grand hinge to rim screws stripped

[Ron Nossaman]

Mike Kurta wrote:
>     Hi Jessica:
>     Here's an old trick I learned from a retired technician:  Carefully 
> unwind the copper winding from a bass string keeping the circular shape 
> looking much like a spring.  Cut to length and insert in the stripped 
> hole and put the screw back in.  Now the threads of the screw have 
> something solid to bite into.  If one length is not enough, two or three 
> can be used.  Depending on the looseness and size of the screw, it helps 
> to have different thicknesses of copper windings on hand. 
>     I have used this method successfully on stripped grand legs, music 
> desks, almost anywhere.  It allows the removal and replacement of wood 
> screws without enlarging the hole, and will really hold the screw 
> tight.  The copper imbeds inself into the wood  and will stay there.  
> This follows the same principle as "Heli-Coil" thread inserts used in 
> metalworking where the threaded hole is stripped.  Good Luck!
>     Mike Kurta, RPT

Hi Mike,
Having seen too many old fixes done this way that didn't work 
all that well, I don't recommend it. A safer, more secure, 
less long term destructive field repair (assuming solid wood 
that isn't split) is to glue in little strips of leather. The 
screw can be removed and reinserted at some later time without 
any problems, and it's quite secure in the meantime.
Ron N