On two recent jobs I’ve been faced with the task of replacing old pocket-door tracks. The common method to change tracks is to remove the door, then poke some holes in the wall to gain access to the screws. Once the track has been replaced, you’re still left with the job of patching the wall. I’ve got a better way.

As shown in the drawing, I taped an automotive-style pneumatic ratchet to a 40-in. long piece of 1×2. Note that the tool’s paddlestyle handle was taped to be in the “on” position. On the business end of the ratchet, I placed a socket that accepts the butt end of a Phillips-head driver.

To use this rig, I pulled the door off its track and then inserted the ratchet stick into the door cavity. With the tool off, I placed the bit in one of the screw heads. Then my assistant connected the air hose to the compressor to turn on the tool and decouple it to turn off the tool. My job was to position the tool and hold it in place while the bit turned.

Once we had the old track out, I simply switched the ratchet to spin the other way. Then I put in the new track and its screws. This method has worked well both times that I’ve needed it, and it has caused no damage to the walls I’ve worked on.

Andrew Phillips, Carp, None