QUOTE: Originally posted by Poppa_Zit Easy fix: put part of a wooden toothpick into the hole -- just enough to fit the depth inside -- and work your screw in.
You could also fill the hole with plastic cement. While still workable, put Vaseline on the threads of the screw and carefully screw it into the hole. When the cement dries, the Vaseline will allow you to back out the screw -- leaving perfect threads.
QUOTE: Good tip! -- darianj
Thanks for the kind words. I have been told I'm the Norm Abram of inventing ways to fix hopeless trains. LOL
Here's what I usually do, and you'll understand why I didn't list this methodology originally because it includes products that may not be easily available to everyone.
Let me also say I know nothing about Lionel products and how they're designed/constructed, but they can't be much different than my dear and grossly underrated A.C. Gilbert American Flyer... 'cept bigger.
I have a friend who is a dentist who orders for and sells me dental acrylic powder and liquid activator. It can be useful in many applications. For example, in some American Flyer plastic locomotive boilers, through a drop or otherwise rough handling, the entire screw hole post has split open -- which like stripped threads, also won't hold a screw. I have used part of a plastic soda straw as a form and recast the post in acrylic, then re-tapped it.
Or if all the pieces are present (and it didn't chip apart), rather than trying to CA (i.e. "Crazy") glue it and risk messing up the threads with squeezeout, I first clamp it in place. I next wet a tiny brush in activator and dip it in the acrylic powder to create a paste and slowly -- layer by layer -- build up the exterior of the post until it holds a tightened screw again.
If you are retapping a rebuilt post, it is best to use the chassis or "the part the screw holds in place" as a jig -- or drilling guide. Never use an electric drill or Dremel tool, use a finger drill. You may need to make a small pilot hole with a very small drill bit, then move upwards in bit size until you get where you want to be (hole diameter).
You can finish by painting the arcylic black -- or whatever color you desire.
NOTE: While very effective, if you can indeed find a way to get some, you'll also need to know the powdered acrylic AIN'T CHEAP.
I "Googled" the product I use and found this listing. If you buy some, make sure you get the liquid activator with the powder. You can also do a web search for the product and find smaller, "relatively" cheaper amounts -- in the $15 to $20 range:
