MDF repair

Fen Dancer

Fen Dancer

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I've got a self tapping wood screw that's pulled out of the base plate of one of my speakers (one of the hidden joys of buying ex-dem) and wondered if anyone knows of a suitable tube of glop which can be squirted into the hole to firm up the MDF. I want the screw to be removable again so I won't be using epoxy resin glues. And I've no intention of turning over a 1 metre tall 50 Kg speaker to drill and Rawlplug it like you would a wall.
Any ideas?
 
you could try some ptfe plumbers tape - i've had some success with it if the hole isn't too big.
wrap it round the screw a few times and screw in as normal.
 
Break a third or so of a match off (depending on the depth of the hole of course) and drop it in then the screw should go back in nicely providing the hole isn't too big. Else pack the hole with an mdf dust/pva mix (mostly dust) or an off the shelf wood filler then re-drill when its set.
 
What about cleaning the old hole out, filling very tightly with a quality woodfiller, leave it to dry for a couple of days, drill a small pilot hole and refit spike/fitment ?

Or make a coup[le of spiked plinths which can be screwed into the holes in the bottom of the speaker ?
 
I think you will be best off turning the speaker on its side so you can work on it and tightly filling the hole with wood filler. Re-drill the hold and screw.

Alternatively the usual method for a loose wood screw is to put a little bit of PVA on the screw thread. When it is dry it will stay in well, but it will still easily come out again.
 
I gotta say my experience of wood filler is that it doesn't like being screwed into (a bit crumbly). I'd go with the pva plus dust combo and when completely dry I'd pre-drill a new hole before inserting a new screw.

Of course, I may have been using sh*te filler!
 
You need to choose the right filler, some are for cosmetic repair and some for this sort of thing. As you say, strong PVA and very fine sawdust works a treat.
 
why not drill out the hole just smaller than a piece of dowel, tap the dowel in with some PVA, re-drill the hole and fit the screw,
 
if it were me I would mix most of the above and turn the speaker on it's side and epoxy some matchsticks in the hole tightly. chisel off the excess when set, drill a small hole then put the screw in.

or the dowel method is by far the best but you will have wood shavings in the cabinet from the drilling. so that means drivers out etc.

the endgrain of the dowel will be fine as long as you predrill it.
 
If i want to re-tighten a wood screw hle i just put a bit of PVA glue down it. You need to add a few layers but without closing the hole completely, works a treat. ( Great for re-tightening the holes on an LP12 armboard that has seen a little too much action....)
 
Many thanks Gents, I'll give the PVA glop a whirl.
My initial thoughts were to use toothpicks and Blutack, purely on the grounds that Saint Blutack (patron saint of HiFi) seems to be able to fix everything.
 

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