Screws ripped out of saddle tree

[fredk]

Here is how I'd do the repair;

Drill out the screw hole to about 1/2 inch

Cut a plug that size, or very slightly larger, from hardwood, across the grain

Apply resin glue to the plug hole and hammer the plug in

Cut a piece of metal about 2 inches long by 3/4 inch wide

Drill 3 holes in the metal, along the length, 1 in the middle and 1 at each end. Make the holes just big enuff for screws to clear

Place the metal over the plug. Centre it. Screw in screws of at least 1 inch length in the ends and drill a hole in the plug for your fitting

If the metal can be on the surface use round head screws. If the metal has to be flush. chip out the area for the metal to be recessed and use counter-sunk screws

 

[Northmount]

Somewhere, maybe here, I have seen T-nuts used for saddle attachments.  Quite a range in sizes available 8-32, 1/4 20 tpi, etc.  If you have access to the underside of the tree without too much work, they won't pull out.  Lots more holding power than screws.  Can enlarge the damaged screw hole to insert them.

Just scrolled back through to the beginning of this thread and see this is what @Hildebrand suggested @Mendosa in the 2nd post!

[bland]

7 hours ago, Mendosa said:

Definitely not, however now a days you can find the holy grail before you find a new good bronc saddle to buy.

Don't tempt fate with faulty equipment (its come apart twice on you) you are already in a risky business even if you are riding the best equipment. 

Take the saddle to a reputable shop and get it checked out.  They'll give you an assessment and recommend repairs or replacement.  You can likely find passible factory saddles starting at $1000 and probably can get a well built custom starting at $3000 maybe closer to $4000 and up.  There are more than a few good makers out there willing to make you a saddle. 

I know pay outs are not big at times but you'll never get a good pay out if your rigging doesn't hold.  Your mind won't be right for the ride if you are wondering "is the rigging going to hold for this one? Split seconds change lives in a lot of other ways but 7.98 and 8.00 seconds pay different.