abrogard Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 We just got an old aluminium tinny. About 3metre dinghy. It has no drain plug. The guy I got it from says he hasn't got it. I can't find anything to fit. I tried different bolts with fine threads, nothing fitted. I got directed to plumbers fittings and tried their things and nothing fit. I looked in boating catalogues I found on the web and bought a plug, waited a week for it to arrive and - it didn't fit. What I have is a hole of about 17.5mm internal diameter with some kind of fine thread in there. Does anyone have any clue what this might be? regards, ab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helliconia Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 drain plugs come in a few different sizes. If you can do it easily it might be worth unscrewing it and taking it to the boat shop to match to a plug. just remember to use a good amount of sealant when you re-attach it. otherwise, buy a few sizes and return the ones that don't fit or buy a new drain and plug pair and fit them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Dose it have a fitting that looks like this, or is the thread actually cut into the aluminium. If it is as per the photo then a bung should be available from a marine dealer , if not then purchase & fit a new base & bung. If the thread is cut into the aluminium then a rubber bung like this should do the job http://www.biasboating.com.au/p-1731-rubber-bung-15mm.aspx Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrogard Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the replies, guys. I guess it'll be install a whole new thing. I'll scrape the paint away and have a good look at it. I'll post a pic. It might amuse some folks - a tinny painted with layers of housepaint the way you see big ships painted. Oh... I tried to link to a couple of pics of the plughole but I got a message that I wasn't allowed to use that 'image extension' on this board. I guess that means Picasaweb? I'll try photobucket. Here's a photobucket link rather than an insert to here http://s307.photobucket.com/albums/nn281/abrogard/boatpics/ Edited June 29, 2011 by abrogard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooster Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Have been using wine corks for years without a leak or a problem they fit snuggly and swell slightly in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idolz Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Best thing to do is just buy a new complete bung assembly and put in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Knot Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Looks like what you have might be a plastic electrical conduit fitting or similar. As per idolz post buy a new assembly (one with the bung tethered to the outlet) so its not to easy to loose the bung. Scrape the years of paint away, apply sealant /sikaflex to screws and fitting etc, then mount (with stainless screws) the new assy into position. Cheers Blood Knot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemmm Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Just buy a big rubber bung for a couple of bucks. Works as well as anything else. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deek Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Are you sure that tinny wasn't a 44 gallon drum in a past life? Deek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGF Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Haha... My boat looks very similar! (Previous owner painted with housepaint) The paint kept flaking off in the water so we named her Snowflake looks like ur's is Showflakes younger sister! lol Well my gal is getting a overhaul in the winter months so by next summer she will be looking good as new I would agree with the others, run out the the marine shop and get a new Bung set, Silcone and Stainless steel screws Good luck buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrogard Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Yep, I'll do that guys - buy a whole new thing and put it in. Talking about overhauling - how do you 'clean' up an overpainted aluminium boat? Our local paint shop prop. has been telling me don't use paint stripper because it'll eat away at the metal, especially around screws and such, and sanding and scraping can take too much metal off and... I don't know what.. What's the go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Yep, I'll do that guys - buy a whole new thing and put it in. Talking about overhauling - how do you 'clean' up an overpainted aluminium boat? Our local paint shop prop. has been telling me don't use paint stripper because it'll eat away at the metal, especially around screws and such, and sanding and scraping can take too much metal off and... I don't know what.. What's the go? Advice on the paint stripper may well be correct but suggest you call 1 or 2 of the larger paint companies , speak with their technical dept to obtain a second opinion. Paint stripper would be best to get at those hard to access places , eg corners. Burning & scraping may be an option. Sanding with a disc sander would be OK provided it's done carefully , just removing the paint & not allowing the disc to have any heavy contact with the metal. There are rotating type strippers that fit into an electric drill but these would be hard on the metal. If you Google "Paint Strippers" there is a lot of information on the web inc paint stripper products for paint on aluminium Geoff Edited July 7, 2011 by Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catchin Jack Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Would sand blasting be an option to remove the paint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaners Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Would sand blasting be an option to remove the paint? [/quote Sand might be a little on the rough side.Most blasters use a few medias such as Bi-carbonate which is a little more gentle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGF Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 With mine i used paint stripper first and then these 'Blue' nylon angle grinder pads from bunnings abt $10 each and just grinded the whole boat down to bare metal. ive posted some photos of after the applying the paint stripper and gurneying it and then after using blue pads. Now in the process of getting some repair welds and then Paint and refit just in time for summer season. Good luck mate.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian J Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Do a search for Soda blaster's on the net or in your area. Can be as rough or as gently as required. This will save a lot of mess in the back yard and your lungs will love you for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrogard Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Do a search for Soda blaster's on the net or in your area. Can be as rough or as gently as required. This will save a lot of mess in the back yard and your lungs will love you for it. Yep. I like that idea. I'll check it out. Thanks for those pics. Looks good. Talking about a bit of welding repair - my little boat has apparently been made by using some kind of rivet or screw maybe, going right through the hull, to fasten the seating down. I don't like it. Can't really see what they are because they're all covered in some coating. But I fancy to have them all cut off and the holes welded up. Is this a feasible, sensible thing to do with aluminium? Weld up all these little holes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffy Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Sounds like an old De Haviland to me. They were made using rivets. Don't forget there is nothing wrong with that system. Most aircraft are put together in exactly the same fashion. Tuffy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) Sounds like an old De Haviland to me. They were made using rivets. Don't forget there is nothing wrong with that system. Most aircraft are put together in exactly the same fashion. Tuffy. Agree. If when the paint is removed a few rivots are lose then drill them out & replace with new alum rivots Those that are OK , then , as the old saying goes , "if it ain't broke then don't fix it" Geoff Edited August 2, 2011 by Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrogard Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) Agree. If when the paint is removed a few rivots are lose then drill them out & replace with new alum rivots Those that are OK , then , as the old saying goes , "if it ain't broke then don't fix it" Geoff Okay, thanks guys. Nobody happens to know about the feasibility of welding up little holes, though? In case for some reason i wanted to go that way. Like would it be a tiny job for an aluminium welder, dab, dab, dab, or would it be time consuming, skill demanding? Like I find welding thin sheet steel with a MIG time consuming, skill demanding. Or perhaps even detrimental to the integrity of the aluminium sheet all around. Edited August 4, 2011 by abrogard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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