Repairing loose door hinge screws

I have pondered on a way to correct the loose small bronze screws that held the aft head door hinges in place. A previous attempt with longer screws did not penetrate deep enough to "bite" into any fresh wood due to an open cavity beyond the door frame material. My new approach involved using a countersink bit on my cordless drill to allow me to expand the existing hole and accept a size larger (yes it's SS) screw. The results were perfect.




1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

A better way is to fill the old hole with wood, toothpicks, match sticks, wood skewers, and glue. Let it dry and then replace the original screws. All fixed.

stubones99 said:

A better way is to fill the old hole with wood, toothpicks, match sticks, wood skewers, and glue. Let it dry and then replace the original screws. All fixed.

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+1

Or drill out screw hole, glue in wood dowel plug, create pilot hole, screw in.

Bigger screws works to. Wasnt big enuff to begin with. Good job.

I have had some success using small nylon tiee. Insert then of the wire tie into the hole, cut it off flush then replace screw. I have found that the tie outlasts toothpicks, especially if outside in the weather.

I have always done the toothpick trick, but I may try the wire tie next time, more surface area.

Drill slightly under size for wood dowel. Coat dowel (maybe 1 1/2" with wood glue. Tap into place. Trim off excess with wood chisel. Drink beer. Drill pilot hole and screw. Do one at a time with other screws holding hinge in proper location.

Drilling the hole for wooden dowels is the professional approach. Toothpicks, etc. are a more temporary fix.


You can use dowels up to the size that they will show behind the hinge or whatever you are fastening in place.

The reason I would encourage the dowel, even though it may take a bit more time, the flatter surface would make it a lot easier to get your center correct.

I use various methods as appropriate to the appearance, task, and quality of the subject.

1, Waterproof and original appearance: Use epoxy mixed with wood dust. The resulting mix can be soft enough to not shatter with the reinstalled screw.
2, Waterproof and original appearance - and you want it NOW, and you don't care about subsequent removal: Use epoxy and a carved-to-size wood plug; reinstall screw into the newly applied epoxy. Fine for the short fat stubby screws in Perko hatch hinges.
3, Where you don't care much about the size of the screwhead: larger screw, preferably with the same thread pitch. Just the thing when you're getting rid of slotted screws as a matter of ease.
4, Less important, dry situations: Carved-to-size plug (match sticks are seldom the right size), with or without glue, pilot hole, same or same size screw.
5, Where the hole is split out or a complete shattered mess: glued wood plug with the glue forced into the shatter, variously epoxy or wood glue - epoxy is brittle, pilot hole, screw.
6, Furniture or musical instrument work: Neatly bored out, install matching wood bung with matching grain direction, glued in with hot hide glue (! Instrument restorers have the horrors for epoxy or PVA glue, not removable/reversible), pilot hole and the original sized screw. This latter is considered appropriate for organ, and player piano work, where there are airtight windchests and repeated repair and restoration is expected.

Dowels and plugs mean that the grain direction is wrong for screws. You never get the original holding power; you inevitably tear up the new threads when the screw is subsequently removed and replaced.

I seldom change the size of the hole or countersink, and certainly not on plated hardware. I very seldom mix brass or bronze hardware with stainless steel screws - a matter of appearance. I'll polish mill-finish stainless steel screwheads when installing in chrome plated hardware, if I think it worthwhile.

Let the punishment fit the crime.

kulas44 said:

Bigger screws works to. Wasnt big enuff to begin with. Good job.

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Thank you


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

DHeckrotte said:

............Dowels and plugs mean that the grain direction is wrong for screws. You never get the original holding power; you inevitably tear up the new threads when the screw is subsequently removed and replaced...........

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You are correct on the grain direction but I've never had a problem after using dowels. The remaining original wood helps to hold the dowel in place.

If this is a concern, buy a plug cutter and cut plugs out of matching hardwood and you can insert them with the grain in the right direction. If you really want to make a mountain out of a molehill, you can get a small chisel and chisel out the damaged screw hole to a square, then cut a square plug and glue it in.

A boat is not a violin, we won't be taking it apart so high performance exterior wood glues will work well here.

kulas44 said:

Bigger screws works to. Wasnt big enuff to begin with. Good job.

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In most cases, a bigger screw will not fit in the recess of the hinge.

I think the forum might be missing the simple value on this approach...The brass hinge tapered holes were expanded with the countersink bit. If catastrophic failure is a concern from the dissimilar metals- then by all means use your preferred choice of metal screws. I just happened to have SS on hand in the size I needed. A 3 minute repair for 3 holes. Simple. Permanent. Improved retaining ability due to much increased contact area of the larger thread screws and head. Perhaps what we need is Spring !


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

Wow, 15 posts on how to tighten hinges !

Greetings,
Mr. bp. Had to cover all the angles and assure the repair was AYBC approved.

I have used bamboo that are skewers and chopsticks. Coat with glue, pound into hole, they are very strong. Then snap off. Pound in as many as you can.
For some reason, works great. Dowels have that end grain running the wrong way.
Bamboo, no grain issue.

Bamboo will hold bottom planks in stripped holes in boat frames.

boatpoker said:

Wow, 15 posts on how to tighten hinges !

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There are at least fifteen ways to do it.

Greetings,
Mr. 717. Sorry I have to kindly disagree with your bamboo statement. "Bamboo, no grain issue." A bamboo skewer DOES have grain that runs end to end likewise commercial dowel material. One can witness the bamboo grain when one breaks off the skewer. The broken end looks like paint brush bristles.

I do agree they are very strong and hard and the fibers are densely packed parallel to the length. Home made dowels or plugs cut with a plug cutter do have grain running in the opposite direction (right angles to the length).

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. 717. Sorry I have to kindly disagree with your bamboo statement. "Bamboo, no grain issue." A bamboo skewer DOES have grain that runs end to end likewise commercial dowel material. One can witness the bamboo grain when one breaks off the skewer. The broken end looks like paint brush bristles.

I do agree they are very strong and hard and the fibers are densely packed parallel to the length. Home made dowels or plugs cut with a plug cutter do have grain running in the opposite direction (right angles to the length).

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I know what your saying, but my practical experience showed me they grab and do not tear out. Not being wood, they are a grass, somehow their fibers hold screws. I used them plenty. I was even able to fill up a half inch hole in a plank to hold bronze wood screws, and when cranking down, it pulled the large piece of wood tight and the power drill was stopped. That was on a low down mahogany spray - splash rail into mahogany planks.

My feeling is the screw threads hold because bamboo fibers stick together better than wood fibers, screw thread may be cutting the fibers rather than wedging-splitting the fibers. Wood fiber end grain your wedging in a screw which splits wood fivers apart. Then the screw is loose.

I made plenty of plugs with proper grain orientation to repair stripped holes over the years.
The bamboo worked as well and is a lot easier on me.

It was a big surprise to me how well the bamboo worked.

Greetings,
Mr. 717. Hard to argue with experience. Point taken.

Here's method #16:


Drill the hole out for a threaded insert, then use a machine screw.

A variation of the dowel arrangement, I carry bags of various sizes of wood furniture dowels. Furniture dowels are usually either fluted or spiral grooved hardwood so readily accept glue and are available in most common sizes for quick repairs.

Did your repair work ??? I rest my case.

Lightly pack screw hole with lead wool, then reinsert screw.

Whats lead wool?

Sailor of Fortune said:

Whats lead wool?

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It comes from a sheep which acts as a flock leader.

BruceK said:

It comes from a sheep which acts as a flock leader.

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