Polishicebreaker Posted April 9, 2021 Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 Hello all, I have a steel integral tank hatch to put back. The old screw holes are a bit rusted and on the flange on the deck, the holes have been filled and painted. Do you think it best to fill the old holes in the hatch and then tap new ones in-between? should I weld up old holes are use epoxy filler?? I'm guessing mig best but I don't have one many thanks Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieron G Posted April 9, 2021 Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 Could you drill the original holes out in the deck flange oversize, re tap them and then open the lid holes out to the size of the new bolts / setscrews. I think it would be a lot more tidy than creating more holes and using epoxy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polishicebreaker Posted April 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 Hello, you may be right. I wonder if it will be tricky to line up the old ones but I guess I can knock the epoxy out and once I line up the first one, the rest should follow! thanks Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieron G Posted April 9, 2021 Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 Yes. Maybe you could soften the epoxy with a blow torch and dig it out with an old screw driver to get the alignment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted April 9, 2021 Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 I fear that I will be facing a similar problem when I tackle a re-paint of my water tank in about 6 weeks time. When I last did it one of the tapped threads stripped and a couple of others felt distinctly iffy. Rivnuts are one option but I think I will secure steel strips inside the tank below the existing tapped holes. I can do this by securing the strips with countersunk screws. I will then drill out the existing tapped threads to clearance and drill/tap the steel strips. A jury rigged water supply will allow me to do this back on the mooring in my own time once the bitumen has dried. Well, that's the plan anyway. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted April 9, 2021 Report Share Posted April 9, 2021 That has the advantage that your new strips can be thicker than the deck plating, so you can get more threads, and a more secure fixing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieron G Posted April 10, 2021 Report Share Posted April 10, 2021 If you have a mig set you could temporarily tighten nuts to the underside of the holes with bolts going through and weld them in place. Access allowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsM Posted April 10, 2021 Report Share Posted April 10, 2021 20 hours ago, Kieron G said: Could you drill the original holes out in the deck flange oversize, re tap them and then open the lid holes out to the size of the new bolts / setscrews. I think it would be a lot more tidy than creating more holes and using epoxy. This is exactly what we did last year and it has worked a treat. Made a rubber flange to seal the hatch but allow for easy access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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