Actually, the screws are fine, its the holes that are stripped. These are the two screws that hold a plate onto my tail vise without wich I cannot open the vise (they are not particularly relevant to closing). So, I am greatly I need of a solution — is there a way to fix the screws back into the stripped holes? Would it work if I filled the holes with something like epoxy or gorilla glue? I assume either of those options would hold the screws in place qutie well, certainly give me a better chance than wood filler. Unfortunately, I cannot use wider screws without having the plate throughwhich they pass remilled, which wouldn’t be easy.
Any help would be MUCH appreciated!
thx, tony.
Replies
CAN YOU DRILL OUT THE HOLES AND GLUE IN DOWELLS TO THE BENCH.
tOM b
I'm confused. What exactly is stripped -- the holes holding your vise to the bench (which presumably is wood)?
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"I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there."
-- Herb Caen (1916-1997)
If the holes in the wood, into which the screws are inserted, are too large or just fragged beyond their ability to hold the screws, you can fill the hole by gluing in dowels and redrilling after the glue has cured.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Dont' fill the holes with epoxy or polyurethane glue. The polyurethane will foam and won't have any strength. The dowel suggestion is the standard way of handling your situation.
The problem with filling with a dowel is that you end up with endgrain wood. If the screws have a lot of pressure tending to draw them out, end wood will not hold long term. As I recall, endgrain holding power is about 25% of cross grain.
Rather than a dowel, you can use a plug cutter and cut some cross grain plugs that can be put into the drilled out hole(s). Providing hardwood is used, almost full strenth can be attained.Howie.........
thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm wondering what the best way to glue the plugs into the holes would be. Epoxy, gorilla glue or just plain old yellow wood glue (or some other option)? thanks, tony.
Tony, Drill up through the table then counterbore the top portion (For wood plugs)Then install carriage through bolts, lockwashers,washers and nuts.
Do one hole at a time, so the vise doesn't shift it's location. Steinmetz.
Just plain yellow glue.
John
I would mix up a tablespoon of West System's Epoxy and some saw dust. The epoxy's bond will be stronger than the wood surrounding it. Throw in some slivers of wood for some extra gripping as well.Regards,
Boris"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
I would drill out the vise and go with bigger and longer screws. If you use the dowel method, and it fails because the threads are into the end-grain, where will that leave you?
Or, instead of dowels with end grain, maybe plugs could be cut across the grain and stacked in the hole. Cut them about 1/2" diameter and glue each one fully, making sure there aren't any glue pockets. Otherwise, if the screws are going into the edge of a bench top, knock down inserts(the kind that acts like a nut, but goes into a round hole drilled perpendicular to the screw used to hold the vise on) could be used with the appropriate screw.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
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