plug removal tool?

triton 496 · Post by **triton 496** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:56 pm

Hello good people of this forum,

Helping a friend to re-bed hand rails and need to remove the wooden plugs to reach the screws underneath. Is there a tool that will do the job with out damaging the handrail ? Any thoughts on this problem would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Al.

Post by **Tim** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:00 pm

I use a Forstner bit of the same size as the plug to drill out the old plug, being careful not to drill into the head of the screw in the process.

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:04 pm

I made my own hand tool for digging out bungs. It is like a 1/4" chisel, except short, with a very shallow angle blade and a fat handle. I keep it semi-sharp as I want it to split the bung, not cut it. It only works when the bung is held in by friction only, shellac or varnish, which is how all bungs should be installed. If the fastener may ever need removing, glue should never be used.

Tim's way is the best if it is glued in, but you risk enlarging or elongating the hole. Not that you have much choice at that point.

triton 496 · Post by **triton 496** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:01 pm

I have come to the house of knowledge where info is given in good faith. I thank you for the speedy response, now I can move on figure out what a forstner drill but is. Also I like the chisel idea, I did not know that a bung should not be glued in place. Glued in place is a mistake that I would have made and this would not be a good way to help out.

Thank You Al.

Curmudgeon · Post by **Curmudgeon** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:45 pm

Have had good success with simply using a screw (of appropriate size) - start it in the centre of the plug and turn it in until it bottoms out on the screw head the plug is covering. Then, a couple of more turns with the screwdriver and the plug starts levering right out. I'm sure this will only work if the plugs are not glued in, but installed with varnish as mentioned earlier. The screw size shouldn't be so large the it spreads and splits the plug and ruins the countersink hole. Pre-drilling a hole in the centre of the plug might help. Keep an eye on tearout around the plug as it is backed out. There will always be a stubborn plug every now and then that requires a different technique, but for the most part this works well.

Popeye1865 · Post by **Popeye1865** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:27 pm

the forsner bit works great, but requires a good steady operator to keep the origional hole intact. if you only have a few to do drill a hole with a standard drill bit a few sizes smaller than the bung so that there is no chance you will miss drill and wallow out the hole than simply pick the remaining pieces inward toward the hole you have just drilled. Also i disagree with the only using shellac to secure bungs there are many times when glue is desired or even epoxy. in a perfect world where there is good depth to the hole and the varnish/ paint will always be intact to protect the bung then yes maybe shellac is appropriate. but in areas that will be exposed to the elements or have very little depth or are underwater you may want to move down your list of bonding agents to something more aggressive each particular job will require a different adhesive to hold the bungs in.

happy bunging

Brandon

triton 496 · Post by **triton 496** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:25 am

SO THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A BUNG!
THANKS FOR THE INSIGHT, AL

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 6:03 pm

picture of my bung tool

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