yanyan1989 OP t1_j56ugs2 wrote on January 20, 2023 at 8:26 PM

Reply to comment by real_b_man in Advice reattaching an internal door handle by yanyan1989

I’ve uploaded a picture that should show the issue

jlschuncke t1_j56vl7u wrote on January 20, 2023 at 8:33 PM

The point is that the screws don't screw into the door, they screw into the other half of the knob assembly. You can see one of the sockets in the picture you show -- it's the tube sticking out in the hole.

Normally, a complete circle is hole-sawn out of the door. What you have there is amazingly slapdash.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/home-safety/21016489/how-to-install-a-lockset

real_b_man t1_j56yndq wrote on January 20, 2023 at 8:52 PM

Is your issue that the hole is so big that the handle almost falls through it?

yanyan1989 OP t1_j56z7wu wrote on January 20, 2023 at 8:56 PM

the handles on all my doors are attached with wood screws into the doors themselves, rather than the opposite handle - the square bar is the only bit that runs through the entirety of the opening and physically connects the two together. The issue I have is there’s not enough wood left in the door to attach the wood screws to the door.. it’s as though whoever installed this has drilled too big a hole through the door

real_b_man t1_j570080 wrote on January 20, 2023 at 9:01 PM

You could attempt to screw a scrap piece of wood inside the radius of the cover plate, we could give you something to screw to.

yanyan1989 OP t1_j56zdwm wrote on January 20, 2023 at 8:57 PM

this is the other side, which is attached

fatherlyadvicepdx t1_j58pcqa wrote on January 21, 2023 at 4:40 AM

There should be a threaded hole on the bottom of the ring for a set screw. But the screw is probably gone.

Replace the hardware. $45 at any big box home improvement depot.

Edit: Now I see the other picture. Blast off and nuke the door from orbit. Holy hell! I'm angry for you. Do what the other commenter said, re-bore the hole. You'll need to buy a jig and a proper sized bit.