Randy Sysol rsysol@yahoo.com writes:

Two simple solutions:

1. Drill 3 new holes, and use those (leave the old screws in).
2. Install 3/4" teak pads, glued and screwed. Then fasten the rails to those.

Scott Welch
Chief Evangelist, Open Text Social Media Group
www.opentext.com
905 762 6101

"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn
out." - John Wooden

Use a plastic needle and fill them with expoxy sand them flush. Drill them
and reinstall the screws
----- Original Message -----
From: "Randy Sysol" rsysol@yahoo.com
To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 11:24 AM
Subject: T&T: Refastening Stainless Railings to Wood Cap

Randy Sysol wrote:

Perhaps a better solution would be to drill out the old holes with a
brad point bit then plug them with a suitable wood plug, glued into the
hole. I've done that to repair holes that are covered by hardware, and
it's worked well. The wood filler doesn't offer much purchase for a
screw, it'll probably pull the filler out in short order. There are
plenty of others on the  list who may have better solutions, stay tuned!

Steve Sipe
Solo 4303 "Maerin"
Eliz City, NC - The "Harbor of Hospitality" (really, it is!)

Randy, I tend to think that it is best to fill holes in wood with wood. This
is because if wood that is used to fill the void, it will tend to move much
more like the parent wood.

Filling a hole in wood with a substance that is non-compressible tends to
create problems, mostly cracks or voids to some degree or another, around the
filler. These voids tend to become permanent since the edges of the parent
wood has been permanently crushed as it swelled against the non-compressible
filler. These voids allow moisture or water to then enter. Keep in mind,
regardless of how little teak swells or shrinks, it still does to some
extent.

If you chose to do so, here are a few thoughts.

First, plugs (aka: bungs) are better than dowels, since with a dowel, its
end-grain is exposed.

Second, fill with the same type wood that the covering board is made of.

As far as technique, I would suggest that you drillout the old holes, to match
the size plugs that you will use. Drilling out the hole will size the hole
appropriately for the plug, while also making them clean enough to put the
plugs in, whether glued or set in varnish.

If the screws will need to go back into the same location that they came out
of, gluing the plugs in usually will give a stronger result as plugs set in
varnish will tend to be pulled loose as the screws are tightened down.

If the hole is too deep for one plug to completely fill it, insert as many
plugs is necessary to fill the hole up, setting the previous plug as deep as
possible with with a setting iron- something that is nothing more than a round
rod that is slightly smaller in diameter than the hole that the plug in put
in. I often use a philips screw driver or a drill bit to do this.

Trim the plug flush and seal the wood before reinstalling the rail. Sealing
the wood is easily done by using a coat of whatever finish is going to be, or
is presently used on the caprail.

Pre-drill the holes for the fasteners, using the appropriately size drill bit
for the size fastener that you will be using. It sounds like you will be using
screws, and I favor tapered drill bits for a job like this, though they are
not critical. An appropriately sized straight-sided bit will work well
enough.

[To make a tapered drill bit, take the appropriately sized drill bit, chuck it
into your reversable drill, turn the bench grinder on, and spin the drill bit
(counter to the direction that the wheel is spining) against the side of the
wheel in a manner that will result in a taper on the last half of the bit-
don't need to make it a big taper though. On the other hand, if you have the
money and time to order them, you can buy tapered drill bits- call Fuller and
they can give you some names of distributors.]

When reinstalling the rail, since it is stainless steel, use a bedding
compound (of your choice) to keep moisture out from under the stainless steel
bases. Otherwise you'll probably get that lovely rust colored stain that
everyone tries so hard to get rid of when they see it.

When finished, take a picture and send it to all of us at T&T. Have fun.

Rudy
Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl

I have had problems getting New York channel 2 (no signal - just blank) and
some other higher HBO above 502. I also occasionally get a banner saying
"no signal on Line 2".  If I reboot the receiver I then can get get channel
2 for a while.

When I scroll through the transponders on the Signal Test function I often
get no signal on some transponders and no signal on Line 2 for some
transponders.
This started in late August and persisted through my travels through the NY
region and down the ICW

I am using a Tivo DVR and am set for  NY stations. I have a KVH 6 (18: dish)
and have never had these problems with the same rig over 5 years in the same
areas.

I get back into the Miami local area tomorrow south of Titusville and I will
test again when I switch to my Miami locals.

I think that there has been some rejiggering of satellites and transponder
coverage by Direct TV

Do you think that Dish Network will be better and also maybe let me get so
HD stations.

Greg and Susan Han
Allegria -- Krogen Whaleback #16

On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 5:52 PM, R C Smith Jr rcsmith@garrett-smith.comwrote: