Need Advice re Canvas Support Structure

[Nick in Manitou]

The canvas that covers the entire upper level of our boat (53' Extended Deckhouse model) needs to be waterproofed.

We were advised to use 303 Marine Fabric Guard.

Since I am trying to do this myself and there are some challenges to cleaning and treating the canvas in place, I was going to remove it and do the work on the dock.

The first set screw I tried to loosen will not budge. I tried some others that loosened up easily, but the first one is really in there solidly.

I have tried a couple different allen wrenches and they seem as though they are getting ready to twist or perhaps break, but the screw has not budged.

I am considering taking a fine torch to the area to see if I can break it loose that way, but I wanted to ask you folks if there might be any sort of sleeve in the tubing or any other reason I should not apply a limited amount of heat to this fitting.

A photo of the fitting I am trying to loosen follows. (I would remove the cloth and the plastic piece above the fitting prior to heating the fitting!)



Thanks for any advice,
Nick

 

[jim rosenthal]

You can try PB Blaster, or Kroil, etc. You could try heat, first, but I think you'll end up drilling it out and retapping it for a larger setscrew.

 

[SEVEN]

I agree with Jim, drill and tap in a larger set drew will be easier. By the way there should not be a sleeve in there.

 

[Walter P]

It's probably a SS set screw (maybe not 316) but whatever grade, SS generally gets very hot during
machining operations including drilling. With that in mind, I usually use a left hand twist drill bit. Very
often partway through the drilling operation, the set screw releases it's hold and comes right out attached
to the drill bit. You should not have much trouble finding left twist drill bits. Be sure you buy a good
quality drill bit, not Harbor Freight (if they even have left handed drills). My choice is to try to get one
made with Cobalt.

Walt

 

[Nick in Manitou]

Thanks!

Penetrating oil while I look for a left hand drill bit. (I used to have a set, but with a sudden move and changes of plans that resulted in the move to the boat and putting stuff in storage in another state, I don't know what I still have or where it all is!)

Some heat just in case that actually works...

Thanks for the suggestions. I will report back how things go.

Nick

 

[Nick in Manitou]

Well...Reporting Back...

1) Penetrating oil didn't loosen it up.
2) Heating it didn't seem to help at all.
3) I tried to use an Allen wrench and shortening the length to just enough to get into the set screw - so that there was not as much twisting of the shaft of the wrench...didn't work.

4) So I got a screw extractor. That was making no progress either...then I must have put a little sideways torque on the tool and it broke off just above the surface of the set screw. Now both the set screw and the tip of the screw extractor are part of the fitting.

...I will pursue other methods of disassembly of the top frame.

Sometimes simple jobs just seem to be out to frustrate you!

Nick

 

[SEVEN]

Nick, file it flat then center punch it, drill it out to a larger size set screw. Easy pezey

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Well...Reporting Back...1) Penetrating oil didn't loosen it up. 2) Heating it didn't seem to help at all.3) I tried to use an Allen wrench and shortening the length to just enough to get into the set screw - so that there was not as much twisting of the shaft of the wrench...didn't work.4) So I got a screw extractor. That was making no progress either...then I must have put a little sideways torque on the tool and it broke off just above the surface of the set screw. Now both the set screw and the tip of the screw extractor are part of the fitting....I will pursue other methods of disassembly of the top frame. Sometimes simple jobs just seem to be out to frustrate you!Nick

Looks like you’ll have to grind it flat and try again. Were you able to get it really hot? Are you able to put acetylene on it? If so, heat around it as much as you dare and then put a stick of paraffin on the head. When cool it may release—SS is just tough. Or...just cut it off with a side grinder.

 

[Westfield 11]

Drilling an EZ-out with a hand held drill is never easy! And I doubt you will be able to center punch it either. If it was me, I would be reaching for a grinder and the thinnest cutting disc I could find. Perhaps a Dremel tool? The fitting is probably history at this point, but you want to save the tube.

 

[MadHatter53]

When I run across a tough set screw I use a small slotted screwdriver with a square shank and tap it in tight then use a small adjustable wrench on the shank.

 

[Nick in Manitou]

Thanks for all the suggestions about how to proceed.

The torch I used was a small butane one that delivered a pretty focused flame to the screw. Perhaps I should have left it on longer, but I was hoping to be able to free the set screw without discoloring the metal.

At this point, I believe that I will be able to remove the canvas from the frame without having to mess with that setscrew and its fitting. So I will not be messing with it more unless I have to.

I do think that the most reasonable next step will be to use an angle grinder to carefully cut the fitting off the tube...IF I have to go that route, but I don't think I will. I would assume that as hard as the screw extractor is, it would be very difficult to drill it out. Carefully grinding off and replacing the fitting would probably be easier and pretty inexpensive. But as I said, I hope to be able to just leave it where it is and ignore it until I really have nothing else to fix on the boat...;>)

Thanks again for the suggestions!

As a rather new boater, I really appreciate being able to ask for advice from this group!

Thanks,
Nick