Bone headed move - put the plug in with 3M 4200

[SkaterRace]

This spring I was in a scramble to get the boat ready by the launch date I had to be at the marina so not thinking I grabbed what I had in the garage to keep the plug in and ended up using 3M 4200 to put in the drain plug. I am now trying to figure out how I am going to remove it. Any ideas short that will limit the damage to the boat itself? I don't care about buying a new plug.

 

[alldodge]

Can you get a hold of some liquid nitrogen?

 

[SkaterRace]

Can you get a hold of some liquid nitrogen?

I'm not sure where I'd even look for that. Assuming I could, how would I use it?

 

[alldodge]

Find a place that sells welding gas, they probably also sell nitrogen

Nitrogen is very cold (frost bite in a second) so would need good gloves. Spray the plug and fitting, then wrench (crescent maybe, plug will get smaller) on it and smack wrench with hammer. Most glues can't take freezing

 

[SkaterRace]

Find a place that sells welding gas, they probably also sell nitrogen

Nitrogen is very cold (frost bite in a second) so would need good gloves. Spray the plug and fitting, then wrench (crescent maybe, plug will get smaller) on it and smack wrench with hammer. Most glues can't take freezing

Hmm that seems like it might be easier though a bit less safe than my idea of a heat gun. My original idea was a heat gun and then heat up a metal wire/pin and stick it though the 4200 to make holes and eventually break through it enough I could twist it out.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, take out the three screws holding the garboard drain to the hull. Buy a new garboard drain fitting and use the 4200 to glue it to the hull.

 

[SkaterRace]

Gee, take out the three screws holding the garboard drain to the hull. Buy a new garboard drain fitting and use the 4200 to glue it to the hull.

That is probably the best idea. Sounds so much easier and less risky.

 

[Lou C]

Thinking outside the box!

 

[Mad Dog 2]

Thinking outside the box!

Think outside the boat

 

[Lou C]

lol that too

 

[Horigan]

To freeze it free you can also use a can of gum remover. From my high school janitor days ski bumming you spray it on gum in carpet and it freezes hard so you can break it out of the carpet.

 

[airshot]

Think outside the boat

Thinking outside the hole !!

 

[Lou C]

The only thing I put on the drain plug is marine grease it never gets stuck even after months in salt water…

 

[JimS123]

The only thing I put on the drain plug is marine grease it never gets stuck even after months in salt water…

I never put ANYTHING on the drain plug. Of course I'm in fresh water.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I haven't even pulled the plug in years. My bilge is always dry.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Debond marine formula. However post #6 is half the cost

 

[dingbat]

Have you tried to get it out?

The tensile strength of 4200 is low and it doesn’t hold very well on metal (bronze) unless clean and primed.

 

[Lou C]

I never put ANYTHING on the drain plug. Of course I'm in fresh water.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I haven't even pulled the plug in years. My bilge is always dry.

Maybe you should! Grease keeps threads from seizing. Corrosion happens even in fresh water…

 

[dingbat]

Maybe you should! Grease keeps threads from seizing. Corrosion happens even in fresh water…

Bronze doesn’t corrode, even in saltwater.

Grease is used as a lubricate to help prevent galling of the threads

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, I have had my garboard plug freeze in the fitting in saltwater. I needed a pipe wrench and hammer to get it out. There was not a lot of the plug left after that.

I use some antiseize or grease on it now.

 

[Lou C]

Evinrude Triple Guard grease is what I use on things like this. Can't get used to the fact that they changed the color from that cool blue color to some baby poop brown though. My Lucas Marine grease in the grease gun is still that cool blue color....