Plugging Screw Holes?

[drw]

I am working on a wall-hung cabinet for my shop. Although the work has been slow, for the most part I am happy with the results. That said, one of the cabinet doors is very slightly off, I have tried to ignore it, but it is the first thing I see every time I walk into the shop. In order to fix the problem, I need to slightly relocate the top portion of the piano hinge. As a consequence, I will need to fill most of the screw holes with "something" that will allow me to start new screws in very close proximity to the old screw holes. What "something" would you recommend that will prevent two holes from becoming one large hole?

Thank you!

 

[Bas]

For small screw holes, toothpicks and yellow glue work great. Small hardwood dowel work well too, but you may need to enlarge the existing holes for that.

 

[Mike Davis]

I usually take a small piece of hardwood or wood that matches the density of the repair piece and cut square pegs on the bandsaw whatever size fits the hole. A drop of glue in the hole, drive in the square peg and cut off any excess with a sharp chisel.

Cutting on the band saw I can orient the pegs to offer the best grip on the screws. Cross grain pegs may work better than end grain or even angle cut. It is easy to cut one inch deep ten times, rotate the blank 90° then cut ten more times. After the pegs are cut to size on the stick you have them all stuck together and easier to keep up with. Break one off as you need it.

 

[Dean Maiorano]

Yeah, what they said!

EXCEPT - epoxy over the white glue when installing the wood plug(s). Clear epoxy is available at them there Big Box stores and it will have better performance, can take a thread itself AND it gap fills up to 1/8".

 

[Joe Scharle]

Donn, I wouldn't hesitate to drill 3/8" holes centering on the existing holes. Stuff in some 3/8" plugs (for the long grain, instead of end grain dowels), Drill new hinge screw holes.
I'd use 1/2" plugs if I had a half inch plug cutter, just to make sure my new holes don't start at the edge of a plug.

 

[McRabbet]

I've had a similar situation when I drilled some shelf bracket holes too large -- I drilled them out with a progression of bits, increasing their size by 1/32" at a time until I could fill the hole with a 3/8" dowel plug with the grain matching the background stock grain direction. I glued the plugs in, sanded them flush and redrilled new shelf support holes at the correct size. The reason for the small increments in drill sizes was to avoid the drill bit grabbing the edges of the holes and tearing out the wood (you can even champfer the hole entry with the next larger bit running in reverse, which I also did).

 

[gator]

I may see this a little different, but you used the term 'piano hinge'. To me that says that you will have to redo all of the holes all the way down the length of the door (or the door frame - you didn't say which it was). I would rout out a groove a little wider than the holes and glue in a strip of wood all the way down. To me this would be easier than drilling out and filling a whole bunch of holes.

Just a different approach.

George

 

[drw]

I am very appreciative of the various recommendations, obviously there are several excellent approaches to the resolving the issue at hand. I am especially intrigued by George's idea. It should be relatively simple to route a groove along the cabinet frame and glue in a replacement piece with the same grain orientation. Moreover, since I am dealing with a piano hinge none of this will show.

Again, thank you! I hope to post pics of the finished project in the next couple of weeks.

Donn

 

[Bas]

I would rout out a groove a little wider than the holes and glue in a strip of wood all the way down. To me this would be easier than drilling out and filling a whole bunch of holes.

I've done this, when I misdrilled 5 dowel holes (referenced off the wrong face..duh). A sharp chisel makes the ends square, then just slip in a strip of wood. Of course, it does take 20 minutes to install the right bit, adjust the edge guide etc. But that's the law of woodworking: 2 seconds to mess up, 2 hours to fix.

 

[drw]

I've done this, when I misdrilled 5 dowel holes (referenced off the wrong face..duh). A sharp chisel makes the ends square, then just slip in a strip of wood. Of course, it does take 20 minutes to install the right bit, adjust the edge guide etc. But that's the law of woodworking: 2 seconds to mess up, 2 hours to fix.

Bas, I know exactly what you mean! My plan is to correct the problem this weekend. In addition to the measures suggested, I have also purchased screws that are double the length of the original...I am optimistic that the correction will work fine, the added time AND expense notwithstanding.

Donn

 

[Charlie]

If the screw holes in the hinge are not located equal distances from both ends, flip the hinge end to end and drill new holes. Or, remove hinge from door and cabinet and relocate slightly to miss existing holes. As stated, the existing holes wil be covered.