My loose screw

brycycle · Post by **brycycle** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:08 pm

having removed/replaced the tailpiece, bridge pup surround, etc. many times recently trying to fix a wiring issue, a couple screws are 'loosening' their grip when re-installed.

any suggestions of how to remedy this? wood glue or filler in the screw hole?

(yes - i'm aware of the potential innuendos in the thread)

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:21 pm

Try putting a couple of drops of Elmer's glue into the hole and a small piece of toothpick ... then screw in the screw ...

having a screw loose is not so bad just don't loose you marbles ...

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:35 pm

The tooth pick trick is a good one. Go with that. I have lots of maple scrap around so I like to nip off maple splinters with my front cutters and stuff them in the oversized hole with a little wood glue. Then twist the screw in and go.

edski · Post by **edski** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:39 pm

I used the toothpick trick fixing the many stripped screwholes on my baby grand piano along the hindge on the cover...

I'd agree with Jeff that some wood glue might be a good idea - a few of the holes there was not enough meat after the toothpick and the screw still spins. But since there are 50 of them I'm not worried much about 2 or 3 in that condition.

On a guitar there are far less screws, and each play a more enhanced role.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:20 pm

Toothpicks are made of soft birch...endgrain has the least resistance to pull-out...

I use sharpened maple dowel rod. I taper the dowel on a disc sander, nip it about 1" long before inserting into the oversized hole with a drop of gap-filling super glue, and pound it in with a small hammer a few strokes, before the glue takes hold.

Then cut off with side cutters, close to the surface, trim with a sharp chisel, re-drill the hole undersized, and re-insert the screw.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:28 pm

I hope there is no one out there that disbelieves Paul W.

Anything short of what he described is a half measure. They work for a while but................

I came to know this through hours of watching Norm (You know, that Yankee dude), and the Furniture Guys, and.........

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:38 pm

Aaahhh...The Furniture Guys....good times!
Those guys were hilarious! I wish they were still on somewhere.

brycycle · Post by **brycycle** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:54 pm

great - thanks.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:58 pm

Dowels work nicely on larger screw holes (#6 and up)

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:04 pm

Here's one thing I learned from the Furniture Guys: Use a golf tee to tighten up a door hinge screw hole. You pound it in and cut it off. It wedges nicely with the taper!

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:30 pm

Ahhh....... Norm Abram and the New Yankee Workshop. It used to be my favourite Saturday morning show on satellite TV until they took it off for some reason.

I would just about kill for his workshop..... and some of his ability!!

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:41 pm

It was always one of my favs!

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:43 pm

He is truly a master craftsman! Of course, I can think of a few guys on this forum that meet this criteria as luthiers!