SHOULD YOU, COULD YOU, WOOD YOU MAKE THESE REPAIRS?

Byline: Edward R. Lipinski The New York Times

Even professional woodworkers and cabinet makers make mistakes. The main difference between a professional and an amateur is that the pro knows how to correct his mistakes so they won't show.

The following fixes and corrective tips can be handy even if you're not a cabinet maker. They can, for example, be used to correct defects in an old piece of furniture that you're restoring.

Most people find it easy enough to mount handles on a drawer. It's simply a matter of drilling one or two holes and positioning the hardware. But what if your measurements are off and you drill the holes in the wrong place? You could plug the holes with dowels and try again, but unless you paint the drawer, the dowel plugs will be obvious.

A better solution involves changing the hardware. Consider switching to a handle with a backing plate. The backing plate is not only decorative but is usually large enough to cover the misdrilled holes. You can also switch to a surface mounted or recessed hardwood pull. They are available in a variety of shapes and hardwoods and they are generally larger than metal handles so they cover more surface area.

Furniture restorers frequently choose to change the hardware configuration on a drawer by replacing a single, central pull with two handles near the edges of the drawer.

This, of course, leaves a hole in the center of the drawer. One way to cover the hole is with a decorative metal plate or a pressed-wood medallion (available at some lumber yards or by mail order from woodworkers' supply stores).

Another way to hide the defects on the drawer face, or any wood surface, is by laminating a sheet of wood veneer to the surface. While most woodworking experts advise applying veneer to both sides of a board to prevent warping, you can get by with veneering just the face.

The drawer frame should offer enough support keep the face stable. Remember if you're working on a chest of drawers, you'll have to veneer all the drawers so they will match.

Metal fasteners, screws and nails can become a headache if they bend or break. They have to be removed and replaced with minimal damage to the surrounding wood. The best way to extract a broken screw is with a screw extractor (a special tool available at machinist supply stores).

First drill a pilot hole (the exact drill diameter is specified with the extractor) into the screw, then twist the extractor into the hole. It will wedge itself into the screw so you can twist it out.

You can remove tenacious screws with a hollow steel screw-removal tool. This tool is essentially a tube made of high-speed steel. One end of the tool has cutting teeth. Chuck the other end into an electric drill and bore a plug around the embedded screw. The plug can be broken off and removed with the screw inside. Fill the plug hole with a wooden dowel, drill a pilot hole, and drive a new screw.

Another problem with screws occurs when the screw strips its threads. This often happens with old furniture, because the only screws available to manufacturers were soft zinc-plated or brass screws. It can sometimes happen on modern pieces when the soft wood surrounding the screw crumbles.

Before you can make the repair, you must remove the screw. Often the stripped threads make it impossible to twist it out; frequently the slot on the soft screw head is worn down making it difficult to insert a screwdriver tip.

You can try bonding the screwdriver to the screw head with a drop of fast-drying cyanoacrylate glue (sometimes called ``instant'' or Crazy Glue) then twisting the screw out. If this fails, use a screw extractor.

Before replacing the old screw with a new one, examine the hole. If the wood is torn, fill it so the new screw will have some solid material to grip. Wooden toothpicks work well here. Push a few glue-coated toothpicks into the hole and cut them so they are flush with the surface. Allow the glue to dry before driving in a new screw.

For a more substantial plug, use a wooden dowel. Drill a hole to accept a short length of dowel. Glue the plug in place; allow time for the glue to set, then drill a pilot hole. Before driving a new screw, lubricate the threads with paraffin wax. This will prevent the threads from stripping out. Do not use soap as a lubricant because it attracts moisture.

Broken nails are easy to fix. If you can't pull the nail out, you can drive it below the surface with nail set and fill the hole with wood putty. A bent nail presents more of a problem. An ideal nail-removal tool is a small ``cat's paw.''

The tool is essentially a miniature pry bar. With it, you can work under the bent nail and pry it up. Still, it's essential to protect the surrounding wood with a homemade shield.

Make the shield by drilling a 1-inch hole in the center of a small piece of -1/4-inch plywood. Position the hole over the nail and use the surrounding shield as a fulcrum to pry up the nail. With the nail out, you can restore the dented wood around the nail hole.

Most amateurs fill the nail hole and the dent with wood putty, but the filler is difficult to conceal. It's better to raise the crushed wood fibers in the dent with steam.

Place a small wet cloth over the dent and heat it with the tip of an electric iron. Keep the iron moving to avoid scorching the wood. In a few seconds, the steam should raise the dent.