any lateral thinkers?

[Spuddy]

When I get my old boat out from behind everybody else, I have to refit the rudder.
The shaft is new but the tube in the boat is original and looking rusty - I'd like to give the inside a good scouring but what would I use for a 7 foot long 1 1/4 inch hole?
knot on the end of a rope?
any drain rod fittings small enough?
grateful for any suggestions
thanks...spuddy

 

[catmandoo]

You could use a drain rod fitting with the rubber pipe cleaner end attached but with the diameter suitalbly reduced . You may have to file down the brass centre Alternatively or as well as there is another attachment which is a kind of cork screw . Try this with a lump of cotton waste rolled up on the end . Suggest you soak it with WD 40 .

 

[LadyInBed]

Wire wool secured to the end of a bean pole or length of plastic water pipe.

 

[celandine]

Spuddy,
If your rudder trunking is rusty enough to need scouring out, it must be made of mild steel, in which case I would replace it. At least mild steel is relatively cheap.

Mick

 

[PaulJ]

I did mine by finding a rotary wire brush which happened to be just the right diameter (about 2" I think) and welding it onto the end of a long rod. I then put the rod in an electric drill and it did a great job of cleaning up the inside of the tube.

1 1/4 " is quite a lot smaller and it may be difficult to find a rotary wire brush small enough though you may be able to find something at a plumbing supplies..... I think plumbers sometimes (used to?) use a kind of wire brush to clean up the insides of fittings prior to soldering.

Paul

 

[Spuddy]

thanks everybody.
I'll have a peer at drain rod bits.
Something abrasive is needed - I'd thought of bike pump type rubber washer arrangement for oiling up afterwards.
If it's mild steel--forgot the magnet test-- it's been ok for yonks Mick. Ah but how do I tell what's happening inside the tube? Hmmmm
I'm wary of getting something stuck halfway down.
The rotary wire brush welded to rod would be good but I'll have to find one small enough.
thanks again.....and any more???

 

[tcm]

lateral thinking

hm. First off you've obviously thought of these ideas but haven't tried them yourself. Is this because you know they won't work? Or ...more likely - is it because you don't WANT them to work? Be honest! I think that you want them to fail - so you can buy a different boat, or indeed forget the poxy boat and run naked and screaming along the beach saying I'm free, free! Free of poxy boating of the practical or ownership kind, and ready to embrace a more fulfiling life devoid of varnish, 12 volty electrical puzzlement and 2-stroke v 4 stroke confusion!

Failing that, try oxalic acid.

OR hypnotise yerself that the rust is only a figbox of your imagination.

OR enrol in a open university course: the changing neckwear fashion of OU lecturers 1975- 2005.

er just realised this is psychology not lateral thinking. Laterally, think of the rust a a BBC2 programme and you are the viewer of the program with the ability to flick channels. Suddenly, the rusty stern tube is West Bromwich Albion. This year its going to be relegated. Or maybe this is mind control techniques?

More laterally, the rust is wondering how it's going to cope with you worrying about its presence. Get used to it. The rust will relax and be less excitable.

 

[oldsaltoz]

G'day Tony,

Avoid a wire brush or any steel when cleaning, if it is stainless and it should be, rubbing steel on stainless will create rust, see if you can find a brass one. The acid treatment is also good but only for stainless steel.

Avagoodweekend..........

 

[Coppershield]

Hi,
this might work; approximately 17 ft. long discarded three strand line half inch thick or larger counter twist the line in the middle as if you were going to splice it inserted in the opening spongy sanding block I believe it's made by 3M and comes in various grids after the insertion you may have to tape on the sides with the duct tape or electrical tape so the sponge will be secure and you may have to use finer grids specially if the tube is made of stainless steel and this brings up another question in my opinion if it is a mild steel and it is not in contact with the rod I would just leave it alone. I hope this helps if not there's another way using PVC pipe.
Good luck
Muzaffer
PS if you try to do this of course you will need an extra person on the other end to work with you; it is important to use the old line

 

[snowleopard]

there is a whole range of brushes for different pipe sizes designed to fit on the end of drain rods. i saw them in our local farmer's co-operative shop.

 

[kds]

Re: lateral thinking

I love it !
Ken

 

[tim3057]

How about a trip to your local music shop? They'll have just the thing for sorting out the inside of a trombone..

 

[Graham_Wright]

What you need is a flap wheel. It consists of a series of sandpaper strips secured to a boss such that the strips stick out radially (except they have a bias in the clockwise direction). You need to rotate it on the end of the afore-mentioned electric drill extension. Works a treat.

 

[TheoSr]

Assuming a mild steel tube:
Plug the bottom hole, rubber plug or cork in plastic.
Fill tube with citric acid solution. Two table spoons of acid crystals per liter water, add a few drops of washing up liquid.
Wait a few days. Remove plug carefully.
Rust will be dissolved, if not, repeat treatment.
Dry out inside and cover with hammerite, epoxy tar or something like that. Use a sponge on a stick and apply a few coats so you are certain to have covered all.

Hope this is sufficiently lateral,
keep smiling,
Theo.

 

[Spuddy]

Re: lateral thinking

face the fear and do it anyway
no gain without pain
This could be a new direction TCM - counselling for boaties. A rehab centre in Cowes with you as the charismatic founder and Ellen signed up for the course:
"I'm just giving it up for one day at a time"

 

[Thistle]

Where has the rust come from? The tube? The rudder post? Run down into the tube from something else? Find and cure the cause rather than treating symptoms.