Seacock stuck?

Rossynant said:
The fitting should have kind of two "dents" (have no word here) on inside, there is even a special tool but something else can be used to engage on them. Second person from outside to hold it still is good idea.
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Either in this thread, or elsewhere I have suggested any easy to make tool: find a socket from an old socket set that would fit if the lugs were not there, then cut a groove down each side.
 
nigelmercier said:
Either in this thread, or elsewhere I have suggested any easy to make tool: find a socket from an old socket set that would fit if the lugs were not there, then cut a groove down each side.
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+1 - I now have a set of these for all the different skin fittings in my hull.

Of course, since changing the skin fittings is usually a "once per owner" job at most, they're not all that useful now :rolleyes:

Pete
 
Jamesuk said:
Dive in the water plug the hole and service the cock :-) seacock!!
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Dammit, wish I'd read the post below first, gonna take ages to dry off now :(

prv said:
If he dives in the water he'll have difficulty finding the hole - the boat is up on bricks in the yard :)

Pete
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Thanks for the socket suggestion above, will try that.
Is there a commercially available tool that will fit? (cutting a socket down will be difficult for me)
 
Daydream believer said:
I used a piece of mild steel flat bar & bent the end at right angles in the metal boat stand & got someone to hold it
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Thanks for that :)

nigelmercier said:
Just use an angle grinder.
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I don't have one. Obviously I could just get a cheap one, but if it costs more than a "proper" tool to fit then it may not be just worth doing that.
May get one anyway though, I guess it will be worthwhile around the boat
 
Murv said:
cutting a socket down will be difficult for me
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Really? You sounded reasonably well-equipped and competent in another post :)

I just drilled a hole through the socket (crappy old market-stall one) and then sawed down from the end to the hole with an ordinary hacksaw.

Pete
 
Murv said:
Thanks for that :)



I don't have one. Obviously I could just get a cheap one, but if it costs more than a "proper" tool to fit then it may not be just worth doing that.
May get one anyway though, I guess it will be worthwhile around the boat
Click to expand...

The "proper" tool is called a step wrench.

"Step" i guess because it is stepped to fit various sizes of fitting,
 
prv said:
Really? You sounded reasonably well-equipped and competent in another post :)

I just drilled a hole through the socket (crappy old market-stall one) and then sawed down from the end to the hole with an ordinary hacksaw.

Pete
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I'm sorry I gave that impression! A cross between Frank Spencer and Mr Bean is sadly closer to the truth.
I generally try to avoid using anything sharp, or anything that contains parts that move at over 50rpm for my own safety.
In fact, when we bought our new TV a few Years back which needed to be mounted to the wall, I wasn't allowed to hang the thing. My Wife insisted that we got someone in to help install it as it would've only fallen straight off.
Anyway, I digress...
Thanks for your suggestion, I should be capable of doing that without losing a significant amount of fingers. And, it's a cheap option and seeing as this "cheapie old 1st boat" has racked up approximately 4 billion pounds in unexpected repairs so far, cheap is good at the moment :D


VicS said:
The "proper" tool is called a step wrench.

"Step" i guess because it is stepped to fit various sizes of fitting,
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Thanks for that, much appreciated.
I did try to find a bit that fitted a 1/2" drive ratchet but it appears that they only fit a plumbers wrench, whatever that might be which racks the cost up.
So, I'm going to have a go at PRV's idea. I have a vice and an old pillar drill (both unused so far) so it should be do-able :)
 
Murv said:
Thanks for that, much appreciated.
I did try to find a bit that fitted a 1/2" drive ratchet but it appears that they only fit a plumbers wrench, whatever that might be which racks the cost up.
So, I'm going to have a go at PRV's idea. I have a vice and an old pillar drill (both unused so far) so it should be do-able :)
Click to expand...

You can get some that you can hold with a n adjustable spanner .

For a one off job it's still not worth it , A piece of flat bar the same width as the bore of the fitting will do.

All assumes of course that there are little lugs inside which will engage with any of the "tools"

Internal pipe wrenches exist too which will grip the inside of a smooth fitting.
 
VicS said:
You can get some that you can hold with a n adjustable spanner .

For a one off job it's still not worth it , A piece of flat bar the same width as the bore of the fitting will do.

All assumes of course that there are little lugs inside which will engage with any of the "tools"

Internal pipe wrenches exist too which will grip the inside of a smooth fitting.
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Ok, thanks, first thing to check then is whether or not it has the lugs. If so, I'll knock something up, if not, off to a plumbing shop for something suitable.
 
Murv said:
Ok, thanks, first thing to check then is whether or not it has the lugs. If so, I'll knock something up, if not, off to a plumbing shop for something suitable.
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Fittings without internal lugs may instead have one bridging the angle between the flange and the thread. This fits into a slot filed in the fibreglass at the edge of the hole. A better system in my opinion as it is self-holding when doing up the nut - no need for a helper outside and no risk of turning the fitting if the two of you mistime your efforts. Also presents a smoother bore that's less likely to snag debris.

Unfortunately when buying fittings online you rarely get to find out which system they use until they turn up. And even if you buy in person you're unlikely to get a choice.

Pete
 
Thanks Pete, makes sense.
I am intending to refit the old through-hull fitting after it's been cleaned up (assuming I don't need to damage it to remove it,) any reason that I shouldn't do that?
 
Murv said:
I am intending to refit the old through-hull fitting after it's been cleaned up (assuming I don't need to damage it to remove it,) any reason that I shouldn't do that?
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Only reason would be if it's corroded or dezincified. Dezincification is where the zinc in the alloy fizzes away, leaving only spongy copper (spongy because of the holes where the zinc was). This is visible as patches of "pink" copper colour - compare a new copper radiator pipe to a new brass valve to see the difference in their colours. Quality parts will not do this, cheap ones which have been fitted to some boats in the last 15 years or so may do.

If in doubt, take some photos and put them on here for the experts to examine :)

Pete
 
Chi34 said:
. . . . The parallel threads are jointed with Locktite 275. A contributor on the other thread used Locktite 577. Again, anyone care to comment on the difference?
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A quick check on the Loctite Web Site (Google is your friend) states that 275 is a high strength 25Nm breakaway whereas 577 requires 11Nm breakaway. Also 577 is fast acting at cool temperatures. Try unscrewing 275 after five years!! :eek:

Personally, I would go with 577 not forgetting that before Loctite you just did things up tight and they stayed put.

http://www.loctite.co.uk/cps/rde/xc...redDotUID=productfinder&redDotUID=1000000I9M9

http://www.loctite.co.uk/cps/rde/xc...redDotUID=productfinder&redDotUID=1000000IY7U


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