I wanted to share an idea I came up with to fix cracked or split screw posts on Postwar cars & tenders. All you will need is a small file, some small wire ties (I used 4" ties from Radio Shack), and a little time.
First you’ll need to file the plastic “bridge” between the post and the car body to account for the width of the tie wrap (1/16" or so should do it). Next take the the wrap and make a loop. You will want to be careful to decrease the size of the loop just enough so that you can fit it snugly over the end of the post. If done correctly the tie wrap will prevent the cracked end of the post from spreading open and hold the screw tight.
I did all four posts on this tender body in about 30 minutes.
Nicely done, rickoshay.
I have had success with a somewhat different method which I will describe if anyone is interested.
**bf…**absolutely. There’s never too many approaches. Skill and comfort level vary greatly among us. Various approaches to a fix is a plus. Your input would certainly be appreciated.
Jack
My method seems to work best where the threads inside the mounting posts are merely stripped out,* but will also work if the post is cracked, as in “rickoshay’s” example.
Essentially, I drill out the hole and clean the debris out as best I can. If possible, I try to enlarge the bottom of the hole just a bit so that is is wider at the bottom than at the top. Then I select a screw to replace the original. The original is often a coarse-thread screw and I prefer a machine screw with finer threads, but you can reuse the original if you want. Then mix up a small amount of virtually any two-part epoxy putty or adhesive. I have used several types successfully, from the 5-minutes types (read half an hour for a full cure) to J.B Weld to Marine-Tex even. Fill the hole almost to the top with the near-liquid epoxy. Use a tooth-pick to get the air out and to achieve good coating of the inner walls of the post.
Now here’s the trick. Some of these epoxies cure as hard as rocks – much harder than the plastic post itself. Consequently they are very difficult to drill and tap without doing more harm than good. So I coat the screw threads, including the undersides of the heads, with ordinary household Johnson’s paste floor wax, which serves as a parting compound. You just need to coat it well. One way is simply to drive the screw into the wax, remove it and wipe gently. You only want a thin film of wax, without any globs or chunks.
While the epoxy is still quite liquid, drive the now-waxed screw into the epoxy almost all the way to the bottom of the screw-head. It is best if you can keep the screw head a 32nd of an inch or s0 above the epoxy, but if you can’t, the wax should do the job. Take care to keep the screw centered as closely as possible. Brace it if necessary to keep it upright. When the epoxy has cured, gently twist out the screw and wipe any remaining wax off.
With any luck, you now have
Thanks for the ideas guys. I too have a tender, a 6466, that I bought a while back that had the mounting posts cracked and broken. I tried regular glue and had little luck. Epoxy it is.
Mike
You could also use heat shrink tubing or milkshake straws to buildup a dam if parts of the post are missing.