My holes are slack (redux).

Basher

Sorry, asked about this on the ol' Radar and have forgotten the advice I received.

Having decided to stick with the horrible body on my mid-80s Tokai breezy, I will probably need to sort out a problem. Three of the screw holes have been drilled so close to the control or pickup cavity that they are basically falling apart:

Hopefully you should just be able to make out what I mean.

Given that I am considering replacing the electronics (the 500k pots aren't right, so I thought I'd do the whole loom, possibly with a 4-way switch) I'm at risk of what little wood remains falling off and the whole control plate falling off!

I have plugged strap button holes in guitars using toothpicks and wood glue but I can't see that working here as I assume they need to be surrounded by wood to set strong enough to be re-drilled. I'd be glad to be wrong and my knowledge of woodwork is roughly on a par with my knowledge of 16th Century Dutch sock design. Arguably less.

Any suggestions as to the best way to deal with it? 

Lixarto

http://www.jriede.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/20130827_144051.jpg

Basher

Ahh. The classic "Utrecht Grey" featuring the unmistakable box-heel seams and elaborate ankle lattice which, due to it's delicate, open nature and revolutionary extended thread weave was only developed following the wider availability of superior Flemish yarns from about 1520.

Given the scarcity of such  items in the United Provinces following the 1581 Act of Abjuration, we can confidently place this within a 60-year period. Although not as desirable as the subsequent hosiery manufactured in the Spanish Netherlands the prices of these have rocketed recently especially for examples like this, with no obvious signs of a respray.

Now tell me how to fix my fucking guitar. 

And yes, I'm bald. Profoundly so. It probably does explain a lot.

octatonic

The way to fix the control cavity is to drill out the hole and plug it with some dowel.

You are better off using dowel that you make yourself, where the grain runs across, rather than along- but most people skip this step (and the problem returns in a few years).

Hardwood dowel is better than softwood too.

Andyjr1515

Basher said:

Ahh. The classic "Utrecht Grey" featuring the unmistakable box-heel seams and elaborate ankle lattice which, due to it's delicate, open nature and revolutionary extended thread weave was only developed following the wider availability of superior Flemish yarns from about 1520.

Given the scarcity of such  items in the United Provinces following the 1581 Act of Abjuration, we can confidently place this within a 60-year period. Although not as desirable as the subsequent hosiery manufactured in the Spanish Netherlands the prices of these have rocketed recently especially for examples like this, with no obvious signs of a respray.

Now tell me how to fix my fucking guitar. 

And yes, I'm bald. Profoundly so. It probably does explain a lot.

LOL - that's one of the funniest posts I've seen all year :-)

viz

Correct, it is definitely, easily and by far the funniest post since The Fretboard started and I can't imagine it being beaten any time soon. You deserve a pair of them as a prize!

Basher

Thanks. 

NB: I will gladly accept the 1970s reissue natural Strat belonging to @Lixarto in lieu of the socks. 

(Although I've a nasty suspicion that he sold it at some point in the dying days of the Radar regime.)

@octotanic  That makes sense. Unfortunately my woodworking kit (toothpicks, glue, hammer) and limited skill set would make this a job for someone else so it might be back to looking for a replacement body if they do eventually give up.

PS: @Lixarto I hope my "funny" (sort of) reply didn't come across as nasty, what with that cuss-word in there. I forgot to put any smiley plectrums on the end. Was just responding to your funny (very much so) picture.

Lixarto

Not at all - I did a laugh

And I do still have that Strat.

ICBM

I would just use wood glue and as many bits of toothpick as you can hammer into the holes. Modern wood glue is very strong, and if you're considering replacing the body anyway you have nothing to lose by trying. The only one that looks slightly dodgy is the one by the pickup rout, and even that looks 'closed' enough that it will work.

Basher

@LIxarto I'm glad you still have it. It's a nice looking guitar.

@ICBM I'll definitely give it a go. What's good is that the one by the pickup is not that important - the scratchplate stays on despite the fact that the screw is basically spinning freely in there. I would just like there to be something for it to get enough grip to stay in a bit more securely. 

ecc83

First off you will need to clamp the body in a drill press to drill out those holes.

Then use same machine to drill out some cores of cross grain wood as was said. If you cannot get use of a drilling machine you could enlarge the hole, square with a VERY sharp chisel then glue in accurately fitted bocks.

N.B. Said cores or blocks should "overhang" into the cavity and then be trimmed back with a chisel....OR!

http://www.specialinsert.it/en/prodotto.php?settori=CS Then take a wee drill right thru the body and then drill back and Araldite in some of the above. 

I have done this with air rifle stocks that have had their fixing holes buggered. (Hey! Keep it clean!).

N.B. I am NOT a luthier! Just an old guy who has fixed many, many things over many, many years!

Dave.