Tiller tube

[ArthurC]

I have changed my tiller tube to a new one, how do i align the hole please? Thankyou in advance

[Tony Brooks]

I think that we need a lot more information.  Steel cruiser, steel narrowboat, GRP or wood. Does the rudder stock run in the tube or between a top bearing and pintle on a skeg?

[Sea Dog]

I'm guessing he means holes for the tiller pin.

[ditchcrawler]

Measure  from the shoulder to the centre of the hole, measure from the end of the tube, subtract a mm or two and drill a hole. Slide tube of the stub and then drillthrough the hole in the tube and the hole in the stub so you can then drill the hole through the bottom of the tube.

[blackrose]

28 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I'm guessing he means holes for the tiller pin.

 

Yes I'm assuming tiller tube means the brass tube extending from the wooden tiller handle, not the rudder stock tube.

[magnetman]

Place the tube beside the spigot and mark where the hole goes. 

 

 

Also why has the OP changed the tiller bar for a new one? 

 

I don't see these as items which wear out so I suspect something unusual about this particular arrangement. 

 

 

Possibly there was a bar which was too short and it was replaced. It seems to me that putting it beside the new one could help with working out hole position. 

[ditchcrawler]

3 minutes ago, magnetman said:

  Also why has the OP changed the tiller bar for a new one? 

 

I don't see these as items which wear out so I suspect something unusual about this particular arrangement. 

 

I changed mine out for a longer one so I could stand in the hatches to steer 

[blackrose]

They don't wear out but sometimes people leave them outside and they get nicked or roll off a deck into the water.

[Arthur Marshall]

5 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Place the tube beside the spigot and mark where the hole goes. 

 

 

Also why has the OP changed the tiller bar for a new one? 

 

I don't see these as items which wear out so I suspect something unusual about this particular arrangement. 

 

 

Possibly there was a bar which was too short and it was replaced. It seems to me that putting it beside the new one could help with working out hole position. 

Mine snapped, rather disconcertingly. Probably was as old as the boat. I reused the remnant, which meant drilling a new hole for the pin and fitted a custom longer wooden bit to bring it back to the original length.

Does the wood bit have a name of its own?

[David Mack]

40 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Possibly there was a bar which was too short and it was replaced.

Or possibly too long, got caught on a lock side or bridge arch, and got bent.

[Sea Dog]

50 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Also why has the OP changed the tiller bar for a new one? 

Too late - he's already gone and done it!

 

However, if it helps you sleep better, I have three options you may like to choose from:

1. His lovely traditional brass tube has been replaced by racey chrome, the better to go with a new "go faster stripes" Nascar style boat livery.

2.  He just got fed up of continually having black fingers from using Brasso.

3. His original was long enough to foul on a lock wall and got bent.

 

(Of course, it is possible that none of the above apply but, if so, you'll just have to speculate until the mystery is finally revealed). 

 

ETA: Ooh! I see @David Mack has already suggested No3, so maybe there's the answer.

Edited April 16 by Sea Dog
Added bit

[Rob-M]

I keep considering replacing my tillar bar for one slightly longer as I can't close the rear doors and steer comfortably from the step with the current one.

[Mike Tee]

7 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

I keep considering replacing my tillar bar for one slightly longer as I can't close the rear doors and steer comfortably from the step with the current one.

if your wooden tiller handle is the normal 6", I have seen them advertised longer at 9" which might make the length you need - lot cheaper than a new complete tiller

[agg221]

7 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

if your wooden tiller handle is the normal 6", I have seen them advertised longer at 9" which might make the length you need - lot cheaper than a new complete tiller

They are not hard to make if you need a custom length:

 

 

[magnetman]

10 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

 

Does the wood bit have a name of its own?

Good question. 

 

Somewhere there might be a traditional name for it which one could use occasionally to look all erudite/anorakish/traditional. 

 

Like 'the steering bar end'. 

[Mike Tee]

It's the handle of a tiller, so maybe.........Tiller Handle or in 19th century vernacular, tilurandley

[Peugeot 106]

10 hours ago, agg221 said:

They are not hard to make if you need a custom length:

 

 

With a dog poo bag tied to it this could look like the “d-gs b-ll-cks”

[cuthound]

11 hours ago, magnetman said:

Place the tube beside the spigot and mark where the hole goes. 

 

 

Also why has the OP changed the tiller bar for a new one? 

 

I don't see these as items which wear out so I suspect something unusual about this particular arrangement. 

 

 

Possibly there was a bar which was too short and it was replaced. It seems to me that putting it beside the new one could help with working out hole position. 

 

I had mine replaced after I has the bends in the tiller eased, to raise the tiller so that I didn't trap my hands  when steering in the hatches with the doors closed. Whilst the boatyard did an excellent job of easing the tiller and keeping the tiller level, they left the brass extension on whilst easing the bends and the heat split the brass tube.

 

Sadly they didn't quite drill the hole in the correct place so I now have a 1mm gap between the brass extension and the tiller bar. I filled the gap with a large "O" ring.

Edited April 17 by cuthound
phat phingers

[Ray T]

12 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Mine snapped, rather disconcertingly. Probably was as old as the boat. I reused the remnant, which meant drilling a new hole for the pin and fitted a custom longer wooden bit to bring it back to the original length.

Does the wood bit have a name of its own?

Mike H used to call it a "peg." Not sure if this is a universal name.

 

Photo Eddie Hambridge, of one he made for me.

 

 

Edited April 17 by Ray T

[Hudds Lad]

I fettled a longer one for the shareboat as a few of us wanted it long enough to stand inside the doors.

This assumes you still have the old one to measure from.

I measured the original tiller bar for first hole and drilled a pilot hole then enlarged it (don't go too big too soon, i tried to jump from pilot hole to full size bit in one go and it kept grabbing the bit, step up in sizes or get one of those conical step drill bits). I also made a U-shaped box to hold the tiller bar in whilst i drilled to keep it straight as i didn't have access to a vice when on the boat, wedged in with some shims to stop it rotating.

Once i had the first hole done, I placed in situ and aligned using the tiller pin, then drilled the next pilot hole straight through whilst on the bar, then continued to enlarge to correct size.

The hardest part was getting the new handle in the new bar, both came from Midland Chandlers and were allegedly the correct size. Even after copious sanding the fit was so tight i didn't need to use the wedge. That handle is never coming off, ever  

 

Pretty much as @ditchcrawler has said above.

 

I also had to make a new step-side bracket to hold both the old and new tiller bar as some owners wanted it as was, but that's another story and the joy of shared ownership  

[ditchcrawler]

15 hours ago, agg221 said:

They are not hard to make if you need a custom length:

 

 

They are if you don't have a lathe

[ArthurC]

Thankyou very much all, i did has ditchcrawler said and drilled a pilot hole first then enlarged it twice.

i wanted a shorter brass one instead of stainless steal. Thanks again

 

                   ArthurC