Replies

1. 
   highfigh | Aug 10, 2006 02:10am | #1

   If you go to Home Depot, they have a screw that looks like a drywall screw on steroids. Any time you screw into the edge, you should drill it first. If you look at these and decide to go with regular drywall screws, use the coarse thread or it'll strip very easily. Screwing into the face, any coarse thread should work. Just don't overtighten.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
2. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Aug 10, 2006 05:00am | #2

   Spax....  

   SARGE..

3. 
   KeithNewton | Aug 10, 2006 05:10am | #3

   I helped a friend hang some cheap walk-through doors a few months ago, then when we took the hinges off to paint, I found that some of the screws had already failed before they had made it to the job.

   Since I always keep CA glue on hand for turnings, among other things, so i just saturated the fibers around by giving two good squirts into the hole. After it dried, there was a plastic plug about the size of a grape in the edge of the door that the screw could really get a good bite onto.

   If you need some quick, and you are in a fairly large town, you may be able to find it at a hobby store, or you can get it from any of the turning suppliers, or here is a link for a larger distributor.

   If you have never used this stuff, make sure that you have plenty of cross ventilation. DON'T BREATH THE VAPORS OR LET IT GET IN YOUR EYES.

   Otherwise it is thiner than water, and will really soak in well. If you get the thin or fast.

1. 
   londonlad | Aug 10, 2006 05:31am | #4

   What exactly is CA glue?- You didn't include the link.....ThanksLndnld

1. 
   dgreen | Aug 10, 2006 05:33am | #5

   Super glue, krazy glue. cyanocrylate.
   Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. ~Italian Proverb

1. 
   londonlad | Aug 10, 2006 06:19am | #6

   Ah!Thanks

1. 
   KeithNewton | Aug 10, 2006 07:13am | #7

   Sorry about the oversize. Here is a link.
   http://www.e-zbond.com/Product.htmThere are some screws made just for this, which are much better than wood screws, usually much larger than normal, but I don't have them in many lengths for my own use on hand. I was glad to discover this little trick. When I got back to mounting the hinges, I had gotten some new longer screws, which I thought were needed. When they hit the bottom of the hole, it stopped my drill / driver. You will defiantly need a properly sized pilot hole. I will be using this to fasten some apron parts onto the bottom of some table leaves that I just made using veneer over edged MDF. Since this thin glue soaks out for about 3 / 8" from the edge of the pilot hole, it may be a good idea to not have the hole get any closer to the opposite face, to avoid having it bleed through the face.

2. 
   cadiddlehopper | Aug 11, 2006 02:29am | #9

   Polyurethane glue can be used to hold screws, too. I have put in a charge of it with the screw after letting the filler glue set. It holds!Cadiddlehopper

1. 
   KeithNewton | Aug 11, 2006 04:30am | #10

   I was not talking about gluing the screw in, I was talking about drilling a pilot hole, then filling it with thin cyanoacrylate, which will soak into the surrounding fiber, then turn into a nice plastic fiber-reinforced plug that the threads can really get a good bite on without crushing and tearing out, and causing the normal little volcano shaped crater that is useless.Otherwise, you should use the euro screws that ring mentioned. That is what I use most of the time. I just keep them for certain things, and don't have much of an assortment.

1. 
   cadiddlehopper | Aug 11, 2006 02:44pm | #11

   You wrote: I was not talking about gluing the screw in
   I was talking about gluing it in. Your method is surely a better one in that the fastening can be undone. Mine is a last chance, desperation method. The neatest repair might be to drill out the hole oversized & glue in a length of dowel. I know: grain orientation is the wrong way, but it works usually.Cadid

4. 
   ring | Aug 10, 2006 07:25am | #8

   Euro-style "Cabinet Connecting screws" will give the best holding power I am aware of in MDF.  They need an accurate pilot hole to be effective.  Check out McFeeley's.

   http://www.mcfeelys.com/product.asp?pid=7050-CSP

   DR