misterwhizzy
Well-known member
After years of experimenting, changing pickups, etc. I have some screws in more than one guitar that really don't screw into anything. I'm no woodworker, but is there a simple trick to fix this?
Any tips for fixing stripped screw holes?
- Thread starter misterwhizzy
- Start date
AniML
New member
Several options I've seen / tried:
Put a flat toothpick in the hole, screw in and trim excess
Make a paste with sawdust and wood glue, partially fill hole, insert screw and allow to dry
Coat screw with crazy glue and screw in, allow to cure, and will form a hard shell.. be careful of overspill not damaging finish
First way is easiest / reversable, 2nd is my preference
Put a flat toothpick in the hole, screw in and trim excess
Make a paste with sawdust and wood glue, partially fill hole, insert screw and allow to dry
Coat screw with crazy glue and screw in, allow to cure, and will form a hard shell.. be careful of overspill not damaging finish
First way is easiest / reversable, 2nd is my preference
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Putting a toothpick in the hole will possibly crack the finish if you aren't being too careful, but it's not very likely. What I do is either find a dowel that perfectly fits the hole or drill the hole big enough that your dowel fits perfectly, glue it in with wood glue, trim it level with an exacto knife, and then drill a slightly smaller hole than the screw.
But if it's just for holding the pickguard on, I would say just put a toothpick in it. But pretty much every time you unscrew that hole, you're going to have to put another tooth pick in.
But if it's just for holding the pickguard on, I would say just put a toothpick in it. But pretty much every time you unscrew that hole, you're going to have to put another tooth pick in.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
I guess I should rephrase, you don't need wood glue if you don't mind redoing it every time you unscrew.
Stick to one toothpick per hole.
Stick to one toothpick per hole.
Supernautilus
New member
I have a quick and easy method that I’ve been using for a while now. I just get a razer blade and shave off tiny slivers of wood from whatever I have at hand. Then I use tweezers to shove em down into the hole. No drilling or glue needed. Works every time.
ehdwuld
A Ficus
I use this method
slivers of wooden clothes pins ( or southern chip bag clips )
and glue ( Titebond II )
again whatever I can find that is wooden
some things say they are wood but really are not
plastic might work but I haven't tried that
is the purpose to fill the hole that is visible so that you can paint or seal over it
also known as an "unused hole" ?
if this is the case then dowel and fill as the paint or sealant may not stick properly to the glues
Bill Dennis
New member
Drill the hole out clean to the smallest size you can that a dowel will fit in snugly. GLue in the dowel, trim flush and redrill. Touch up an bare wood still showing... The proper way.
Jam in tooth picks and wood glue. The most common way
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
The two guitars I care about fixing have screws into the control cavity cover plate that are just sitting in the holes. The one in my Gibson has worked its way all the way into the control cavity so the hole is only a hole on 90% of the circumference or so. I think I can still make the toothpick method work there, though.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
I'd do this for a bridge post or something . . . but for your typical tiny screw that holds on a control cover or pickguard? Seems like that's a lot of extra work for no extra benefit.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
For a Squier with a single stripped screw? Toothpick(s) and wood glue will be enough, but it would also be a good chance to learn the dowel method, which is going to be best because if one screw is stripped, the rest probably aren't doing too hot either
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
I've done the first many times. I tend to put a drop of glue in the hole insert one or two toothpicks broken off flush to the top of the hole depending on the size, and then screw into that once it's dried. I've done this for strap lock screws, jack plate screws, and pickguard screws, and never had an issue with the results.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
For small screws like pickguard and pickup mounting, I just fill with wood filler/putty and screw back in. The toothpick/glue thing seems like overkill to me and is visually obvious on all the guitars I have that someone did it to.
ehdwuld
A Ficus
dowel would be my perfered method here
cover screw or pickup screws or strap pins = toothpick
holes to paint over or need to be strong = dowel
EDIT
wood putty if its not structural yes that is good
I have used drywall compound to fill small holes I was painting over
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Artie
Peaveyologist
Yes. The other three are an oz-in of torque away from being stripped also.
BeKindRewind
New member
since we're talking about "other little tricks" , an older fella taught me this one time, you take a strand of copper wire and stick that into the hole, similar to a toothpick I guess it makes the screw bite but not a permanent solution
