Nuts are off........Seacock Woes!!!!

[ghostlymoron]

It's unlikely that they were put in while the resin was wet. The holes could only be drilled when the resin was hard.

Am considering that approach as I exposed the nut heads. I think the other owner meant that the bolts were put in when epoxy was still wet. Tho TBH it could just be sealant holding them

 

[macd]

It's unlikely that they were put in while the resin was wet. The holes could only be drilled when the resin was hard.

I don't think anyone's suggesting that the holes were made in a soggy lay-up, not least because that would have meant someone being daft enough to drill through the mould (and probably end up with a great whorl of glass fibres stuck to his drill). The OP has heard that epoxy was simply used as a sealant (which is also unlikely, but possible).

 

[PaulRainbow]

Might be difficult as the Blakes bolts are coach bolt style (domed head with a square immediately under). Be difficult to get a mole to grip on those

He's removed the plate from behind the heads though Larry, so might just be enough.

 

[Mrnotming]

Roofing lead is useful if bashing threaded portion (with nut loosely made up to be flat with the threaded portion).It will have to be moved for each bash as the imprint will come through after a while.might save the bolts from becoming belled and useless.Good luck with it!

 

[Poignard]

A copper hammer is useful for this sort of work

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/han...-129f235df603&istItemId=aqrxxtqip&istBid=tztx

 

[thesaintlyone]

TBH I just want them out if that means buying new bolts then so be it. The Boat is not proving to be that expensive to put right. Been quite lucky really

 

[Fr J Hackett]

If you are not bothered about the bolts grind two flats on the domed heads put a suitable spanner, not an adjustable" on then turn them perhaps extending the spanner with a bit of tube. That will break any adhesion and they will then drift out from the inside easily.

 

[[164147]]

You have two other options:

Grind the heads off of the bolts and leave them there - epoxy over and forget about them. Do you need bolts for the new skin fitting?

Use a holesaw and cut them out and then plug the holes.

 

[thesaintlyone]

Thanks for all the suggestions I will be trying them monday. I'll let you know the outcomes

 

[john_morris_uk]

You have two other options:

Grind the heads off of the bolts and leave them there - epoxy over and forget about them. Do you need bolts for the new skin fitting?

Use a holesaw and cut them out and then plug the holes.

Good grief!!!

What a palaver over multiple posts over removing a Blakes Seacock.

Firstly, my very strong feeling is that if the backing plate was rotten, I very definitely would want to be replacing it. I've had to do the job before and the seacock and bolts were fine, but the plate had rotted. (Perhaps
they used a different grade bronze for the plates?)

The seacock is one of the best that is made and its extremely rare for them not to be salvageable. They clean up easily and others have pointed out that the cone can be lapped in. All the spares are available and you could even consider adding a grease nipple if your engineering skills are up to it.

The only real problem is getting the bolts out. A little heat and a copper or soft headed hammer (or a nut or nuts screwed on to protect the threads should see the whole thing off in a few minutes.

Clean up and refit it bedded on a suitable mastic with a new backing plate and the whole thing will be good for another twenty or thirty years.

I agree that the bolts are pricy. My eyes watered a bit when I had to replace some on another boat we had twenty five years ago.

PS The outside flange is not a 'nut retainer' but has square holes for the coach bolts that are used to secure the seacock.

 

[macd]

Grind the heads off of the bolts and leave them there - epoxy over and forget about them.

That's really kind of you. You know...volunteering, for the rest of eternity, to sit in the OP's boat to stop the valve from falling in? Because we know of nothing else that will be holding it in place once the heads are removed. Epoxying over the bolts as they are would be a bodge; cutting off the heads and epoxying over would be madness. In fact it's worse than that: it's bloody dangerous, especially since we've aready seen that the OP is naive enough in such matters to take your 'advice'.

The OP has been told by 'a bloke' that the bolts are epoxied in. For all he actually knows they're held in with corn starch. He needs first to see if they' can be removed by conventional, non-destructive means, as suggested by john_morris*, myself and others.

* whose frustration over this 'palaver' I totally share.

 

[[164147]]

I think you've misunderstood my post. I'm assuming the old seacock itself is being removed- hence the bolts will be redundant. A new skin fitting and seacock won't require bolts.

I've just replaced my mine with TruDesign skin fittings and valves.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I think you've misunderstood my post. I'm assuming the old seacock itself is being removed- hence the bolts will be redundant. A new skin fitting and seacock won't require bolts.

I've just replaced my mine with TruDesign skin fittings and valves.

Except... he wants to re use the Blakes he's removing....

 

[[164147]]

I was going by his comment "potentially replace the whole thing".

TruDesign are a revelation - they're light, incredibly strong and have no corrosion problems. I know what I'd do.

 

[macd]

I think you've misunderstood my post. I'm assuming the old seacock itself is being removed- hence the bolts will be redundant. A new skin fitting and seacock won't require bolts.

I think I did misunderstand it, being unaware of private assumptions made at odds with the OP's expressed intentions. Hence it's your 'hence' that's redundant.
(No problem at all with your general advocacy of TrueDesign, by the way.)

 

[PaulRainbow]

I was going by his comment "potentially replace the whole thing".

TruDesign are a revelation - they're light, incredibly strong and have no corrosion problems. I know what I'd do.

Why replace a perfectly good Blakes ?

 

[thesaintlyone]

That's really kind of you. You know...volunteering, for the rest of eternity, to sit in the OP's boat to stop the valve from falling in? Because we know of nothing else that will be holding it in place once the heads are removed. Epoxying over the bolts as they are would be a bodge; cutting off the heads and epoxying over would be madness. In fact it's worse than that: it's bloody dangerous, especially since we've aready seen that the OP is naive enough in such matters to take your 'advice'.

The OP has been told by 'a bloke' that the bolts are epoxied in. For all he actually knows they're held in with corn starch. He needs first to see if they' can be removed by conventional, non-destructive means, as suggested by john_morris*, myself and others.

* whose frustration over this 'palaver' I totally share.

Hold On I am not Naieve I have listened to the suggestions which included leaving the rotten backing plate in place and quite frankly did not fancy that option which is tantamount to the same as the epoxying option. i.e. nothing will be holding it if it continues to rot and there fore removing the old backing plate was not a foolish mistake.

This boat has not proved so far to be expensive in the refit I have been very licky in that respect and I am not envisigoning a whole lot of new problems in fact most of the purchases I am going to be making will be improvement preferences that I want to have for easier handling etc.

I am not to bothered about salvaging the bolts but I will take on board the suggestion of using nuts as thread protectors and if the bolts survive then great if not I will replace them.

The Blakes seacock itself I expect will be salvageable but the plate and bolts still had to be removed. I will only replace it if absolutely nessacary.

Will likely use tru design on the Gate valves replacements.

 

[[164147]]

Why replace a perfectly good Blakes ?

It's heavy, possibly needs servicing and proving a PITA to salvage the fixings that's why.

 

[[164147]]

I think I did misunderstand it, being unaware of private assumptions made at odds with the OP's expressed intentions. Hence it's your 'hence' that's redundant.
(No problem at all with your general advocacy of TrueDesign, by the way.)

The clue was "Do you need bolts for the new skin fitting?"

 

[thesaintlyone]

I was going by his comment "potentially replace the whole thing".

TruDesign are a revelation - they're light, incredibly strong and have no corrosion problems. I know what I'd do.

That was only if the blakes were kaput