[C38] Loosening things that don't want to go...

[Charles Finn]

charles at finn.ws
518.226.0584

Am guessing this is "Natty?"  I like their work and the help!
cf

Martha Garber wrote:
> To Charles Finn,  Please send me your email address and phone #  as I 
> have been corresponding with the people in Toronto about a dodger and 
> they wish to contact you  as I am going to have them build one for 
> me.  Thanks, Larry
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Charles Finn <mailto:charles at finn.ws>
>     *To:* listserve at catalina38.org <mailto:listserve at catalina38.org>
>     *Sent:* Monday, April 12, 2010 3:44 PM
>     *Subject:* [C38] Loosening things that don't want to go...
>
>     A couple more suggestions for the "Tool Box."
>
>     Like most of us on this discussion forum, I have had to remove bolts,
>     blocks, tracks, etc. from the Mighty Quinn that appear to have been
>     installed with the idea that they never would be removed!
>     Here are some things that have worked for me without damaging the
>     boat:
>
>     1.  Hard plastic head hammer.  Sometimes you "need" to hit
>     something! (I
>     believe there is a direct correlation between the amount of skin I
>     have
>     lost on my knuckles and my need to use a hammer)    These hammers are
>     inexpensive and will drive out troublesome bolts without hurting
>     wood or
>     fiberglass.  A bonus is they are the same hammers used to detect
>     voids
>     in our decks, which is a good trick to learn.
>
>     2.  Small tapered wedges made of hard oak or even waste teak.   3-4
>     inches long with a taper from 1 inch to a point.   Inserting one or
>     several of these under tracks and tapping on them with your plastic
>     hammer will develop amazing force while not deforming your expensive
>     hardware.
>
>     When attempting to remove corroded bolts or nuts, we need to keep in
>     mind that the corrosion is a problem because the (usually) oxidized
>     material takes much more space than the original material
>     (stainless is
>     reactive to chlorine of course, but the issue for us is much the
>     same).
>     The first step if at all possible should be to remove as much of the
>     corrosion as possible.  There are many products on the market, but
>     the
>     one I have found most generally effective has been "pb blaster."  I
>     think the trick to any of these solvents is time.....  (I hate
>     this part
>     because I want that bolt out NOW!).
>
>     Heating bolts and nuts can also work as the repeated heating and
>     then cooling
>     can work loose corrosion and then the relative temperature
>     differentials
>     can give you more room between the parts.  Keep in mind that the size
>     difference is in thousandths of and inch!  And that most of the
>     metals
>     we work with don't really get to maximum until about 300 degrees
>     Celsius.  Machine
>     shops have special crayons that melt at given temperatures, but those
>     inexpensive laser thermometers work well enough.   While most
>     of us automatically think of the "torch" when heating, a less
>     dangerous
>     way around fiberglass and wood is to use a soldering iron. 
>     Remember that multiple heating and cooling cycles work far better
>     than one!
>
>     Cooling is often a better alternative and it works on the same
>     principle
>     of heating.  I prefer liquid nitrogen, but dry ice can work as
>     well.   I
>     bring a stainless thermos bottle to a welding supply shop, which will
>     keep for several hours.  Be very careful with liquid nitrogen!  It
>     burns/hurts
>     just like sticking your hand in the torch flame....   Always wear
>     welding type gloves and eye protection.
>     The bonus here is all the neat things you can do with the remaining
>     coolant!
>
>     Having fun?
>     Chuck Finn
>     Mighty Quinn #114
>     Great Lakes
>
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