LSLGuy
March 16, 2009, 1:18pm
21
You can also buy a bag of a dozen or 50 dowel pins which are already cut to length, have chamfred ends, and have glue grooves. Like these: http://www.kempwood.com/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=142&pageStyle=L
These’ll cost a couple bucks more than just buying a 3’ stick of 1/4" dowel for $1.29, but you’ll eliminate several steps & several tools.
fisha
March 16, 2009, 4:02pm
22
Valgard:
The toothpick thing could work, as would something like Screwgrip (a sort of metal mesh that you stuff into the screwhole and then drive the screw back in), depending on how bad a fit the holes are now. If that won’t give a good fix, here’s what I have done.
I had a similar situation with my patio door (previous owner installed it very badly so screws were not biting into actual wood). My solution was what I posted last night in another question:
Assuming you have access to some basic tools (electric drill is the only critical one) this will only cost a few dollars and it’s a very sturdy fix.
Get a drill bit larger than the hole - I used a 1/4" bit. Also get some wood glue, a length of 1/4" hardwood dowel (any lumberyard, hardware store, etc), some rough sandpaper and an exacto knife. You’re basically going to glue a wood plug into each hole.
Drill the stripped screw holes out with the 1/4" bit. Make it a nice neat hole.
Take a length of dowel a bit longer than the hole is deep. Chamfer the front end with the sandpaper/exacto knife and sand the dowel’s diameter down enough that it will just fit into the hole - you want a snug but not “pound into place” fit. Cut some grooves down the length of the dowel with the exacto knife (these will allow glue to flow in the next step).
Put a thin layer of woodglue on the dowel and tap it into the hole. It’ll stick out a little bit, that’s OK.
Let the glue dry. Cut the excess dowel off flush (you can use the saw on a Swiss Army knife, borrow a chisel, etc).
Now have a couple people hold the door firmly in place, mark the hinge holes, carefully drill properly-sized pilot holes for the screws and remount the door. My patio door had been hung with a combination of short (3/4") screws that barely bit into the wood and overly long 3" decking screws in oversized holes so they weren’t actually screwed into the wood at all. It was wobbly as hell. I fixed the oversized holes with the dowel trick and used appropriate screws to remount the hinges (I used 2" #8 SPAX flatheads; if you’re going to put the time into fixing it might as well fix it right so your landlord doesn’t come after your damage deposit for a wobbly door; spend the extra dollar for good fasteners instead of throwing drywall screws or whatever on there).
You know, I appreciate an answer that is complete and gives the optimal way of doing things.
But this guy sounds like a frat boy with a screwdriver.
Know your audience.
fisha:
You know, I appreciate an answer that is complete and gives the optimal way of doing things.
But this guy sounds like a frat boy with a screwdriver.
Know your audience.
Well the OP did say:
vinniepaz:
I have played a large role in the construction of houses three times from beginning to end, so I have some level of experience with general building, framing, painting, etc.
So I figured that he’d be capable of drilling a few holes and handling wood glue without any OSHA recordables ensuing
And I remember what I was like in college. If I could go back and do a number of things from the start with the “Do it right one time, the first time” perspective I’d have saved myself a lot of trouble so I wanted to do my part to pass that along…
dracoi
March 16, 2009, 4:32pm
25
OK, it had to be said and no one has done it yet.
The better idea is to use the door handle next time instead of knocking it down.
Joey_P
March 16, 2009, 5:19pm
26
dracoi:
OK, it had to be said and no one has done it yet.
The better idea is to use the door handle next time instead of knocking it down.
If you can’t go to a party and rip a door off it’s hinges, I say, why even go to college?
