Need help on filling holes

[tenpin]

Hi

i need some advice on filling in some holes on kitchen doors

iv'e drilled a 3mm hole in my new kitchen doors iv'e made for some door handles and SWMBBO has changed Her mind on type of handle

i now need to fill this hole and make it disappear....

i don't want to use 2 part filler as this will show up

Any suggestions..

Maple solid doors
Finish is to be sanding sealer and the Chestnut Melamine Laquer

Thanks
Nick

 

[Steve Maskery]

Ouch, bet you are pleased!

I'd say your best bet is to plug the hole. That might mean drilling it out bigger. I have some hole plug cutters, and the smallest is 6mm.

You can plug with dowel, but that will show end grain instead of face grain, and you still have the problem of getting 3mm maple dowel. Not easy.

S

 

[gasman]

I agree that cutting plugs is the way to go - and you are probably best to enlarge the holes first. That way you can select a piece of maple with matching grain and choose exactly where to cut the plug so the plug becomes almost invisible. One thing I always struggle with is getting a super clean clean cut when enlarging the hole. So... I always fill the little hole with 2 part wood filler, sand it flush, then cut a hole with a small forstner or lip and spur bit. That way the (larger) hole is cut very cleanly and the plug fits better
Good luck!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, you may have to fill the hole before you can drill it out again.

Alternatively you can try to make a bush to guide the drill. Take a block of maple and drill a 6mm hole through it with a twin-lip-and-spur drill. Then clamp the maple block to your workpiece and drill, the block should keep the drill steady.

I suggest TL&S rather than forstner because of the increased support length. With a Forstner, you'll have only 8 or 10mm of support. It may be enough, I don't know, you'll have to try it on a piece of scrap first.

S

 

[mister henderson]

Axminster used to do a veritas plug cutter set that produced a tapered plug. If you are going to plug the hole then this is what you need to get a nearly invisible effect.

If you can't get those, then the next best is to use a conventional plug cutter but to drill the matching hole with a plunge router. This will give a much more accurate and clean-edged hole and if you can find a slightly undersize cutter then the result will be very good.

 

[tenpin]

Thanks guys

Thought plugging was the way to go but thought maybe there is a super dupper new way to overcome this..

Oh well.
i may stick with the existing handle setup
lower cabinet 288mm on centres..upper 160mm on centres SWMBO thinks the upper ones look different, eventhough from saame supplier..they look the same to me :shock: and wants the lower 288mm centres on the upper cabinets...thus leaving the 3mm hole at 160mm. Iv'e tried covincing her she won't see it but in my heart i know she will and i'll know it's there also..

Ah dear...things we blokes do...........

Thanks for the advice

Nick

 

[neilyweely]

maybe easier to get a new mrs?

Only joking, I have drawn grain with a pencil, before varnishing, and it looks better than it should!!!

cheers mate.

neil ( who deserves to be single!! )

 

[j]

Sometimes, if you can't hide something, make a feature of it.
What about trying to inlay a contrasting wood using one of those router inlay kits.

Just a thought.

 

[mono]

What does SWMBBO mean? I'm not married...

John

 

[j]

She Who Must Be Obeyed.