Output jack cover plate fix

[scottcald]

My old Ibanez RG550 from '87 has the rear cover plate for the output jack with one screw that won't stay in.   I chipped away some wood to fit a battery in there ages ago, and over time the one screw's surrounding wood has gone away.  The screw won't stay in now.  What would you guys suggest to fix it?  Picture shows what I'm talking about. 

Thanks.  

Scott

[Jeff R]

Unless it's a mint example of an uber-rare '87 RG550, of which I don't think there is such a thing, I'd personally use gaffer's tape to hold the plate on haha.

Seriously, drill out the hole to accept a very small length and glued-in small diameter dowel, then re-drill the dowel and re-screw. You can use cheap dowel material from a Home Depot or Lowe's since it's just holding a plate on and not under any kind of tension or torque or anything. And since the mod will not require any real precision and will be concealed by the plate itself, you can use a hand drill - no drill press needed.

[scottcald]

Jeff, thanks for the help.  It is a 1987 RG550 in the slate-ish blue with maple fingerboard and white pickguard.  Haven't seen another like it.  Mint?  No.  This sucker has some miles on it.   Trying to get it back in playing form again.  It's been neglected for a while.  

ETA:  I think the color was like Pearl Violet or some name like that. 

[HSB0531]

The dowel is a good idea.

Other things you could do are:

Mix sawdust and yellow Elmers carpenters glue.

Apply it to both sides of the hole trying getting it completely filled.

Then drill it out for the screw.

Or:

Get several tooth pick, cut them to size and fill the hole partially, then screw the plate back on.

[scottcald]

4 hours ago, HSB0531 said:

The dowel is a good idea.

Other things you could do are:

Mix sawdust and yellow Elmers carpenters glue.

Apply it to both sides of the hole trying getting it completely filled.

Then drill it out for the screw.

Or:

Get several tooth pick, cut them to size and fill the hole partially, then screw the plate back on.

Thanks, but I've been the toothpick route.  Over time, the one side has flaked away, so the toothpicks won't work anymore, sadly.  

[Steve Haynie]

Do the dowel fix to get it done right.

[HSB0531]

2 hours ago, scottcald said:

Thanks, but I've been the toothpick route.  Over time, the one side has flaked away, so the toothpicks won't work anymore, sadly.  

Yeah the TP route is a MacGyver maneuver. A last resort.

[scottcald]

2 hours ago, HSB0531 said:

Yeah the TP route is a MacGyver maneuver. A last resort.

Did that when the screw started being just loose.  Now it almost just falls out.  Getting ready to do this now.  

[scottcald]

Glued into place.

Sorry didn't realize it was that blurry.  

 

[HSB0531]

17 hours ago, scottcald said:

Glued into place.

Sorry didn't realize it was that blurry.  

 

Yes, yours was more of a grand canyon epic hole to fill.

Dowel was/is the way to go.

[scottcald]

2 hours ago, HSB0531 said:

Yes, yours was more of a grand canyon epic hole to fill.

Dowel was/is the way to go.

Yeah, definitely.   When I put EMGs in, I chiseled away enough to put a 9 volt in it.  Clearly my 19 year old patience and skill were sorely lacking.  

[scottcald]

Just for reference, here's the front: