screw holes not in alignment.

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Jesepi

New Member
Nov 19, 2021
56
NW Pennsylvania
I just took the stove pipe apart on my wood stove to clean. Its single wall pipe and it goes thru the wall. Well, Now the holes that were drilled into the pipe when I first installed wont line up. So question...Can I just drill new holes and then screw together ? May seem like a dumb question but is it safe to do so ??
 
Yes, you can, as long as the pieces you're drilling into have enough meat to hold the screws.
 
On my stove pipe setup the pieces next to the 90 degree elbow can turn slightly because of the elbow. Almost every time I take off the stove pipe I have to turn the pieces at the elbow a little to get the holes to line back up.

But I will say I’ve been lazy once or twice and drilled new holes. My personal rule was always as long as the old holes are still covered by pipe Im good.

Probably a better idea to just line the old holes back up.
 
I made 2 scratch markings with a utility knife on mating pieces of pipe so it's easy to find how to line them up to reuse the old holes. Yes that's two scratches - but hardly visible from more than 3 ft away, and given that this is a telescoping piece of pipe (that always scratches itself when I'm taking it off...), I don't mind so much.
 
I made 2 scratch markings with a utility knife on mating pieces of pipe so it's easy to find how to line them up to reuse the old holes. Yes that's two scratches - but hardly visible from more than 3 ft away, and given that this is a telescoping piece of pipe (that always scratches itself when I'm taking it off...), I don't mind so much.
Well, I just had a heck ava time getting them all to line up. I would get one to line up then the other two on the same pipe would not line up at all. Im gonna have to drill some new holes. Oh well, Im gonna change a few things with the stove pipe next year. so for this heating season ill just leave it the way it is.
Thanks all !!
 
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I made 2 scratch markings with a utility knife on mating pieces of pipe so it's easy to find how to line them up to reuse the old holes. Yes that's two scratches - but hardly visible from more than 3 ft away, and given that this is a telescoping piece of pipe (that always scratches itself when I'm taking it off...), I don't mind so much.
Pencil marks also work.
 
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It's a pain for me also to align the holes, but with patience success. My concern is the holes enlarge requiring bigger screws.
 
Pencil marks also work.
too late :)

with a knife, the line is 500 microns wide or so, and only 1/2" long. No way you can see it unless you're close to it.
But yes, pencil works too - until you grab a good hold of the pipe to slide over the telescoping piece, and all the pencil "lead" (...) ends up on your hands.