Hi again,

I couldn't resist adding my approach to the discussion.  (with
 appreciation to Arthur).

Removing screws - especially from wood.  (Works great on wheel lugs too)

   Usually it is rust that makes the screw tight.  Rust is also a poor
conductor of heat.  So- - - clean the head so a little metal shows.
Then heat it with a soldering iron (or is it souldering irion) and wait
until you smell a LITTLE wood heating up.  I use a 140 watt iron and it
takes about 20 seconds for a #6-3/4 screw.  It will scorch the wood in
contact with the screw.  The scorch has no strength and you can back
out the screw easily.  BTW - be SURE to use exactly the correct screw
driver -width, thickness and parallel blade angle.  I also have a very
helpful material called 'screw grabber' which locks the blade in the
slot while you turn it so you don't have to push down while you turn.
It is a slightly abrasive liquid like honing compound.  A little dab in
the slot will do - no it's not made by Wildroot.  If I used an impact
driver, I'd be repairing more than the screw holes, but perhaps I'm
dealing with smaller stuff!!!

Filling the holes - you probably don't need to , but...

Drill a hole in the wood and insert a plug made of the same wood.
Orient the grain like the wood around it and glue it in after buttering
both the plug and the hole with new yellow wood glue - like Titebond
II.  Use a plug cutter or cut it by hand with the grain parallel to the
surface - NOT like a dowel.  Drill a tiny hole in the plug to let the
glue squirt out as you press it in place. Use a profile drill or a
tapered drill to expand the tiny hole if necessary.

Regards,¶
Craig

PS  The son of the man who invented Wildroot Cream Oil is a friend of
mine.  He personally mixed and bottled the entire production by
hand for the first two years in an old factory building in Buffalo.