Seems like it's not a good idea to remove too many times pickguards and the like because the threads in the wood start flatening out and you risk not being able to tighten the screw all the way. Is it a good idea in this case to apply a bit of wood filler to the screw threads before screwing plates and such back on the bass?
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Screwing and unscewing into wood, weakened threads
- Thread starter Lownote Floyd
- Start date
No, just makes the next removal more difficult and potentially damaging. I just break off a piece of a tooth pick in the hole. The screw will hold fine without glue.
'Wood filler' does NOT belong in a guitar. It's for filling holes in planks, walls and covering the head of nails in finished wood products.
If you want you can armor the hole with CA, but if the hole(s) get weak, just insert a toothpick into the hole before you put the screw back in the oversized/shredded screw hole.
Adding a little Elmer's aliphatic wood glue is an option - but I tend to not use it until the last resort. .
If you want you can armor the hole with CA, but if the hole(s) get weak, just insert a toothpick into the hole before you put the screw back in the oversized/shredded screw hole.
Adding a little Elmer's aliphatic wood glue is an option - but I tend to not use it until the last resort. .
The best solution is prevention. Whenever you put a wood screw back into an existing hole, gently turn it backwards until you feel the screw drop into the existing threads in the wood. Then carefully snug it down until it stops. Do this EVERY time and you likely won't have to worry about it.
Once you've worn the threads, a bit of tooth-pick and wood glue for pickguard type screws works great. For larger screws with more stress on them, such as bridge screws or strap-button screws, I prefer to fill the hole with a small amount of baking powder (I think, maybe it's soda- the Arm & Hammer® stuff) and Super Glue®. Fill the hole about one/third with powder, drop a bit of the CA glue in (keep your face away, it might "poof" out), let it sit for a minute and repeat. After it's filled, I let it sit for about an hour, then carefully re-drill the proper sized pilot hole and insert the screw. I got this from John Carruthers' column in Guitar Player Magazine back in the late '70s or early '80s.
John
Once you've worn the threads, a bit of tooth-pick and wood glue for pickguard type screws works great. For larger screws with more stress on them, such as bridge screws or strap-button screws, I prefer to fill the hole with a small amount of baking powder (I think, maybe it's soda- the Arm & Hammer® stuff) and Super Glue®. Fill the hole about one/third with powder, drop a bit of the CA glue in (keep your face away, it might "poof" out), let it sit for a minute and repeat. After it's filled, I let it sit for about an hour, then carefully re-drill the proper sized pilot hole and insert the screw. I got this from John Carruthers' column in Guitar Player Magazine back in the late '70s or early '80s.
John
different idea, John ... never heard of that before ...
... that is why whenever I buy a neck, I ALWAYS try to get the original screws and neckplate, as to re-use the exact same thread pattern that does not break down the wood as much .. If a repair is needed, (flat) toothpicks and Elmers wood glue ... and as John mentioned, make sure you drill a new pilot hole once it has set up ...
... that is why whenever I buy a neck, I ALWAYS try to get the original screws and neckplate, as to re-use the exact same thread pattern that does not break down the wood as much .. If a repair is needed, (flat) toothpicks and Elmers wood glue ... and as John mentioned, make sure you drill a new pilot hole once it has set up ...
well, with wood glue, you don't wait;
toothpick slathered in wood glue, shove it in the hole, snip off any overhang, then crank the screw right in. this forces the new wood to "clamp" against the old (which wood glue needs for a strong bond) and allows the hole to dry while "cast" in the shape of the needed threads.
superglue/powder can work, but it's more hassle, way more risk to the finish, and may not even be as strong.
toothpick slathered in wood glue, shove it in the hole, snip off any overhang, then crank the screw right in. this forces the new wood to "clamp" against the old (which wood glue needs for a strong bond) and allows the hole to dry while "cast" in the shape of the needed threads.
superglue/powder can work, but it's more hassle, way more risk to the finish, and may not even be as strong.
Yep, agreed. This is a situation where the quickest and dirtiest simple fix is actually the best one.
