<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: AGaramond Bold"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1522" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <P> <DIV>Terry the Farrell said, "<FONT size=+0>In this particular case however, a significant part of the problem is likely </FONT></DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>related to "All the screws were stripped in the dowel in the rail." Dowels </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>do not belong in a hammer rail - likely someone "fixed" stripped screw holes </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>in the past by drilling and plugging with dowels - as Debbie pointed out, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>the proper repair is done with maple plugs, not dowels. This hammer rail </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>either needs a new rail or needs the dowels drilled out and replaced with </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>plugs."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>Terry,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>There is another way and it uses dowels! If you drill across the rail and insert a dowel, (with glue), you'll now have cross-grain to get a firm hold on the screws. I've done this once on a "butchered" Steinway rail. Worked very well.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>It does need to be done with drill press, however. </FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)</DIV> <DIV>Captain, Tool Police</DIV> <DIV>Squares R I</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></BODY></HTML>