Can I drill through a bulk-head?

[demonboy]

Morning,

Dumb question alert: I'm installing a water-maker and it would help if I could drill through a bulk-head to feed a water-pipe through. The pipe is 20mm wide. Is this ok or should I completely avoid drilling through bulk-heads altogether?

 

[nimbusgb]

25mm........ drill away, chamfer the edges of the hole nicely.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Unless it's a spectacularly flimsy bulkhead, or one designed to be water or gas tight, drill away.

 

[john_morris_uk]

No such thing as a dumb question. The problem is that there's not enough information in your question. What bulkhead? Where is it? How close to what fittings/structure do you want to drill the hole?

In general terms, there shouldn't be a problem, but you need to ask some questions about where you are going to amke the hole, and whether you need to seal the GRP/wood that you will reveal.

 

[sarabande]

prolly best to support/protect the pipe against abrasion/bending with a "dummy" cover wrapped round it so that the pipe doesn't bend or vibrate against the bulkhead.

 

[Eeyore]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
Morning,

Dumb question alert: I'm installing a water-maker and it would help if I could drill through a bulk-head to feed a water-pipe through. The pipe is 20mm wide. Is this ok or should I completely avoid drilling through bulk-heads altogether?

[/ QUOTE ]

Non-structural - go ahead - no problem. Fit a grommet or plastic piece to have pipe nicely supported / protected from chafe / rattling.

Structural - senisble then to add a doubling piece to retain as much strength in that position - usually a ply pad securely bonded in place and then hole made. Again a suitable insert of plastic or grommet to protect pipe and stop 'rattling' !

It is actually a sensible question because often bulkheads have stress areas and points of greatest weakness. It may appear that load is spread through a uniform plate bulkhead - but due to irregularities in construction of supported medium or construction of bulkhead material itself - it may have localised stresses. That doubling plate then helps to overcome that by any stress now focused by the new hole spread to that plate and it's bonded area.

When you see some boats and the apparent lack of care when drilling - you wonder sometimes ! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[2nd_apprentice]

How about drilling through a watertight bulkhead? I'll need to lead electricity to my stern but like the fact that the aft under cockpit section is divided from the rest of the boat hence forming a huge watertight compatment.

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
How about drilling through a watertight bulkhead? I'll need to lead electricity to my stern but like the fact that the aft under cockpit section is divided from the rest of the boat hence forming a huge watertight compatment.

[/ QUOTE ]

All ships have pipes and various passing through watertight bulkheads. The way they do it is to fit all leads, necessary items within pipes that pass through and seal the pipes. If it's a pipe itself - then a pipe junction is welded / bonded / bolted up to provide a through connection. The pipes either side then connected to this.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Fit a cable gland in the bulkhead like this

 

[demonboy]

Thank you all for your replies. I've taken on board some ideas you suggest (avoiding chafe, for example). However I went back to the job and have actually managed to drill through a strut next to the bulkhead, instead of the bulkhead itself.

Ta!

 

[sailorman]

Always drill a small "Pilot" hole first. then you can confirm where you are actully going to come out

 

[Twister_Ken]

"managed to drill through a strut next to the bulkhead"

So that's why you're called Demon Boy!

 

[2nd_apprentice]

Yes, either the cable gland or a pipe with stickaflex sound like a good idea. Thanks!