Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

OT - but seriously need help!

Lanier Jim
Lanier Jim Posts: 505
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Folks: Most of you know me as the Emeril of Egg Cooking with my monkey :laugh: - but I do have another serious hobby (sport?) and that is fishing and bringing old boats back to life...semi-restoration I guess you'd say - and updating the boat. The following boat is one that I'm keeping - it's a custom made 1979 Norris Craft Bass Boat. But I've got a real problem that I can't figure out and a first for me after several boats. Here's the boat almost done - next step is buffing and waxing.
NC5.jpg
NC2.jpg
NC1.jpg
NC3.jpg


Now to the problem - The fishing seats match the riding seats but the screws on the bottom are rusted on. I don't want to tear up the vinyl covering but those 4 screws on the bottom of the seat base (it's the part that connects to the old seat bases) won't move. I've used WD-40 to try and loosen...but no luck yet. These are the original seats and I want to keep them. Any suggestions?
Here's the Base
NC6.jpg

For those that are interested - it's a 1979 Norris Craft 1580 (16' overall length) with an Evinrude 100 StarFlite S outboard. Norris Crafts are high performance hand built boats - extremely fast and stable - this little sucker will top out at 58 mph with nothing in the water but the prop! It screams and fishing great, very stable with the Cathedral V hull design...and you sit right on the water...feels like a racing go-cart. Completely rewired - engine bebuilt and tuned...updated electronics with GPS - just a little fishing machine. Your help would be appreciated.

Thanks -

LJ

PS - did you notice the aluminum trim around the carpet edges - beautiful boat
«1

Comments

  • Have you tried PB Blaster? Designed to unfreeze rusted bolts. Worked great on the 40+ year old exhaust manifold bolts I took off an old car last summer.
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    First, soak with some penetrating oil.

    Then if you cant get them out you need a good tap and die set or an EZ out kit from the hardware store.

    Basically you drill out the center of the existing screws with a small bit, which relieves pressure and allows the penetrating oil to really work.
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    You aint no Emeril...and if this this the place you thought you could get your boating question answered..you need to do some SERIOUS re-thinking...at least put it in the OT forum...out of respect..
  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    Is there any way to get to the screws and grind off the heads or base nuts to remove the seat?
  • drill the heads off the screws with the largest possible bit that fits the head of the screw. just go slow and then use vise grips to remove the remainder
  • troutman
    troutman Posts: 498
    I just gotta ask: How fast are the fish you are trying to catch?
  • Sorry WessB - please have the post moved to the Ot board and I'm guessing you will do that with all the other OT posts too.

    Didn't mean any disrespect and will not get into a pissing match - please accept my apology.

    LJ
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Try an impact screwdriver.Send me an e-mail and I will describe it to you.It is not pnuematic or electric it is hammer driven.You can get one at your local farm equipment dealer. ;)Like 3P said that PB Blaster is some good stuff,so is Croil oil.
  • Nope - can't get under the heads - I just checked...I guess the drilling might be the only possible solution. Damn - got all the way to the end and this happens - I thought all it needed was to mount seats back on new pedestals and buff/wax.

    LJ
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Jimmy, PB Blaster is good, but I have heard from a bunch of British car guys that a product called Kano Kroil is better (though I've never used it). If anyone knows about rust it's Brit car guys!

    Apply either and let soak overnight. If that still doesn't do it, you could apply some more, let is soak and then put an air wrench on it. Either way, you run the risk of twisting the bolt in two.

    PB is probably available locally. Kroil, you probably have to order. Google Kroil - you'll find it. Good luck!

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    you can still grind the heads off and remove the threads with vice grips but I would go with what Fidel suggested first
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    I dont have that authority..no disrespect and no pissin match involved....if I wanted info on fixin a VW..do ya think I would ask it on the egg forum....think about it..I love all of the expertise available to us on this forum as well...Honestly, just seemed like there would be more appropriate places to get an honest answer to your "fair" question....
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    A conical or pyramid shaped grind head on a dremel tool will grind the old heads right off and there would be no damage to the existing seat or support.
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    heat them if you can but if not tap firmly on the screwdriver while applying pressure.
  • Oh you are such a techie. Better tell him your power tools are in lockdown.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    I spelled it wrong! :blush:
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    thats how I came up with the tap method :blush:
  • Firetruck
    Firetruck Posts: 2,679
    I assume there is some kind of metal anchor in the wood bottom seat that is rusted and holding the screw. If I were putting that much effort into the restoration, I'd find a good upholstery shop to disassemble the bottom of the seat so I could get to the screws. Maybe even replace the wood while I was in there.
  • Fidel - then use the oil to get to the remaining screws? I just noticed that because of the vinyl - I don't think the WD-40 is getting to the screws.

    So - what time Friday do you want me to drop by with the seats? :)

    LJ
  • Man - fresh water barracuda are fast! Nothing like trolling for them at 58 mph! :)

    LJ
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    That was what I was talkin about when I said Impact screwdriver.They make one that only turns when hit with a hammer.AWESOME for tough screws.It's about 2 in diameter and has replaceable bits,you put it on the stuck screw and hit it as hard as you can with a shop hammer.The blow turns the driver head and the downward pressure from the hammer drives the screwdriver bit into the screw at the same time. ;)
  • Firetruck - that will be the next step any any of the suggestions don't work. Fidel is going to do it for me and I'll buy him lunch. Right Fidel? :)

    LJ
  • Hitch
    Hitch Posts: 402
    What is the problem with people occasionally asking very general questions on this forum? He put OT in the title, so don't read it if you don't want to read something OFF TOPIC. How rude can you be to bash someone that is asking a very general question to people that they have grown to trust.

    Also, it sure seems to me that this very able and diverse forum gave some very good tips and advice to help a friend out with a dilemma. Thank you for trusting the forum enough to inquire about a small problem you were having.

    I hope you feel free to ask questions and post OT posts in the future. Individuals with silly problems and an inability to ignore OT posts do NOT speak for me, and most likely others on this forum.

    Best to you!
  • Hoss,

    I have a hardwood floor nailer that works just like that. BTW it isn't good to get the poolgirl thinkin too much. Bad sh!t happens ;)

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Thanks guys - I appreciate it and will let you know how it turns out...on the OT board, of course.

    Now back Fidel...okay, lunch and some fruit and veges from the big fridge...and I'll even throw in some good conversaton with a dumb Ol' Poor Georgia Redneck boy. We an discuss micro-biology or lettuce...your choice! :laugh:

    LJ
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    One other thought... if you use PB Blaster, it's a mess. Hard to control the spray and to keep it off of things you want to keep it off of. I imagine Kroil is equally difficult.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    :laugh: I'll keep that in mind when posting Dangerous methods of operation! :laugh:
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    hell I have power tools that I haven't broken anything with yet,, time to get busy :evil:
  • Thanks Hitch - and you are correct - I've got 4-5 different ways to resolve the problem and feel that one or all will work. Man - I'm just sick...like I said, all the way to the end and then this happens...makes my Blood Sugar rise! :laugh:

    LJ
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Lanier Jim wrote:
    Thanks guys - I appreciate it and will let you know how it turns out...on the OT board, of course. LJ

    If you post it there, I will never know how it turned out.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut