Filling holes in teak

[Walter Hobbs]

During its long life, my CD 27 has acquired various holes primarily in the teak cockpit coming from various things being mounted there. In preparation for refinishing next season, I would like to fill them so they do not show. (at least not too much) Epoxy mixed with teak sawdust? Marine tex with sawdust? Open to suggestions.

Thanks

[Steve Laume]

Teak plugs.

[Walter Hobbs]

Yes, for the larger holes I do have a supply of teak bungs. But for misc. screw holes?

[John Stone]

Use a combination drill 3/8 countersink, like a snappy. Drill into the old hole using the integral drill bit set shallow as it will align the countersink and prevent chattering and chewing up the hole. Yes, it will be a biggger hole. Use tight bond III and glue in the teak plug aligning the grain in the plug with the grain in the damaged wood. Give it 30 min to cure. Use a sharp 1/2” chisel and light mallet to trim off the wood that’s proud in a series of small slices. If you mess it up, use a 3/8” fostner bit to drill the plug out then start over.

[Walter Hobbs]

OK thanks

[S/V Ethan Grey]

Full disclosure, I have never tried this. However, my dad used to mix sawdust of whatever wood he was using in with wood glue and use that as a filler to match the color. Maybe that will work? Maybe it will look like crap. I have no idea, just a thought.

Good luck and please let us know what you tried and your outcome. I have some teak work I need to do as well.

[John Stone]

I have used wood dust and glue on some small holes in furniture. OK but not great.

The best way Is the way I described. It will look professional. It will last. It will look like it belongs there, not like you are trying to hide an old fastener hole.

You can get a single 3/8” counter sink at Lowe’s or Home Depot for probably $10-$15 or get a set of five from Amazon for $20. Get a 1/2” chisel for the same. If you spring for a fuller 3/8” tapered wood plug cutter (and you have even a small cheap drill press) you’ll be living large. It will pay for itself in no time. You can use it to cut teak or mahogany plugs or ash or oak or whatever. And fuller plug cutters will last a long long time.

The nice thing is, you can repair all kinds of holes and also use it to cover the heads of fasteners you install for other projects which will really enhance the finished look.

[S/V Ethan Grey]

And John probably knows best because he has the prettiest Cape Dory I've seen!

[gates_cliff]

This is just the informaiton I need. I mentioned in another thread a year or so ago the need to repair the drill holes for my bronze rubrail. I'm going to remove the the bronze rail and drill out the holes using a countersink bit, as John described above. I've done this before on another boat when adding some teak trim. However, I used pluhd and resorcinol glue. In looking up the recommended Tight Bond glue, I don't see one designated as "Tight Bond III". I see "... II" but not "... III". is there a difference?

As always, Thanks!

This next week is supposed to be nice weather so it will be ideal for removing the bronze and sanding and refinishing the teak rubrail.

[John Stone]

Here ya go.

[gates_cliff]

Excellent, thanks John.

I reread my post and noticed all the typos, it's a wonder anyone could figure out what I was trying to say!

[John Stone]

I reread my post and noticed all the typos, it's a wonder anyone could figure out what I was trying to say!

Ha. I resemble that remark!

[Keith]

No penalties for spelling or typos here!!!

[mhorton44]

I recently used teak dust with TimeBond III to fill some cracks in the coaming boards of my Weekender. Worked well with them off the boat and horizontal but hard to get the color to match exactly and you really don't know that until it sets hard. More importantly, it can run out on vertical surfaces. Teak colored wood filler might be a better option for small holes. Also using teak plugs with Fuller cutters and countersinks to put the brightwork back on the boat and they are working very well, particularly if you align the grain and put a little dob of TiteBond on each plug.

[mashenden]

Rather than make a hole bigger in order to plug it, for screw holes I usually whittle a peg out of some scrap teak, put some Titebond on it, then tap it into the hole. After the glue has set up, a few taps around the peg with a chisels about 1/8" up from the surface will make a clean break point that can then be sanded down as needed.

Ive always used Titebond II, but recently noticed Titebond III as being even more water proof. I bought a bottle, but cannot vouch for it as I have yet to use it.