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Watching a guy at the hardware store in Bellingham fix a stripped screw hole with a zip tie

I was picking up some deck screws when I saw an older guy show his friend how to fix a stripped hole in a cabinet hinge. He just cut a short piece of a plastic zip tie, pushed it into the hole, and then drove the screw right through it. The plastic filled the gap and gave the threads something to bite into. I tried it on a wobbly kitchen drawer last week and it's still solid. Anyone have a better trick for a quick wood filler fix?
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3 Comments
mason_murray8
Honestly the zip tie trick is the handyman version of using duct tape on a car bumper. It shouldn't work, but it absolutely does. I fixed a loose toilet paper holder with a broken toothpick and some wood glue, felt like a genius for a week. These little hacks are why my toolbox is half actual tools and half junk drawer leftovers.
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white.keith
Notice how the best fixes often use the wrong tool for the job. It feels like modern life is full of problems that the official solutions are too fancy for. We're surrounded by stuff designed to be replaced, not repaired, so these little hacks are a quiet rebellion. They prove that a bit of cleverness with whatever's on hand can beat buying a whole new thing. Makes you wonder what else we're overcomplicating, doesn't it?
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karen_hill3
Ever try fixing a bookshelf with a belt like @mason_murray8's toothpick trick?
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