Drywall repair kit and method

Abstract

A repair kit for repairing a damaged area of a workpiece, includes an arbor having an abutment surface, and a cutting member removably coupled to the arbor. The cutting member has a sidewall with a first end and a second end, an end cap coupled to the first end of the side wall and abutting the abutment surface of the arbor, a plurality of cutting elements coupled to the second end of the sidewall, and a retention feature defined by the sidewall. The cutting member is rotatable by the arbor to cut a hole in the workpiece. The retention feature is configured to engage the workpiece as the cutting member cuts the hole to secure the cutting member within the hole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A repair kit for repairing a damaged area of a workpiece, the repair kit comprising:
 an arbor having an abutment surface; and   a cutting member removably coupled to the arbor, the cutting member including a side wall having a first end and a second end, an end cap coupled to the first end of the side wall and abutting the abutment surface of the arbor, a plurality of cutting elements coupled to the second end of the side wall, and a retention feature defined by the side wall, the cutting member being rotatable by the arbor to cut a hole in the workpiece, wherein the retention feature is configured to engage the workpiece as the cutting member cuts the hole to secure the cutting member within the hole.   
     
     
         2 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , wherein the retention feature includes a thread that extends circumferentially around the side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The repair kit of  claim 2 , wherein the thread is positioned closer to the first end of the side wall than to the second end of the side wall 
     
     
         4 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member defines a plurality of drive apertures in the end cap, wherein the arbor includes a plurality of drive protrusions extending from the abutment surface, and wherein the plurality of drive apertures receives the plurality of drive protrusions such that the arbor rotationally drives the cutting member. 
     
     
         5 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , wherein the arbor includes a grip extending from a surface of the arbor opposite the abutment surface for manually turning the arbor. 
     
     
         6 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a pilot drill bit coupled to the arbor, wherein the pilot drill bit extends from the abutment surface along a central axis of the arbor, and wherein the end cap of the cutting member defines a central aperture that provides clearance for the pilot drill bit. 
     
     
         7 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , wherein the abutment surface of the arbor extends radially beyond the end cap of the cutting member to form a lip. 
     
     
         8 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a guide member couplable to the workpiece over the damaged area, wherein the guide member is sized to be received within a cavity defined by the side wall of the cutting member. 
     
     
         9 . The repair kit of  claim 8 , wherein the guide member includes a central projection that extends axially away from the end cap of the cutting member, and wherein the central projection is pressable into the workpiece to connect the guide member to the workpiece. 
     
     
         10 . The repair kit of  claim 9 , further comprising a pilot drill bit coupled to the arbor, wherein the pilot drill bit extends from the abutment surface along a central axis of the arbor, and wherein the central projection of the guide member defines an aperture that provides clearance for the pilot drill bit. 
     
     
         11 . A method for repairing a damaged area of a workpiece with a repair kit including an arbor and a cutting member removably coupled to the arbor, the arbor having an abutment surface, the cutting member having a side wall, an end cap coupled to a first end of the side wall and abutting the abutment surface of the arbor, and a plurality of cutting elements coupled to a second end of the side wall, the method comprising:
 rotating the arbor to drive the cutting member about a central axis of the arbor;   cutting a hole in the workpiece with the cutting member;   engaging the workpiece with the cutting member as the hole is cut to secure the cutting member within the hole;   disconnecting the arbor from the cutting member; and   leaving the cutting member in the workpiece to plug the hole.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the abutment surface of the arbor extends radially beyond the end cap of the cutting member to form a lip, and wherein cutting the hole includes driving the cutting member axially into the workpiece until the lip engages the workpiece. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cutting member defines a plurality of drive apertures in the end cap, wherein the arbor includes a plurality of drive protrusions extending from the abutment surface, wherein rotating the arbor to drive the cutting member includes receiving the plurality of drive protrusions in the plurality of drive apertures, and wherein disconnecting the arbor from the cutting member includes withdrawing the plurality of driving protrusions from the plurality of drive apertures. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cutting member includes a thread extending circumferentially around the side wall, and wherein engaging the workpiece with the cutting member includes engaging with the workpiece with the thread as the cutting member cuts the hole. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 applying spackle over the hole and the cutting member to create a spackled area;   sanding the spackled area to be flush with an adjacent surface of the workpiece; and   applying a coating to the spackled area of the workpiece.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting a guide member sized to sufficiently cover the damaged area of the workpiece;   positioning the guide member over the damaged area; and   guiding the cutting member to cut the hole at the damaged area of the workpiece using the guide member.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein guiding the cutting member includes receiving the guide member within a cavity defined by the side wall of the cutting member. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the guide member includes a central projection that extends axially away from the end cap of the cutting member, and wherein positioning the guide member over the damaged area includes pressing the central projection into the workpiece. 
     
     
         19 . A plug for plugging a hole in a workpiece, the plug comprising:
 a flat disc-shaped body having a plane and a central axis perpendicular to the plane;   a plurality of resilient members, each of the resilient members at least partially formed by a slot defined in the body and extending from an outer circumference of the body toward the central axis; and   a gripping tooth extending from each of the resilient members at the outer circumference of the body,   wherein each of the resilient members is movable from an original position to a deflected position when a force is applied to allow the plug to be inserted into the hole, and wherein the resilient members return to the original position when the force is removed such that the gripping teeth engage the workpiece to secure the plug within the hole.   
     
     
         20 . The plug of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of resilient members is flexed radially inward towards the central axis when the force is applied to reduce a diameter of the body. 
     
     
         21 . The plug of  claim 19 , wherein the slot associated with each resilient member has a first portion that extends from the outer circumference towards the central axis and a second portion that extends from the first portion towards the outer circumference to define an L-shaped slot. 
     
     
         22 . The plug of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of resilient members is flexed out of the plane when the force is applied.