small Philips head screw closing a battery compartment on a toy and it's been stripped. Any suggestions on how to unscrew it so the batteries can be changed?
tweake, Feb 4, 2:16pm
what material is it screwed into?
plastic?
and how far recessed it is?
get a small blade under the head of the screw and pry it up as you turn the screw. otherwise a magnetized screwdriver helps.
cosimo, Feb 4, 2:49pm
Thank you. Yes, screwed into plastic and unfortunately it is embedded deeply - below the level of the 'lid'. The screwdriver is magnetized. I can prise the lid up a bit, and could get a tiny hacksaw blade in there, but if I did that, there would still be a problem of the bit still screwed in. I think it might be time to close my eyes and chuck it in the rubbish bag.
trad, Feb 4, 2:58pm
Could you cut a slot for a conventional screwdriver in the screw head with a small hacksaw?
rak1, Feb 4, 3:01pm
Place a soldering iron on top of the screw. The plastic should soften as the heat travels down the screw so that you can prise the lid open and pull the screw out as you open the lid.
cosimo, Feb 4, 3:59pm
Don't think so. It is a very tiny screw - only 3 mm across.
max.headroom, Feb 4, 4:19pm
Drill a small hole down thru the middle of the head enough to countersink the head only off ,once opened it should leave a little bit of shaft to unscrew
,neuro surgery i know
gpg58, Feb 4, 4:57pm
superglue on a small rod shaped to contact evenly?
tweake, Feb 4, 4:58pm
if the lid will lift, pull the lid up as you unscrew.
cosimo, Feb 4, 6:31pm
LOL - tried that before, but the screw won't turn. I may try some CRC next.
cosimo, Feb 4, 6:33pm
I'll think this one through for a while. I have to admit, I wondered if an Allen key would do the trick, but I don't have any small enough!
franken1, Feb 4, 6:41pm
Put a rubber band between the screw head and screwdriver. The rubber band can fill gaps in the head and provide some friction. Turn firmly but slowly.
krames, Feb 4, 6:44pm
throw the toy out and say the neighbours dog got ahold of it and chewed it to bits
pozzie-nz, Feb 4, 7:40pm
What he said
androth2, Feb 4, 8:01pm
You should have used a pozidrive screwdriver,not a philips, this probably why you ruined it,nowdays all equipment uses pozidrive not phillips.Try with a pozidrive one (Buy one from Jaycar) otherwise its possible to buy a screw head locking compound which you put on the end and its like sand and grips.If you try to drill into the screw the heat produced will probably make it go deeper
hkjoe, Feb 4, 8:15pm
+1. The best option, but only if you have a drill and drill bits.
macman26, Feb 4, 8:44pm
Also a small flat blade may get enough grip to unscrew it
pettal, Feb 4, 8:57pm
just break the cover , replace batteries and use duct tape to secure the cover .
sprinter51, Feb 4, 9:02pm
If you can make a small hole just big enough to get a small Crochet hook into it and pull up with the hook and unscrew the screw at the same time
Now once you have the screw out what is the next step because you dont want to put that screw back in and repeat all this cofuffal

edit to add
A nail heated in a candle flame will be hot enough to melt plastic and make holes :-)
snoopy221, Feb 4, 9:05pm
mm the screw has NOT been stripped the actual head of the screw is butchered.
Use a very small straight bladed prescision screwdriver
2 dollar shops sell sets of em.
Pressure and even a pair of pliers to turn screw driver.
pauldw, Feb 4, 11:26pm
The type of + screw is more likely to be JIS than Pozi.
blueviking, Feb 5, 8:07am
Sometimes when a phillips/pozi head get rounded, you can press a square head screwdriver down into the screw head and undo it that way.
tmenz, Feb 5, 10:07am
If you don't succeed and would like some help with that and are prepared to bring/send it, I should be able to do something with it!
Listing 1479341515
cleggyboy, Feb 5, 11:33am
Get a 'Bic' pen and draw it out.
boby11, Feb 5, 12:21pm
JIS screws are not common in toys