MTFCA Forum

Has anyone tried using a hot glue gun to fill old tack holes?
It would seem to be much easier & faster.
But would it be as effective as using toothpicks?

In a word, No.

My question would be how well a tack or staple would hold if it was driven into hot glue?

I didn't find gluing in round toothpicks to be that time consuming. On my Flanders, I broke each toothpick in half before gluing so that one toothpick could fill two holes. Once all the toothpicks were in, I let the glue dry overnight, then cut off each one flush with an X-acto hobby saw.

Hot glue is not very permanent in most cases. I would not use it for anything I wanted to last on a car. Gluing in toothpicks or wood matches works great for all kinds of things, especially screws that are stripped out in wood.

I agree with the other posts. I'd avoid hot glue completely. I also cut my toothpicks in half, glued them in place, let them dry and then cut them off. Finish off with a sander for a smooth surface.

Toothpicks and Elmer's glue.

It goes pretty quick. We used a syringe filled with glue in some of the spots to get it back into the voids. Also used a spray bottle of water to dampen the wood as we went. Tape a sheet of plastic onto the body to catch any drips of glue. We broke each toothpick in half.[image][/image]

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Elmer's is an excellent glue, but it may not resist moisture.

I can't believe the profligacy of you people! If you dip the toothpick in glue, fill one hole, cut it off with side cutters, dip and glue again, you can fill 3-4 holes with just one toothpick.
Allan from down under.

Dave,
Type III Titebond might be better. It is weather proof

Art Mirtes

Allan wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 17, 2023 5:16 pm

I can't believe the profligacy of you people! If you dip the toothpick in glue, fill one hole, cut it off with side cutters, dip and glue again, you can fill 3-4 holes with just one toothpick.
Allan from down under.

Allan, thank you for that new word in my vocabulary!

Hey, I just taught my 12-year-old granddaughter a new word.

Go to the Chinese food section of your store where they have big packets of long wooden kabob skewer sticks that are slightly larger in diameter than toothpicks (they have several diameters. Get the smallest diameter) that would serve this purpose well. One stick dipped in glue and driven in as deep as it will go and snipped off, will do a multitude of holes. Also, there is an exterior waterproof “Tightbond III Ultimate” glue with a green label that is the best. Jim Patrick

I had to get the dictionary out Doc !!!

Good idea on the skewers !