"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>enough for the hole.
>
> Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to
> using them?
>
Sure, then when they dry out you will be back in the same position before
soaking the plugs.
Buy a tapered plug cutter.
> > Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior
> to using
> > them?
>
> I wouldn't.
I wouldn't either. Even if they swelled enough, they'd just shrink
back down once they dried. I'd get a Veritas snug-plug cutter (or ask
a nice wRECker to use one of theirs) to cut some appropriate tapered
plugs that will fit tightly, or drill your initial hole with a
slightly undersized drill bit (if it's not too late).
Good luck,
Andy
"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>enough for the hole.
If they are tight enough, even if barely so, what is the problem? Just
pop them in with a little glue.
>Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to using
>them?
Bad idea. If they are already tight enough, soaking them will swell
them, making them too tight. to fit them in the hole, they will
either have to be sanded or otherwise cut down, or the fibers will be
crushed in forcing them into the hole, and when it dries out and
shrinks back, it will be longer be tight enough in the hole.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.
"alexy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> alexy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>>>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>>>enough for the hole.
>>If they are tight enough, even if barely so, what is the problem? Just
>>pop them in with a little glue.
>>
>>>Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to
>>>using
>>>them?
>>
>>Bad idea. If they are already tight enough, soaking them will swell
>>them, making them too tight. to fit them in the hole, they will
>>either have to be sanded or otherwise cut down, or the fibers will be
>>crushed in forcing them into the hole, and when it dries out and
>>shrinks back, it will be longer be tight enough in the hole.
> ^^
> "no"
^^
huh? "It no will be longer" isn't any better.
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>>>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>>>enough for the hole.
>>>
>>> Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to
>>> using them?
>> Maybe I am missing something here, but isn't that what glue is for?
>
>
>He is also ending up with a noticeable ring around the plug.
A reasonable assumption. He said they were just barely tight enough,
but I imagine he meant that they were not quite tight enough.
Otherwise, what's the problem?
> With a tight
>or tapered plug the ring almost disappears.
>
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.
"Toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>shrinks back, it will be longer be tight enough in the hole.
>> ^^
>> "no"
> ^^
>
>huh? "It no will be longer" isn't any better.
Sorry. In fixed pitch, I was underlining the first "be".
"it will no longer be tight enough in the hole."
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.
"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>enough for the hole.
>
> Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to
> using them?
Maybe I am missing something here, but isn't that what glue is for?
Buck Turgidson wrote:
> I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing
it, and
> then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely
tight
> enough for the hole.
>
> Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior
to using
> them?
I wouldn't.
I'd probably use varnish as an adhesive when you install the plugs.
Lew
alexy <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>>enough for the hole.
>If they are tight enough, even if barely so, what is the problem? Just
>pop them in with a little glue.
>
>>Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to using
>>them?
>
>Bad idea. If they are already tight enough, soaking them will swell
>them, making them too tight. to fit them in the hole, they will
>either have to be sanded or otherwise cut down, or the fibers will be
>crushed in forcing them into the hole, and when it dries out and
>shrinks back, it will be longer be tight enough in the hole.
^^
"no"
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.
"Toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Buck Turgidson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I need to fasten a piece of oak by drilling a 3/8" hole, screwing it, and
>>then cover using an oak face-grain plug. The plugs are just barely tight
>>enough for the hole.
>>
>> Can I soak the plugs in water for about an hour to swell them prior to
>> using them?
> Maybe I am missing something here, but isn't that what glue is for?
He is also ending up with a noticeable ring around the plug. With a tight
or tapered plug the ring almost disappears.