Replacing broken off ivory bead

[Stan Hillis]

How is the safest and best way to remove the threaded portion of an old ivory bead that has been broken off leaving only the threaded shank in the hole in the rib? My plan is, unless I hear of a better way, to carefully drill out the remaining part with a drill slightly undersized to the threads, then carefully pick out the remains with dental picks.

If there is a better way I would very much like to hear it before I undertake this job.

Thanks, SRH

[David Noble]

First, are you sure it was threaded in and not a taper fit?
If it is indeed threaded, use a machinist’s small “easy out”.
Drill the smallest hole that will allow the easy out to start in,
Then tap it in a tad, just enough for it to get a bite and use a tap wrench to turn it out counter clockwise.

[chris dawe]

You'll have no trouble drilling it out as you described, I've done it hundreds of times ,just take your time

[Stan Hillis]

Pretty sure this one is threaded, David. It's on a Sarasqueta. Having done similar jobs on steel studs or bolts that have broken off flush with the surface I am home schooled in the process, and the importance of centering the drill for the pilot hole. Hadn't considered using a tiny Eezy-out, but that's something to consider. Didn't actually know they were available that tiny. I'll look into it.

Thanks for the re-assurance, Chris. I'm seriously considering investing in a high quality set of left hand drill bits, just for this purpose. Unless the threads are corroded badly (obviously not the case here), I would think a left hand bit might grab just enough to bring it out by itself.

[chris dawe]

Nah,you can drill it close to size and it'll likely fall out or you can pick it out with an small awl or needle...it's a little brittle and easy to drill just be careful...if you could mount it safely in a press it'd be easier, I just took out a couple two weeks ago

[Brian Dudley]

Most all are tapered press fit. Either way, just drill it out. Make sure you start out centered and increase drill size as you go. It will eventually pop out. Or once you get it thin enough you can just collapse the collar in on itself and pull it out.

[Stan Hillis]

Done that numerous times with sheared steel studs/bolts. Nice to know it will work the same with ivory (on a smaller scale :)).

Thanks all.

[Arthur Shaffer]

Should be easy to drill out. However, don't discount the left hand drills. I once had a starter mounting bolt snap off flush in a boat motor in a really awkard place. I could get to it to drill it using a mirror laying in the bilge, but there wasn't enough to get a swing to drive in and EZout. I ordered a short left hand drill bit, used the EZout hole as a pilot and started the bit. It came out with no effort. This of course is an entirely different size range. but te concept is very under rated I think. My theory was that the heat generated by the bit may have in some way may have been a contributor.

[paul golston]

I have had to drill out small screws out in the field doing service work. left hand drill bits are a must. EZouts are limited in the smaller sizes. I ditto ArtS theory , the heat and the bite of the drill bit will spin that problem away !

[chris dawe]

6Yeah,it's not a metal screw,Brian and myself have taken out quite a few between us ...no left hand anything or ez out needed, it's ivory sn soft as say oak,easily drilled easily removed that's why it broke in the first place

[Bill Murphy]

Chris and Brian, once the ivory insert is removed or broken off, what do you think about gluing a bead of your choosing to the remaining shaft? Ivory beads with no mounting shafts are much cheaper than ivory beads with shafts meant for use on shotguns. I have a few left over from an order I placed for ivory blocks for inlays. My ivory, both blocks and beads were ordered from Boone Trading and are not elephant ivory.

[chris dawe]

Never seen a bead without a shaft ,I usually make my own ,so I can't really comment ...it don't sound like something I'd want to do for longevity sake

[Bill Murphy]

Chris, Boone Trading has a website with a little of everything. I'm going to try a bead with Super Glue and see how long it stays put. All I have to do is try to find those beads.

[David C Porter]

NECG has some Ivory shotgun beads:https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/proddetail.php?prod=4275

[Stan Hillis]

Just to update, for those interested, the job is complete. What I did was this:

Used a tiny ball dental burr in my Dremel to start a hole in the center of the broken off shaft. Then, placed it in a vice in my drill press and drilled out the majority of the shaft, leaving a small amount in the threads. Used a tiny EZ-Out to try and remove the rest, which crumbled and came out very easily. I then saw that it was indeed threaded, something like a number 4 or 5 size. I knew my only ivory beads on hand were 6 X 48 so I drilled out the hole to the right size, then re-tapped it to 6 X 48 using a set of taper, plug and bottoming taps which I had on hand, as the NECG ivory bead I had on hand was also that size. Had to shorten the shank on the bead some because it was bottoming out leaving the bead sitting too high on the rib.

Turned out good. Thanks for all the tips and comments.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/71357_800x600.jpg (https://www.jpgbox.com/page/71357_800x600/)

[Bill Murphy]

I used a large size Galazan ivory bead on the front of my VHE .410 skeet gun. It looks like a white turd on a collard leaf, but it sure improves my shooting with the little gun. I will use a Boone's Trading large ivory bead on my next project. Yup, they're around here somewhere.