Wood Threaded Inserts

[Meaney77]

I have an older boat and have some screws in my engine compartment that are no longer holding and staying tight along the stringers. These are the dividers that keep buoys, extra life jackets, etc. away from the motor.

I am looking for a solution- I have heard you can break tooth picks off in the holes and that works., but was looking for something a little better like a screw insert of some sort. What have you don in the past? What do the MFG's use? Do the inserts have to be stainless since they are going into wood or would a brass insert work with a stainless screw?

Would something like this work?

Amazon.com: Stainless T-Nuts, 1/4"-20 Inch, (25 Pack), Threaded Insert, Choose Size/Quantity, by Bolt Dropper, Pronged Tee Nut. (1/4"-20 x 7/16"): Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Stainless T-Nuts, 1/4"-20 Inch, (25 Pack), Threaded Insert, Choose Size/Quantity, by Bolt Dropper, Pronged Tee Nut. (1/4"-20 x 7/16"): Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

or

https://www.amazon.com/4-20-Threaded-Insert-Nutsert-Screw/dp/B07QGMCNS8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Threaded+Inserts&qid=1625672210&s=industrial&sr=1-1-spons&ts_id=16410701&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSERaQlFYNTk3TjdOJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjE0OTE1Mk1HMUo4ODAyMlZSOSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDgyMjYyMVdIQzRIOTJPMFBVWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Thanks for your input

 

[TeamGreene]

When we need to plug a hole in a jamb and insert a new screw we use glue and a golf tee. Works great!

 

[Bigbore500r]

Wood glue, and wood BBQ skewers work great to repair damaged (stripped) wood screwholes. I've never used an insert but that might be an option

 

[Taboma]

I have an older boat and have some screws in my engine compartment that are no longer holding and staying tight along the stringers. These are the dividers that keep buoys, extra life jackets, etc. away from the motor.

I am looking for a solution- I have heard you can break tooth picks off in the holes and that works., but was looking for something a little better like a screw insert of some sort. What have you don in the past? What do the MFG's use? Do the inserts have to be stainless since they are going into wood or would a brass insert work with a stainless screw?

Would something like this work?

Amazon.com: Stainless T-Nuts, 1/4"-20 Inch, (25 Pack), Threaded Insert, Choose Size/Quantity, by Bolt Dropper, Pronged Tee Nut. (1/4"-20 x 7/16"): Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Stainless T-Nuts, 1/4"-20 Inch, (25 Pack), Threaded Insert, Choose Size/Quantity, by Bolt Dropper, Pronged Tee Nut. (1/4"-20 x 7/16"): Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

or

https://www.amazon.com/4-20-Threaded-Insert-Nutsert-Screw/dp/B07QGMCNS8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Threaded+Inserts&qid=1625672210&s=industrial&sr=1-1-spons&ts_id=16410701&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSERaQlFYNTk3TjdOJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjE0OTE1Mk1HMUo4ODAyMlZSOSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDgyMjYyMVdIQzRIOTJPMFBVWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Thanks for your input

Done all three. Back in youth with my dad's wooden boats phase, we broke off toothpicks, in fact dad kept a jar full in his shop. But they were each glued in prior to inserting the screw.
Used the T-Nuts when I wanted a stout, strong connection AND I had access to the back of the wood material.
Used those inserts, but primarily on particle board where normal screws can easily strip or pull out.

Each is good, just depends on the variables.

 

[Waterjunky]

The inserts are great if you are taking something on and off regularly.
The T-nuts are great if you can easily access the back side and need peak strength.
The toothpicks are great for fast, easy, cheap, and work for a permanent solution. dip each one in glue and completely fill the hole with glue ( the hardest part) then dip and jam in as many as you can. Diagonals to cut the mess flush. From there, set your screw, wipe off the excess and let it set up before loading.

 

[SixD9R]

If I understand those inserts correctly, they look like the type that you put in on the backside of a through hole. If you put it in from the front (the same side you are installing the screw into) it would just pull right out when you tighten the screw. With that said, in lieu of the insert shown in the OP, you might be able to just drill it through and use a nut and washer.

There are wood inserts that are meant to be installed in the front side. I’ll see if I can find an example.

 

[coolchange]

Find a vertical grain piece of wood, fir, oak, tear off splinter soak in glue and drive it in. Pilot hole, glue on screw.

 

[SixD9R]

Here’s an example of a wood insert I was referring to in my previous post. This particular one has a 1/4-20 thread on the Inside and other sizes are available.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Clean hole out with a drill bit, blow out any debris, Go to CVS Pharmacy and ask for a infant dosing syringe, the usually have 2 sizes, 5ml and 20 ml, they are free. Get both if you are unsure. For bigger holes the larger one is better. Pack the syringe with 2 part epoxy and completely fill the hole and tape over the hole if it is vertical and let it dry. Drill pilot hole and run in the self tapping screw.

Stop worrying about it for the rest of your life and your children's lives.

 

[Rajobigguy]

Here’s an example of a wood insert I was referring to in my previous post. This particular one has a 1/4-20 thread on the Inside and other sizes are available.

View attachment 1022786

These are the ones that I would recommend.

 

[D19]

Here’s an example of a wood insert I was referring to in my previous post. This particular one has a 1/4-20 thread on the Inside and other sizes are available.

View attachment 1022786

x2 I’ve used these a lot. Work great.

 

[D19]

Btw- use a lock washer under the bolt head with the inserts.

 

[HNL2LHC]

I just did a few in our house. Bought dowels and 5 minute epoxy. Drilled out and chiseled the extra. I have done the toothpicks as well as three as inserts. Depends on how lasting of job you want. The thread inserts are really easy and strong as hell. Never had a toothpick fail me either. I went with the dowel because some of the hardware was jacked and I didn’t want to do it a second time the toothpick trick did not work.

 

[AzMandella]

Clean hole out with a drill bit, blow out any debris, Go to CVS Pharmacy and ask for a infant dosing syringe, the usually have 2 sizes, 5ml and 20 ml, they are free. Get both if you are unsure. For bigger holes the larger one is better. Pack the syringe with 2 part epoxy and completely fill the hole and tape over the hole if it is vertical and let it dry. Drill pilot hole and run in the self tapping screw.

Stop worrying about it for the rest of your life and your children's lives.

This is what I would do . But use Marine-Tex .

 

[D19]

This is coming from a former boat rigger, do not epoxy and cram tooth pics in. That's so Jerry Rig! Imagine if a boat shop did that? The RDP lynch-mob would loose their minds and call that shop out.

Just spend a few minutes, take a trip to the hardware store for inserts and stainless bolts and do it right. When you have to pull it apart again for some reason, you'll be glad you did it right.

Don't use the hammer- in kind. They will for sure come out. Don't use the other ones either, those are cheap and made for furniture. Get some good quality brass threaded inserts like SixDr posted. It helps to heat them with a torch first before threading in.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Clean hole out with a drill bit, blow out any debris, Go to CVS Pharmacy and ask for a infant dosing syringe, the usually have 2 sizes, 5ml and 20 ml, they are free. Get both if you are unsure. For bigger holes the larger one is better. Pack the syringe with 2 part epoxy and completely fill the hole and tape over the hole if it is vertical and let it dry. Drill pilot hole and run in the self tapping screw.

Stop worrying about it for the rest of your life and your children's lives.

Who are you to say that any one of my holes are dirty and need to be clown out? :looking:

 

[Chili Palmer]

Use fireplace match sticks for screws - or just through bolt it with a carriage bolts if you can.

 

[Bobby_329]

Here’s an example of a wood insert I was referring to in my previous post. This particular one has a 1/4-20 thread on the Inside and other sizes are available.

View attachment 1022786

I used these in my stoker for seat mount brackets as you cant through bolt to the side or top of the tunnels. worked great with a dab of epoxy on the outside threads.

 

[pcrussell50]

The inserts are great if you are taking something on and off regularly.
The T-nuts are great if you can easily access the back side and need peak strength.
The toothpicks are great for fast, easy, cheap, and work for a permanent solution. dip each one in glue and completely fill the hole with glue ( the hardest part) then dip and jam in as many as you can. Diagonals to cut the mess flush. From there, set your screw, wipe off the excess and let it set up before loading.

FWIW, The old timer (engineer and contractor both) who lives next door to me says this ^^^ exact same thing too. He's a brilliant fabricator and fixer of things.

-Peter

 

[Racey]

The best way to do this (and not too difficult either) is to mix up some polyester resin and thicken it up with Cab-o-sil (fumed silica aka colloidal silica)

Mix up a few ounces of the resin, use a syringe to dose your MEK at appx 1.5% (There are online calculators that make it super easy to know exactly how many CC's you need per oz)

Once the resin is thorougly mixed keep spooning in and mixing the cab-o-sil until you reach a consistency of mayonaise. Then use a pencil to dollop some and let is drizzle down into the hole until it's full. Let it cure for 24 hours. (Drizzling is key to make sure you don't just fill an air bubble in. you can use a toothpick or wire to pop a bubble if one forms)

Re-drill it. I also recommend tapping it. The cabosil will help the resin retain enough strength to hold a thread.

If you are using 1/4" bolts i would probably drill the hole out to 3/8" at least, then fill with the resin, (this will make a pure seal not allowing anything to leak into the core material when you drill and tap later)

This will cost you maybe $50 tops for everything you need (a pint of resin and small tub of cabosil).

It's all available on amazon prime.

If you wanna spend a little extra you can use an Epoxy Resin instead of normal polyester resin, it will be even stronger. Epoxy mixing doesn't require dosing with a syringe, it's usually something like a 2:1 - 5:1 ratio depending on the epoxy

Table Top Epoxy Resin Epoxy - Bar Top Epoxy Clear Epoxy Resin Countertop Epoxy Marine Epoxy Resin Epoxy Countertop Kit Epoxy Kit 16 Ounce 2 Part Epoxy Resin Clear Marine Grade Epoxy: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Table Top Epoxy Resin Epoxy - Bar Top Epoxy Clear Epoxy Resin Countertop Epoxy Marine Epoxy Resin Epoxy Countertop Kit Epoxy Kit 16 Ounce 2 Part Epoxy Resin Clear Marine Grade Epoxy: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

Cabosil - Fumed Silica Thickener in Quart Tub: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Cabosil - Fumed Silica Thickener in Quart Tub: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[Racey]

Man, gotta love youtube.