Brazing S/S bolts to strip (to secure liferaft chocks)

[Babylon]

Problem solved!

I marked, drilled and tapped into 3mm S/S strip (bloody hard stuff, took three hours to do eight holes!), relieved the old holes in the GRP from 6mm to 9mm to account for cumulative error, then offered each sub-assembly up from below using a bit of ply taped to the ends - an easy singlehanded job.

I could just leave the machine screws tightened in with a bit of thread-locker, but I'm going to see if my local garage can TIG weld for permanence.

PS: Tee-Nuts would be no good as they'd crush (and possibly spin in) the 11mm thick GRP.

 

[davidmh]

Your photo suggests a Vancouver 27 and I see from your notes that you have a Vancouver 27. I also have a Vancouver 27. Your life raft was fitted to the garage of the hatch, it is very easy to remove the garage just a few self tapping screws and it lifts off. You can then fit new bolts as before. Much less trouble that the other methods that have been suggested at no cost.
David MH

 

[rogerthebodger]

Thanks for letting us know

When drilling stainless steel if you dont have a pillar drill a battery drill on slow speed is the best using a sharp dril and lots of pressure

Every time I ned to drill stainless I tend to sharpen my drill before I start

 

[Babylon]

Your photo suggests a Vancouver 27 and I see from your notes that you have a Vancouver 27. I also have a Vancouver 27. Your life raft was fitted to the garage of the hatch, it is very easy to remove the garage just a few self tapping screws and it lifts off. You can then fit new bolts as before. Much less trouble that the other methods that have been suggested at no cost.
David MH

Thanks David. I think that when I originally fitted the chocks I was concerned not to start taking too much of the coachroof apart, now I see how uncontroversial it really is. But at least the job is now done.

Thanks for letting us know

When drilling stainless steel if you dont have a pillar drill a battery drill on slow speed is the best using a sharp dril and lots of pressure

Every time I ned to drill stainless I tend to sharpen my drill before I start

My pillar-drill is 100 mile round-trip from the boatyard, so I just used a 240v drill on very slow with lots of pressure on the new-for-the-job 3mm bit plus plenty of oil, then boring out in 0.5mm steps to 6mm was quick and easy. My angles were a bit off (hence the need to open the GRP holes more than I'd estimated!) but I got away with it.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Well done

My pillar drill is 800 km from my boat so I can understand but my boat yard does have a pillar drill that I can use.

I do find a 240 Vac drill is still too fast to drill stainless as the trick is to keep the drill bit cutting.

I do a lot of steel both mild and stainless fabrication as I have a steel sail boat