The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a VV-111. The screws for the top lid have loosened up and no longer hold the screw firmly. They will still hold the screw temporarily but the screw loosens up after a short time.

Any suggestions on refurbing the screw hole? I don't think longer or bigger screws are an option because the top doesn't have that much wood to begin with.

I've had 100% success with this kind of problem by stuffing the hole with flat toothpicks dipped in carpenter's woodworking glue. Break off the toothpicks flush with the top of the hole, let sit for an hour, and drive the screws in before the glue hardens, while it is still a bit tacky. Then leave alone overnight and next day you will have a nice tight fit again, maybe even better than the original (?!).

I use bamboo skewers- the wood is tougher than most toothpicks.

Carpenters glue will set up in an hour. Best to place the toothpick, glue, and screw in at the same time. You will be good to go.

The strength of the toothpick vs. bamboo is immaterial at the size and forces involved here. You also have to split the bamboo to get a piece small enough which could lead to injury. I would stick with toothpicks.

Brad wrote:Carpenters glue will set up in an hour.....

Depends on the glue, and the ambient temperature and humidity. I've found an hour is about right, but it's useless to quibble. I've used your way, too, and it works.

Brad wrote:Carpenters glue will set up in an hour. Best to place the toothpick, glue, and screw in at the same time. You will be good to go.

The strength of the toothpick vs. bamboo is immaterial at the size and forces involved here. You also have to split the bamboo to get a piece small enough which could lead to injury. I would stick with toothpicks.

You can get thin bamboo skewers about the size of thick toothpicks- and it also depends on the size of the holes. Also, soft wood will get chewed to sawdust by the screw threads so I suppose the question is moot as we're depending on the strength of the glue anyway.

I had forgotten about those thin skewers. They should work fine, however, unless you had them already, or a use for them, they would likley cost more than a toothpick which you can get for free next time you eat out.

Toothpicks and glue hold ok, but a problem is the rough ends of the toothpicks make it difficult to find the true center of the hole. A 100-point restoration of this problem would be to drill out each hole slightly larger and glue in an appropriate diameter dowel, cut it flush, drill a new pilot hole for the screw(s), and reinstall the hinge. Back in the 70's, an elderly, retired sewing machine salesman showed me his trick -- stuffing the hole with bits of thin non-acid core lead solder that are cut to the depth of the hole. When the screw is introduced to the solder, the soft solder yields as the screw seeks center. I've used this method on a number of occasions and it works well.