Fixing gouged out screw holes in belly panel

[201Steve]

I’ve got a few screw holes in my belly panels, the sheet metal variety, that are a bit gouged out and thus won’t accept the correct size screw. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of the holes and their appropriate “oversized” replacement. Especially since it’s not always me removing them. Instead of having to find oddball oversized screws, has anyone had luck repairing screw holes to correct size in any capacity? 
 

I was thinking about the ole JB Weld trick. Clean off the gouged hole, apply some JB Weld into the hole, spray a light coat of lubricant to the screw (so the JB doesn’t stick well to the screw) let set, remove screw. Now you have new JB threads. 
 

I may never get around to actually doing this, it’s such a petty thing, but it drives my OCD nuts. 
 

or just bite the labor bullet and install one piece w cam locks. 

[47U]

15 minutes ago, 201Steve said:

I’ve got a few screw holes in my belly panels, the sheet metal variety, that are a bit gouged out and thus won’t accept the correct size screw.

Sheet metal screws go into tinnerman nuts, which are pretty easy to replace.  I’m not very ‘J’ smart, but there’s a pn for these in the IPC…

Rereading your post…

Are you saying the holes in the panels are wallered out to where you need to install a screw with a larger head?

Edited November 2 by 47U
question

[201Steve]

So, I’m going off memory, but I think there are a few “tinnermanless” holes for some of the sheet metal screws. I know the nose wheel door hinges are of that description. 

[EricJ]

+1 that sheetmetal screws should be anchoring in tinnerman nuts, and if it is no longer gripping, check whether the nut needs attention.   There should be something other than just sheetmetal anchoring screws.

[201Steve]

@EricJ I’ve replaced a bunch of timberlands, and maybe I’m mistaken about the panels themselves, but I’ve got a few paltry bites in my nose gear door hinges and I believe they tap right into an aluminum runner

[201Steve]

And just for fun, if anyone watches Southpark, any time I say or type the word tinnerman, it flows through my head in Cartman voice. GD Scott Tinnerman!!!

[Fly Boomer]

3 minutes ago, 201Steve said:

any time I say or type the word tinnerman

Or timberland?

[PT20J]

Sheet metal screws should go into Tinnermans and they should be type B screws for the proper thread pitch. 

Machine screws have nutplates. The IPC will detail what hardware is used where.

Early Js used Tinnermans on the nose gear door piano hinge screws. Later Js used nutplates.

[EricJ]

58 minutes ago, 201Steve said:

And just for fun, if anyone watches Southpark, any time I say or type the word tinnerman, it flows through my head in Cartman voice. GD Scott Tinnerman!!!

I almost mentioned Scott Tinnerman, too. 

[TaildraggerPilot]

Why the deal with the small, maybe #6 countersunk screws on the belly just behind the nose gear well. I’m going to have to drill them out. They are really in there. Does anyone know what behind them?

[Andy95W]

There are nut plates behind those 6-32 machine screws.  Hopefully you can just barely drill the heads off so you can remove the inspection panel. If you’re lucky, there will be just enough screw left that you can get a vise-grip locking pliers onto it to remove them.

[Yetti]

2 hours ago, TaildraggerPilot said:

Why the deal with the small, maybe #6 countersunk screws on the belly just behind the nose gear well. I’m going to have to drill them out. They are really in there. Does anyone know what behind them?

Couple of things here.  Snap on Screw drivers tend to grip better.  But we are past that.   I would start with a Dremel tool with a diamond bit and cut a slot for a #1 flat blade.  Once you get it out a bit use a needle nose vice grip. 

 Behind them is a riveted in nut plate.   So best time saver is if you can get the screw out.  It's a locking nut plate.   You can run a tap through them and clean them up, but you will remove the locking part. 

[PT20J]

Sometimes you can get them out with a left handed drill bit. I've had luck with grabits 

[Mark942]

I have had some success with stuck screws or screws that have rounded out hex drives by taking a "small" dremal tool and using the smallest cutting disk. I use the disk on a piece of junk metal to wear it's diameter down to that of the diameter of the screw head. Then carefully cut a slot in the screw head.  You will probably go through several disks.  Then, with a Flat Blade screw driver and hard force into the screw to keep it engaged, you can some times get it to back out.  Spraying the screw with a good penetrating oil such as PB Blaster several times over 3 or 4 days prior to extraction ".  If this fails, then you are pretty much left with drilling out the screw.  Use a drill that is about 0.020" under the "Minor" diameter of  screw.  Google the Major and Minor diameter of the screw you are working with.  Then use an "Easy Out" screw extractor.  I have pasted a location at Amazon that has several sets.  You will need one that goes that small.  I have found that the key is to put a lot of force into the screw to get a good "bite" on it.  Also, last thought.   Make sure the drill bit is aligned with the screw shank.  This is kind of difficult laying under the belly.  If possible, have a friend help by looking at the drill bit shank and telling you "left, right, this way that way" so you are aligned.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ezout+screw+extractor&crid=2UCNEWB5AMJQ0&sprefix=ezout%2Caps%2C171&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_6_5

Best of luck,

-mark

[Pinecone]

This stuff is pretty amazing.  

https://solderit.com/screw-grab-liquid-0-5-oz-carded-for-stripped-screws-all-screw-heads-sg-94/?srsltid=AfmBOoq_0Vk5QYs72a_0JHBoCY93QqmqbcUMJHtTVJ9eL004HyspxOCq

I knew this guy from shows and he could round out Philips so there was almost smooth and a drop of this and the screwdriver would grab.

 

[TaildraggerPilot]

3 hours ago, Andy95W said:

There are nut plates behind those 6-32 machine screws.  Hopefully you can just barely drill the heads off so you can remove the inspection panel. If you’re lucky, there will be just enough screw left that you can get a vise-grip locking pliers onto it to remove them.

I just want to get them out, asses the condition of the nut plates (in this case) and then replace them without the impact wrench-style torque used previously. Some of them are stripped (not by me). 

[TaildraggerPilot]

40 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

This stuff is pretty amazing.  

https://solderit.com/screw-grab-liquid-0-5-oz-carded-for-stripped-screws-all-screw-heads-sg-94/?srsltid=AfmBOoq_0Vk5QYs72a_0JHBoCY93QqmqbcUMJHtTVJ9eL004HyspxOCq

I knew this guy from shows and he could round out Philips so there was almost smooth and a drop of this and the screwdriver would grab.

 

I have some clover compound. IYKYK