LESLIE: Connie in Virginia needs some help in the kitchen. What can we do for you?
CONNIE: I have white melamine cabinets in my kitchen …
TOM: OK.
CONNIE: … and they’ve been fine so far. They’re laminated over a particleboard, I believe.
TOM: Right.
CONNIE: But a screw has pulled out of a hinge …
TOM: OK.
CONNIE: … in one of my kitchen doors and makes them very heavy, as you know, and I believe they’re European-style hinges.
TOM and LESLIE: OK.
CONNIE: And they’re held on by two screws on the door. One screw is still in there but the other has pulled out, of course.
TOM: Is it stripped?
CONNIE: Yeah, it’s stripped …
TOM: OK.
CONNIE: … and I want to know what can I put in that hole that would allow me to reinstall another screw in the same spot.
TOM: Oh, very simple. Very simple trick of the trade, Connie. All you do is you take a flat toothpick, a couple of them; add a little bit of Elmer’s glue to the end of them; stick them in there; let them dry and snap them right off in place.
CONNIE: A toothpick?!
TOM: A toothpick. Yep. It’s just basically …
CONNIE: Gosh, I was expecting some high-tech thing. (Leslie chuckles)
TOM: No, a toothpick works great. Little wood shin (ph).
LESLIE: And then, Tom, would you want to find a screw that’s the same diameter, if you will, that was there before? Do you want to go with something that’s a little bit more beefy?
TOM: No, I’d put the same one right back in.
CONNIE: Good, I still saved it.
TOM: And frankly, you know, if you stick the toothpicks in there with a little bit of glue and snap them off you could put the screw in like immediately. It’ll act as a clamp and make it nice and tight and dry right in place.
CONNIE: How about that.
TOM: Easy to do.
CONNIE: Thank you very much … (Leslie chuckles)
TOM: You’re welcome, Connie.
CONNIE: … for something very easy. (chuckles)
TOM: See, you call it a big problem; we make it super simple. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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