Hey everyone! I recently picked up a second-hand wooden kids' bed, but I've run into a bit of a snag. The screws are totally rounded-out, making it impossible for me to put the bed together. I thought I could just replace them, but they seem to be special screws that are hard to find. They're hexagon screws about 6.3mm thick and 83mm long. I'm struggling to find a replacement. Do you think using 6mm screws would be okay, or is that too small? What are my options here?
2 Answers
First off, you should check if those screws are wood or machine screws. If they’re wood screws, you can try using a small sliver of wood or even a toothpick in the hole to fill the extra space before putting in a new screw. If they’re machine screws, you might be able to cut a slit in the head to convert it into a flat-head screw to make it easier to replace. Just be cautious with that!
I wouldn't recommend going down to 6mm because that little difference can really mess with the stability, especially since it's already been taken apart and put back together. I'd suggest looking for screws that are 6.5mm or even 7mm thick if you can. You might end up needing to drill out the screw holes a bit larger to fit them properly. Just take your time with it!
Do you have any techniques for drilling straight holes? I want to make sure I don’t mess it up!
If it’s a wood screw, do I need to glue the wood in place or will just sticking a match in the hole work?