OK Brainiacs - Suggestions

See photo.

We have a rod holder (and mop etc) on the boat deck. I noticed that it had separated and when I checked it there is a serrated bullet that holds the two pieces together. It had gone onto one side and the pieces came apart.

The only way to get the bullet back into place was to remove one end, silicon it to the holder part so it wouldn't move again, and replace the end.

I got the four bolts off which were well sealed in. But the fitting will not come off. I gave it a few hefty bangs with a rubber mallet with not an ounce of movement. It is well put on there, probably with 5200 or similar.

So choices. Get a screwdriver of other tool in behind the fitting and pry it off. pretty sure it will damage the fiberglass and make a mess. Or, and this is where I am leaning, simply put a broad hose clamp between the pieces. Downside is it will look unsightly.

So before I go any further, any one have other ideas?

I would put something like a breaker bar into the open end of the piece you are trying to remove, and then try torquing that piece off, either by pulling up on the bar (to apply a rotational force), or pulling straight back on it (which should apply max pressure on the inside edge), or some combination of the two. If you can get it to open wide enough for a puddy knife, start working it too. If that didn't work, I would heat the daylights out of the thing, hoping to burn the 5200 seal.

Explore ways to slide the 'bullet' back where it belongs, doesn't really have to engage very far.


Can you get the bullet out? If so, drill a hole through it lengthwise, pass a string through the hole, tie a washer on the far end, pass the string into the end of and out through one of the holes in the mounting end, line it up, pull the string, pin the bullet in place. Other thoughts: replace the bullet with something that will fit as well but more loosely. Drill for and install SMSs to pin it in place.



Remove the bracket: Cut a bit of 2x4 to a slightly wedged shape, slide it down behind the bracket on a bit of cloth to protect the paint, tap it down gently/lovingly to put an outward load on the bracket, apply debond stuff to the joint periodically (perhaps days) until the sealant gives up.


https://www.boatingmag.com/marine-solvents-for-removing-5200#page-3

Why are they offset?

Did the horizontal pipe sustain a blow, or are the two mounting surfaces moving apart for some reason?

OK - I'm a sucker for a challenge.
Is that a hole drilled in the short end? Can you push the bullet into that end, then line it up and use a heavy wire to push the bullet to the half way mark. I'd then tape up the joint and inject epoxy resin into the hole with a syringe.

If the fit is too tight to move easily, use a slightly smaller OD wooden dowel piece. Then maybe inject epoxy on both sides.

DHeckrotte said:

Can you get the bullet out?

Click to expand...

That is the bullet in the photo. As you can see it is serrated, and those match the serrations into both sides of the pipe. But I can't get it into one side and then the other without removing the end. Trying to get it into one side and then move it to the other means also rotating it unseen so that the serrations line up.

MurrayM said:

Why are they offset?

Did the horizontal pipe sustain a blow, or are the two mounting surfaces moving apart for some reason?

Click to expand...

No, the other side is connected the same way. So it just dropped when disconnected, it moves easily back into alignment.

AusCan said:

OK - I'm a sucker for a challenge.
Is that a hole drilled in the short end? Can you push the bullet into that end, then line it up and use a heavy wire to push the bullet to the half way mark. I'd then tape up the joint and inject epoxy resin into the hole with a syringe.

Click to expand...

You might have given me a thought. Instead of a hole I could probably cut a matching slot on the top of both ends starting from the edge. Put the bullet in one end, hold the pieces together and, using a flat screwdriver, move the bullet halfway. Then epoxy through the slot to both hold the bullet and seal the slots!

Hmmmmmm.

Or I could use a clamp for now and when I next take Sonas to the yard for a bottom job etc. tell them to fix it!

Find a very thin putty knife (any local hardware store if you don’t have one, narrow is better) then heat it up with a heat gun. Gently work it between the flange and the fiber glass. The heat softens the 5200 instantly and the putty knife cuts right through the soften 5200. You want the putty knife too hot to touch but not hot enough to burn. You might have to reheat before you make it all the way through the 5200.

Amar Rail Connectors - Stainless Steel - Rail Tubing & Fittings - Deck & Hull Hardware - Downwind Marine


Instead of the broad hose clamp.

Do NOT pry off the fitting. You may well take off some bulkhead too. You should be able to make a positive ID on the sealant, from the screw threads. If, in fact, 5200 get some "anti-bond" to soften it for removal.
Failing that, I like the idea of a thin slot at the rear of the connection, made by a small dremel cut off wheel. Then fiddle with placement of the splicer with putty knife, etc. from the rear with wet epoxy.

Two options...

First, what is at the other end? On the port side? Can you separate that part and slide? I'm not sure if these abut or fit inside of... thus the question.

#2) If it abuts, I'd find a piece of hose and slide it on to the curved end, then realign the main part. Slide the hose over to hold the two pieces in line. Then a couple of hose clamps later: voila. Done.

Until you can get to an expert that is.

Good luck.

DON'T pry on the flange if it's on with 5200 stuff will break. Why we don't like 5200! Apply DeBond, wait, heat the aluminum stub with a heat gun, keep it off the gel coat, you can burn it in a heartbeat.
https://www.debondcorporation.com/products/marine-formula

janice142 said:

Two options...

First, what is at the other end? On the port side? Can you separate that part and slide? I'm not sure if these abut or fit inside of... thus the question.

#2) If it abuts, I'd find a piece of hose and slide it on to the curved end, then realign the main part. Slide the hose over to hold the two pieces in line. Then a couple of hose clamps later: voila. Done.

Until you can get to an expert that is.

Good luck.

Click to expand...

The other end is identical.

Heat the metal with a heat gun. That should release the 5200 without damaging the fiberglass.

Have you tried removing tje oppisite emd flange?
If so heat is ypur friend. ..don't force it.
Slim putty knife.... filet knife etc to cut the adhesive.

Can you cut a hole in some material to slip over the piece w the flange and apply heat yo the flange. Make the mask on 2 pcs if necessary to surround the flange

You might be able to saw thru the sealant with about a 80 lb test power pro fishing braid.

Use DEBOND on the flange, then cut through it with braded fishing line .

Tig weld the tube back in alignment???

1. Drill a hole in the curved piece

2. Thread a sturdy wire through the hole

3. Pull the wire out of the end of the curved piece ( where the break is )

4. Drill a hole through the middle of the bullet

5. Put the wire through the bullet and secure it

6. Insert the bullet in the straight piece

7. Line it up

8. Pull the wire so the bullet moves into the curved piece

9. Cut wire and plug that hole

This assumes you can pull the straight center section off the connection at the other end.

Pull the center section. Using a drill or a Dremel tool, cut an access window into the underside of the center tube close to the serrated end segment. Cut a small slot into the end of the bullet. Push the bullet into the center section, reassemble, then use a screwdriver, piece of scrap, etc. to wiggle the serrations of the bullet into alignment as you push the thing halfway into the end piece. Of course, I would have coated it with the adhesive of choice (along with the one at the opposite end) so this won't happen again.

There's no problem leaving the open access hole on the underside of the tube where it's invisible.

The flange won’t be that tough to get off. I would use a single-edge razor blade and work it under the edge from different directions. Work a putty knife and then a small wedge under the edge as movement allows. Leave the wedge in to put outward pressure as you slide the blade in around the other sides. Do that and you will have it off in no time. I have used this method successfully on much tougher fixtures than this one. This is flat and accessible. No problem.

I use a single edge razor blade and a lot of patience, if I want to remove a fitting some idiot has bedded with 5200. You will surely destroy your rod holder if you use brute force.

In the past, many years in the past, I was trying to remove a port hole bedded w/5200 and actually delaminated the fiberglass cabin side!

Maybe try a piece of piano wire or guitar string to cut through the 5200 .

I have dealt with removing metal fittings from gel coat that were held on by 5200 many times. In your case I would warm the metal flange with a propane torch. The flange should just pop off. There may be minor damage to the gel coat but it will be covered when you reinstall the flange. Debond will help remove the remaining 5200.

HopCar said:

I have dealt with removing metal fittings from gel coat that were held on by 5200 many times. In your case I would warm the metal flange with a propane torch. The flange should just pop off. There may be minor damage to the gel coat but it will be covered when you reinstall the flange. Debond will help remove the remaining 5200.

Click to expand...

Yes, heat is the enemy of polyurethane adhesive sealants. I think prying or wedging is riskier to the boat gelcoat.

How about finding a spring that will slide into the tube. Slide it all the way into the side that’s fastened to the wall. Cut the spring so it will push the bullet into place. Insert the bullet, push it in so you can align the two pieces, then release.

De Bond! It works

The 5200 is probably stronger than the gel coat fiberglass interface. If you pry it off you will probably take some of the gel coat with it. Heat and Debond it.