Freeing up bronze hinges

Alastairdent

Alastairdent

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I've just installed a bronze ships window in a bulkhead, all ok, apart from stiff hinges and very stiff dogs.


When I say they are stiff, one of the dogs needs a hammer to move it.

The bronze has been dipped and cleaned back by trinity marine. The hinges and dogs are held in by fairly thin pins so I'm reluctant to dissemble them. Is there anything that will dissolve out the corrosion and gunk in these hinges?
 
Try Plusgas - obtainable from auto accessory shops. Buy a can with a spout, easier to get it exactly where you want than the aerosol spray.
 
I'm going to try both!! Had one hinge pin snap already! need to take the portlight out now and drill it out!
 
I don't think I'm at risk of snapping a hinge pin, they are about 18mm thick.

Just got rid of a load of old batteries, dammit. Will try the plusgas, then acid, ta.
 
I would not put sulphuric acid anywhere near bronze hinges. Might be OK for removing the patina on external surfaces but as it will not penetrate the hinges readily and will produce its own corrosion product I would stick with Plus-Gas or even Lusol to free the hinge pins / dogs working the hinges gently back and forth while applying your chosen freeing agent. Personally I would drift out the small locating pins ther remove the main hinge pins and clean them manually.
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Personally I would drift out the small locating pins ther remove the main hinge pins and clean them manually.


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Probably the best thing to do. The refit could be bl**dy hard, I don't fancy trying to hold the door in place while trying to refit the pins. The doors are rather heavy.
 
I would lubricate with a light oil such as WD40, then apply heat and tap lightly with a hammer until you can work it back and forth by hand. Here's a pic of some hinges that I used heat on. They were frozen solid and some would not hinge with a hammer put them!
sky%20001.jpg


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Years ago on the advice of an old timer at the club i used Coca cola to soak a bronze roller reefing gooseneck fitting that had seized up.

Suspected at first it was a wind up but it worked a treat.
 
WD40 is NOT a lubricant, it's a water dispersant ("WD" GEDDIT?). It's just "thin" enough to act as a penetrant.

PlusGas, Lusol, even 3-in-one Penetrating oil (not lub oil) is the stuff, but if you can find it "FREE" is magic. I lost my recent supplier so if anyone knows where to buy it in the UK, I'd appreciate a PM.

Soak the offending parts for a while, if necessary, re-applying until a small amount of movement can be felt, then work it slowly and carefully. Force it and you'll break something. Small pins are the very worst to drill or punch out and often stronger than the rest of the fitting.

For a rusty steel pin, leave the part in a paint can containing full-fat Coke overnight (dunno why it works better'n the diet stuff but it does....)
 
Yes they all looked like that - some much worse than the one pictured.
I used a wire cup brush with brass bristles chucked into a drill press turning at a very high speed. Wear eye and hand protection as sometimes those bristles come zinging off. Also a mask as the dust that is created is terrible to breathe. Then I follow up with either a buffing wheel or a rag and Brasso.
KTI79215.jpg
 
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