HELP! Hinge problem

[Wilson joinery]

Hi

I took my wooden front door off today to give it a lick of paint inside a warm house and the screws have all rusted and snapped in the frame (nearly every single one of them!). So when I go to put the hinges back on the new screws are going to hit the broken screws inside the frame.

I’d thought about moving the hinges (which I really don’t want to do) or buying different hinges with different hole positions but can’t find any.

Does anyone have any easier ideas?

Many thanks
Pete

 

[Sachakins]

Can you drill out the broken screws? Yo could then drill to say 10mm and glue in some dowel to plug the holes.

 

[Cabinetman]

Too late now, sorry, but with screws that are rusted or painted put your beefiest screwdriver in the slot? And hit it hard with a hammer, counterintuitive pushing the screw further in, but what it does is break the bond between screw and wood. Usually works.
Ian

 

[Cabinetman]

Depending on how much shank of the screws there is to get hold of, you may be able to drill with a fine drill all around the stuck screw, hit the screw sideways in different directions to loosen it and hopefully grip it enough to unscrew it, then it’s glue and a whittled spike of wood hammered into the hole.
Best of luck! Ian

 

[TRITON]

There is a thing, much like a tube, with a serrated edge that drills out the screw, so you are left with a neat round hole the busted screw was in. You then glue in a dowel, which replaces the timber lost and creates a clean surface so that when you redrill it goes in straight.

I forget what its actually called, and i've only seen the tool the once. And while i dont need it, having seen it, i was sure if i ever needed such i could make one to suit.

Possibly someone here will untangle my obscure description of it and post a link to the very thing.

Problem is with stuck or snapped screws is that and especially if the hole needs moved by a tiny bit, the previous original hole makes the drill bit wander. So if you can get the screws out, having a neat round hole to stick a dowel in is a much better way to go, to start afresh.

 

[deema]

I’ve used a diamond drill bit, 10mm, but if it’s oak or something hard then I’ve made a hollow drill bit out of a bit of pipe. You can buy a length of steel hollow pipe from most okayed of the right diameter for a few £. Cut / grind some teeth, harden with a torch and you’re good to go.

If the screws have a good sized shank you can try a screw extractor set.

With a multi tool or just a chisel cut out a rectangular section around all the screws. Fit and glue in a new pieces of timber and off you go.

Depending on the screw pattern sometimes a new hinge will miss a very old hinges screw pattern of your very very lucky.

I’ve used every solution on doors / window hinges depending on the situation.

 

[scholar]

I have an old 3/8” plug cutter that I use for this job

With a bradawl and a pair of long nose pliers, I can usually get the remaining screw out.

The outer diameter is a bit over 15mm so I complete the hole with a 15mm forstner bit and fill with a 15mm plug.

Cheers

 

[Inspector]

The screw extractor Triton mentioned look like this.

https://hardwickandsons.com/product...0CGa-KH_9ucBA1O-RYu4O7VbM76RNUSsD7FCm7I5BH6an

You can make your own with a roll pin by grinding a sharp edge at the slot. If you put the tooth so that it cuts in reverse it can grab and unscrew the fastener when enough wood has been removed. Then you glue plugs in the holes. Might be able to find them locally in a place that sells bearings and shafting and get the door back on.

https://springfasteners.co.uk/product-category/engineering-pins/spring-tension-pins-din1481/

Pete

 

[ChaiLatte]

Strange what you find if you look into a different area of butchery than the wood one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265563187041

It does beg the question whether bone screws are left hand thread.

 

[Inspector]

Strange what you find if you look into a different area of butchery than the wood one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265563187041

It does beg the question whether bone screws are left hand thread.

Nice find. Tempting to get a set and cut the "T" off. They would fit the drill and being long makes it easier to align over the screw. Could practice on soup bones.

Pete

 

[ChaiLatte]

Tempting to get a set and cut the "T" off.

AliExpress have straight versions that go into the medical equivalent of a 1/4" hex driver. They sell the handles (tee or straight) separately, so you'd only need buy the cutters.

There is something similar sold for dentistry called a 'trephine' but would be too small in diameter.

On the roll pin cutter, see:

https://sagerestoration.com/products/hollow-screw-extractor

Marketing BS triumphs again: "the clever slit running down the length of this tool allows the entire bit to vibrate, increasing its drilling efficiency".

 

[Wilson joinery]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I ended up drilling out the screws with a 12mm cobalt bit and glueing in some 12mm oak dowel. Hopefully it should work when I go to refit the hinges. My only worry is screwing into the end grain of the dowel but I guess the it won’t be able to split as it’s under
Compression from the glue and the door frame.

Thanks again all

Cheers
Pete

 

[Sachakins]

Can you use longer screws, so they can bite into the frame beyond the dowels?

 

[Wilson joinery]

Yes good point I’ll do that cheers