Fixing a hole...

[Kiltmadoc]

I have a table where the screw holes holding the tabletop are stripped and rotted. I was thinking of enlarging the hole and filling it with something like marinetex, bondo or JB weld. Anyone have any experience with this and want to make some suggestions?

thanks!

[deniseO30]

stick of wood and epoxy works. Trouble is, the wood around the hole is also weak. so the epoxy may pull out too. I've set screws back in with uncured thickened epoxy rather then wait til it's hard and drill. can you use new locations for the screws?

[asdf38]

Over drill, pound a dowel in with wood glue and redrill. Or fill with toothpicks and wood glue for the easiest method. Epoxy is fine too but not really needed, wood glue bonds to wood as well as anything can. Being a boat it might help to use waterproof wood glue such as Titebond 3. Avoid the Gorilla Glue types because they expand and make a mess (sometimes expanding is good, but not here in my opinion).

[Faster]

Rotate the pedestal if you can and screw back into healthy wood, if it's there, or redrill the flange for the same idea.

Or... drill and tap a, say, 12x12 piece of 1/4" SS or aluminum plate, screw that to the bottom of the table and then bolt the flange back on.