Release agent

[Graham_Wright]

I need to fit a through-deck sleeve so that it cannot move sideways but can, if necessary, be removed. The through-deck hole is larger that the fitting by a couple of mm in diameter and the gap will be filled with resin.

What can I use as a release agent so as not to seal in the fitting? This is polished stainless steel and it might come free after sealing;- but then it might not!

Any recommendations please for a release medium? I thought of clingfilm or a light oil but am nervous about reactions with anything liquid.

 

[bumblefish]

I have just installed some stainless steel plates for my shroud U bolts, these were bedded in a thick layer of epoxy, I held them in place with some bolts while the epoxy set and coated the bolts with cling film and vaseline, the bolts came out very easily once the epoxy was set. Advice from old salt oz.

 

[rickp]

Coat the fitting in wax, and the epoxy won't bond to it, I believe.

Rick

 

[Bunny]

A good coat of wax furniture polish applied to the parts you dont want sticking will do the trick.

 

[oldsaltoz]

G'day Graham,

Any slip thru fitting on deck will leak at some stage, having said that, the filler should be a mixture of resin and Micro-Fibres for strength and durability. If you deck in a sandwich construction you need to remove some of the sandwich material or risk the area around the fitting being crushed and then leaking.

Can you give a bit more information about what sort of outcome you are looking for?

Avagoodweeknd......

 

[Graham_Wright]

Thanks for that.

The application is a penetration of the deck to allow a forestay attachment to pass to the keel.

I realised that the forces on the attachment are not only tension (which I am confident the keel connection will happily withstand) but lateral when there is wind in the genoa. The deck at this point consists of a laminate of three substantial layers of grp enclosing two layers of 1" thick marine ply. Accepting that there may be some movement in the through-deck portion, I have a sleeve which, when bonded in (tightly), will not move in the deck. The forestay is then shackled to a tongue-ended bar which terminates at the keel attachment. If that moves in the sleeve, any wear will be between the metal-to-metal contact.

The sleeve has a topside flange which will be sealed to the deck with a flexible sealant and the tongue-ended bar also has a flange which will be likewise sealed to the sleeve flange. (Still with me?!).

However, any leakage, as long as it does not pentrate the laminate laterally, is immaterial because the whol assembly sits over the chain locker which is obviously drained.

Thanks again all, clingfilm and vaseline it is.

 

[Stellina]

I repaired a rudder bearing with epoxy/graphite on the ss shaft after finding a description on the web. The release agent recommended was hair spray (and it worked!)