I'm trying to remove a shower faucet handle, but the set screw seems to be stripped out. Honestly, it looks to me like there isn't much if any of the screw left for an extractor bit to grab hold of, but I'm not entirely sure if I'm seeing things correctly (see pictures below). Any advice?
Best Answer
If you do try to drill the screw out a left-hand drill bit might be worthwhile. I've had a few occasions when drilling a broken fastener with a left-hand drill removed the fastener. I don't know that I've ever had success with an extractor -- it's difficult to get the hole centered, the right size, adequate depth.. and then the extractor just shatters in the hole anyway.
The handle could be removed in sections. Using a hack saw or reciprocating saw, cut the main part off perpendicular to the stem and far enough back from the valve body that the saw cuts only handle, not stem. Next cut what remains of the handle along the axis of the stem so that the handle shell can be split into two halves and broken away. A rotary tool such as a Dremel may be useful here. Hopefully at this point you'll have reached the inner part of the handle casting which is actually contacting the stem. Repeat the cut-and-split process on this piece too.
There's some chance of damaging the valve stem or the escutcheon, but both of these as well as the handle can be replaced individually if desired.