Kitchen knobs falling off ...

[jkn]

Hi all the cupboard & drawer knobs on our (bog standard 80's vintage) kitchen units are starting to fall off because the inner threads on the knobs are going. I previously renovated things a bit by fitting slightly longer machine screws (3.5mm? can't remember) to the cupboards to engage 'fresh' thread, but this seems to now be failing. I'm reluctant to shell out ??HOW MUCH?? for a complete new set of knobs at the moment - I'd rather put the money towards a proper refit at some time in the future. So any thoughts on how to extend the life? I may try lockfit next...

Cheers jon N

[The Natural Philosopher]

Car body filler.

[meow2222]

1. thicker screws
2. gloop in the holes
3. matchsticks in the holes

NT

[Matty F]

I'd use Araldite epoxy glue. But you'd want to be able to hold the heads of the screws firmly (e.g. with visegrips) when you eventually get new knobs.

[John Rumm]

New pack of cheap knobs?

[Grunff]

No matter how many times I hear you say that, it still makes me spit coffee (or wine in this case) on my monitor.

(not knocking the stuff - I think it's great - it's just funny the way you suggest it as a solution to most of life's problems)

[Andy Hall]

Those silicone sheets that fit over the keyboard address one aspect of this problem.

Probably car body filler around the monitor bezel would address the other.

[Grunff]

Genius. I knew there'd be a way of solving it with Isopon.

[The Natural Philosopher]

That's because it is.

Its designed to stick like shit to a blanket to just about anything, and turn holes into solid surfaces.

I've used it to

- wrap leaky pipes with..even leaky JOINTS.

- fix rotten woodwork

- as a far far better alternative to 'no more nails' to glue bits of wood in place.

- to repair shredding kitchen carcases where the screws go.

- to cast a bearing housing for a model plane gearbox.

- to glue bits of wood to a cheap and flexible bath,

- to attach a marble worktop.

- and, of course, to repair car bodies (in my yoof, when one did such things).

- glue the concrete blocks to a plastic washing machine drum that had lost its attachment lugs when SHE tried to wash an eiderdown or 7..

It's the filler that holds things together, and is usually stronger than the original.

[John Rumm]

Reminds me of a story a friend told me once. His girlfriend was quite prone to hitting things in the car that just used to jump out at here (you know gate posts, parking meters that sort of thing). So he spent lots of time getting it car shaped again. He said to her once, "if you hit something, and a bit drops off, could you at least pick it up and bring it home with you - that way I won't have to spend a fortune buying expensive trims and lamp fittings and stuff". A few weeks later she admitted to clomping the car again, but then rather proudly said that she had listened and remembered to bring home the bits the fell off. He opened the boot, and there lay a rather large lump of P38!

[jkn]

Thanks for the suggestions (and the amusement) guys. I have remembered (I think) that an earlier repair attempt used hot-melt glue (== 'gloop'?), partly on the basis that it wouldn't lock the knobs solid. I guess similar goes with body filler. I'll give it a go and see how I get on.

Cheers Jon N