Drywall repair kit and method

Abstract

A repair kit for repairing a damaged area of a workpiece includes an arbor and a cutting member. The cutting member is removably coupled to the arbor and includes a side wall that has a first end and a second end. An end cap is coupled to the first end and abuts an abutment surface of the arbor. A plurality of cutting elements is coupled to the second end of the side wall, and a retention feature extends outwardly from the side wall. 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. The arbor is removable from the cutting member while the retention feature engages the workpiece to leave the cutting member in the workpiece to plug 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 extending outwardly from the side wall, the cutting member being rotatable by the arbor to cut a hole in the workpiece, the retention feature configured to engage the workpiece as the cutting member cuts the hole to secure the cutting member within the hole;   wherein the arbor is removable from the cutting member while the retention feature engages the workpiece to leave the cutting member in the workpiece to plug 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 . The repair kit of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member is removable from the hole and replaceable with an auxiliary plug that includes a resilient member configured to deflect and reduce the diameter of the auxiliary plug. 
     
     
         12 . A repair kit for repairing a damaged area of a workpiece, the repair kit comprising:
 an arbor including a back piece 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, and a plurality of cutting elements coupled to the second end of the side wall, the cutting member being rotatable by the arbor to cut a hole in the workpiece;   wherein the back piece of the arbor extends radially outward past the side wall of the cutting member such that the abutment face creates an annular flange that inhibits the cutting member from being driven into the workpiece beyond a predetermined depth; and   wherein the arbor is removable from the cutting member to leave the cutting member in the workpiece to plug the hole.   
     
     
         13 . The repair kit of  claim 12 , wherein the cutting member further comprises a retention feature that extends circumferentially around the side wall, the retention feature configured to engage the workpiece as the cutting member cuts the hole. 
     
     
         14 . The repair kit of  claim 13 , wherein the retention feature is positioned closer to the first end of the side wall than to the second end of the side wall so that an area of the side wall adjacent to the second end does not include the retention feature. 
     
     
         15 . The repair kit of  claim 13 , wherein the retention feature includes a thread that extends circumferentially around the side wall. 
     
     
         16 . The repair kit of  claim 12 , wherein the cutting member is configured to axially drive into the workpiece until the annular flange engages the workpiece. 
     
     
         17 . The repair kit of  claim 12 , wherein the arbor includes a grip extending from a surface of the arbor opposite the abutment surface, the arbor configured to engage the grip to manually turn the arbor. 
     
     
         18 . The repair kit of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         19 . The repair kit of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         20 . The repair kit of  claim 12 , wherein the cutting member is removable from the hole and replaceable with an auxiliary plug that includes a resilient member configured to deflect and reduce the diameter of the auxiliary plug.