Replies

1. 
   BOBABEUI | Sep 11, 2008 04:27am | #1

   I have a reamer that I bought from Lee Valley, that has the same taper as a pencil sharpener. Ream the "gone astray" hole with the reamer, sharpen a 1/4" dowel of your choice with a pencil sharpener and glue in the reamed hole.. Pare off the dowel flush with the surface..

   Mind you this is all theoretical, since I have never had to fix a hole that has "gone astray" ;-).

   
   

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   Edited 9/10/2008 9:29 pm ET by BOBABEUI

2. 
   oldusty | Sep 11, 2008 04:57am | #2

     I make tapered plugs , I just grind small size dowels to a point or the shape of the hole .

    The pencil sharpener with the reaming tool  is for the most part the same idea .

       I glue them in and try and let them dry before replacing the screws . saw them off with a little flush cutting reversible saw then pare down with a sharp chisel , or slice them off on the band saw and smack them in . Don't ask me how to sharpen the chisel because that could be a long and scary discussion .

                            regards             

                      dusty

                 " how good we are is how good we fix our mistakes "

3. 
   flairwoodworks | Sep 11, 2008 05:53am | #3

   Pete,

   I buy 1/8" dowels and drill holes to accomodate them.

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

4. 
   thumbnailed | Sep 11, 2008 06:17am | #4

   For small holes, toothpick sized, I usually find it successful to drive a new hole with an awl, pushing the wood sideways into the old hole. No new void is created, and the wood isn't disrupted enough to keep it from holding a screw. This is best for things like hardware mounting, but probably not good for butt hinges. It also works better in softer woods, that will move a little without breaking pieces off.

1. 
   PCM | Sep 11, 2008 03:28pm | #5

   Thanks to all!

   Great ideas.

   Pete

5. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 12, 2008 05:05am | #6

   Sort of expensive but a Miller Bit on dowel should work IF you saw off the stuff sticking out!

   Toothpicks and glue always worked for me!

1. 
   PCM | Sep 12, 2008 03:41pm | #8

   I will show my ignorance. What is a Miller Bit?

   Thanks.

   Pete

   I googled miller bit, got glenn miller band, heavy metal band, bits and spurs (Horses), and rockler. Now I know what a woodworking Miller Bit is!

   Thanks, that will work. I have a tapered bit supplied with my Kreg kit, it will substitute.

   I will try it, along with the other ideas, but probably will come back to toothpicks and glue.

   Pete 

   Edited 9/12/2008 6:02 pm ET by PCM

   Edited 9/12/2008 6:03 pm ET by PCM

6. 
   brucet9 | Sep 12, 2008 05:18am | #7

   I keep a length of 1/8" dowel in my drill/driver case. When a screw needs to be moved over a bit or the screw hole on an old door latch has been stripped out, I just tap the dowel in and break it off at the surface, then use an awl or self-centering pilot hole bit to start the new screw.

   BruceT
1. 
   PCM | Sep 12, 2008 03:42pm | #9

   thanks!

   Pete

7. 
   BarryO | Sep 12, 2008 11:39pm | #10

   I drill it out to make it large enough to put in a plug, where the plug is large enough to contain the entirety of the new hole, including any threads tapped into it.  I then cut the plug, and use 5 minute epoxy to glue it in place.  Since epoxy is gap-filling, the plug does not need to be snug.  Since "5 minute" epoxy doesn't really cure completely in 5 minutes at room temps, I put it on top of the electric blanket for 30 minutes or so to ensure it cures fully.  I then can drill the hole and re-tap it (I usually use machine screws rather and wood screws).

8. 
   KeithNewton | Sep 13, 2008 05:21am | #11

   I started keeping CA or cyanoacrylate glue around back when I was doing a lot of turning. Since then, I have found a lot of good uses for it. One of those things is for this.

   There are lots of products out there these days made from MDF or worse, which are horrible for screw holding properties. A while back my sister bought some stuff made from LDF, L is for low. I gave each hole a shot of the thin CA, which soaked in pretty fast, so I shot in some more, and kept after it until it set.

   When it was all said and done, I had a solid plastic fiber saturated plug about 1/2" diameter, which needed a new pilot hole to drive the screw into. The thread bite was phenomenal and the new plug of saturated fiber was far greater than a screw could ever achieve.

   the best part is that it is easy, and fast.

1. 
   PCM | Sep 13, 2008 03:21pm | #12

   I've used CA in small wood screwholes. Works fine.

   I also use 2 part epoxy with all thread to rebuild chairs.

   Thanks!

   Pete

9. 
   furndr | Sep 14, 2008 02:19am | #13

   I have had great luck using bamboo skewers. They come in at least two sizes and I usually use the larger of the two sizes my grocery store carries. The skewers are tough and stringy and hold a srew better than anything else I have tried, including small maple dowels.

   I even use them to attach trim to boxes and other small items. When used with walnut or mahogany they make a very nice contrast.

   Good luck.

   furndr

1. 
   PCM | Sep 14, 2008 03:17pm | #14

   Neat idea!

   Thanks.

   Pete

10. 
    Steinmetz | Sep 15, 2008 01:06am | #15

    PCM, Many's the time, I've performed corrective surgery on wayward holes and tried many of the methods previous posters suggested.

    Where I live in CT, I found a wholesale shoemaker's supplier (Where I buy my Barge Cement) in quart size cans.
    They have small wooden nails in bags of a hundred or more. They are square and pointed .
    Once glued and nailed or pressed in, they save the day.

    I've even used them in place of nails, when building router jigs or templates where any metal contact would damage a router bit. For deeper holes, I buy square toothpicks and cut them to size (Dollar store item)

    Steinmetz.

    
    

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    Edited 9/14/2008 6:51 pm ET by Steinmetz

1. 
   PCM | Sep 15, 2008 10:27pm | #16

   Thanks!

   Any website? I will hit Google for shoemaker suppliers.

   Pete

1. 
   Steinmetz | Sep 17, 2008 03:03am | #17

   PCM, They're called cobblers pegs but ask your shoue maker for a hand full. The square tooth picks are good too. Steinmetz.

1. 
   PCM | Sep 17, 2008 10:35pm | #18

   Thanks again!

   Pete