Depth of work bench repair plug

[Ron Citerone]

Hey Gang,

My mechanic who is also a good friend put an old maple top on his new work bench. It has 12 holes in it from vises that were mounted through the years. He asked me to fill them as a favor. The top is about 1 1/2" thick.

If I were to rout/chisel a plug to fill the holes, how deep should I go? Is 1/2" enough?

Other ideas of other methods are welcome also..................I don't want to fill the holes with epoxy though.

Thanks, ron

P.S. the holes are 5/8" dia with crushed wood from the washers about an 1"

Ron

[Jim Becker]

If there are no new holes to be drilled, you don't need a really thick plug. .5" is fine. .75" is fine. What's most important is that it's tight and leveled to the top. Matching grain direction will make it easier to condition/level the top with hand planes should that be a factor, even though "end grain" plugs are easier.

[Tom Bender]

The washer damage is interesting. Assuming that it is only 1/16" deep you could resurface the top. If you repair them you could make nice looking patches, square or diamond shaped.

If you opt for round plugs you will probably need to open the holes to make them round and consistent. It will be best to install them with horizontal grain. Do you have a plug cutter? If not, maybe someone here would make some plugs and send them to you.

[Michael A. Tyree]

Easy peasy, using a plug cutter, even the Chinese cheapie versions work OK, take a maple scrap and cut for whatever size holes you'll be filling. If you were at my location I'd make them for you from my "too large of a wood pile". Face grain plugs into holes cleaned up as needed with a jobber drill bit that easily feeds into existing holes.
Washer damage I'd overlook as it is a work surface after all.