How do I make things seize up a bit?

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I have a few things around the boat that I wish would require more force to move. For example TV mount, door hatches, ventilation vents… is there some grease-like compound that will seize things up when it dries out a bit? I know tar will seize things up a little bit. But not very much, and it also tends to make a mess and smell a lot :)
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AntarcticPilot

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How about dismantle, roughen the bearing surfaces with sandpaper and reassemble? The problem is lack of friction between surfaces. Cleaning and lubricating the threads of the clamping bolts might help, too - it's possible that there is corrosion that just stops the clamp from being tightened sufficiently.
 

Thistle

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I had a problem with a bike seat post gradually slipping out of position under the not inconsiderable loading to which it is subjected. The local bike shop used some grease with either some fibre or grit (I'm not sure which) in it. It reduced, but didn't completely eliminate the problem. Perhaps the same stuff would work for you?
 

Daydream believer

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I had a problem with a bike seat post gradually slipping out of position under the not inconsiderable loading to which it is subjected. The local bike shop used some grease with either some fibre or grit (I'm not sure which) in it. It reduced, but didn't completely eliminate the problem. Perhaps the same stuff would work for you?
I had that so I just put a jubilee clip around the post above the frame. What I could have done was give the post a bash with a hammer & bent it out of round so it did not slide in the socket properly. It does not work with carbon posts though :rolleyes:

Regarding the Op's issue - Try bending any pivot spindles etc. so that the distortion jams them in the tubes. Bend tubes out of round so bolts are tight. Get a drift & hammer the sides of holes to form burrs into the side of the circular hole, which engage on bolts etc. to add friction by making the hole smaller. If nuts keep working lose, use nyloc ones, or double them up to form locking nuts. Replace nylon washers, which wear & allow joints to work lose, with steel ones. Tap threads with a centre punch so they are distorted, to make them tighter in a screwed joint.
 
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Thistle

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I had that so I just put a jubilee clip around the post above the frame. What I could have done was give the post a bash with a hammer & bent it out of round so it did not slide in the socket properly. It does not work with carbon posts though :rolleyes:

Yes. That was the eventual complete solution for me too.
 

penfold

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Hatch dogs are supposed to be free; if they aren't locking it is the wedge/keep that is the problem. Outside of camera focus or aperture adjustments I've never heard of special unguents to increase stiction; better quality mounts will have balance springs, friction adjustment or viscous damping.
 

penfold

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Carbon assembly paste does this. I'm pretty sure it's just toothpaste but can't risk it on a £10k bike so...
That appears intended for fixed assembly rather than to increase stiffness; adding some kind of granules or grit would provide additional stiffness to a moving joint but it would not be durable as either the joint surfaces and/or the grit would wear.
 
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Loctite? Choose a weak grade.
Loctite and other thread lockers only harden in the abscense of oxygen.


You can get special "thick grease" eg NyoGel 767A – Newgate Simms I have used this on a castering nose wheel on a light aircraft to damp out excessive movement. It's thicker than treacle but does lubricate.
Is it hard to get out of the tube, or does it thicken up when it is exposed to air?


I had a problem with a bike seat post gradually slipping out of position under the not inconsiderable loading to which it is subjected. The local bike shop used some grease with either some fibre or grit (I'm not sure which) in it. It reduced, but didn't completely eliminate the problem. Perhaps the same stuff would work for you?
Sounds like it! Will have to google fibrous grease :)
 
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I had that so I just put a jubilee clip around the post above the frame. What I could have done was give the post a bash with a hammer & bent it out of round so it did not slide in the socket properly. It does not work with carbon posts though :rolleyes:

Regarding the Op's issue - Try bending any pivot spindles etc. so that the distortion jams them in the tubes. Bend tubes out of round so bolts are tight. Get a drift & hammer the sides of holes to form burrs into the side of the circular hole, which engage on bolts etc. to add friction by making the hole smaller. If nuts keep working lose, use nyloc ones, or double them up to form locking nuts. Replace nylon washers, which wear & allow joints to work lose, with steel ones. Tap threads with a centre punch so they are distorted, to make them tighter in a screwed joint.

I find it quite ballsy to start banging on threads. I always keep a thread file on board in case something important gets damaged. My experience is that they will often not work at all!

Hatch dogs are supposed to be free; if they aren't locking it is the wedge/keep that is the problem. Outside of camera focus or aperture adjustments I've never heard of special unguents to increase stiction; better quality mounts will have balance springs, friction adjustment or viscous damping.

Regarding hatch dogs: a manufacturer told me you can bend a disc that is sitting on the spindle. The more bend in it = the more resistance to movement.
 
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