[C320-list] Press Stud for Cockpit Cushions

[wflowe3 at aim.com]

 If the piece in the fiberglass isn't sticking up enough to irritate a foot or bottom, leave it alone, get a new snap and relocate it . There should be enough play in the snap on the cushion to allow for a slight change in location.

Bill

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Cox <scox at timmin.com>
To: C320-List <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Fri, Apr 22, 2011 7:14 am
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Press Stud for Cockpit Cushions



> Someone accidentally kicked one of the metal press studs (not 
> sure if that's the right word) that the cockpit cushions clip 
> onto.  The screw doesn't go right the way through and half of 
> it is still buried in the fibre glass.  Any ideas on how to 
> fix.  Would supergluing the stud part back on work?  I don't 
> know how to get the broken off bit of the screw out of the fibreglass.
> 
> Any suggestions would be welcome.
> 
> Annie Bennett
> Topcat #1073

Annie,

Forget the superglue its not going to work in this application.  In ideal
world you would get a left handed drill bit and with a reversible drill,
drill the remaining part of the screw out.  This would best be done with
some sort of portable drill press to give a steady and true approach to the
remaining part. Its important to drill down the centre of the remaining
part. With the right amount of luck/skill the remaining part of the screw
will come out as the drill starts to bite. 

If you get a clean extraction you're laughing.  If you aren't so lucky, you
will have to fill the hole with fibreglass or epoxy.  Ideally you should
taper the hole so it gets bigger as it get deeper to provide a better bond
and load bearing capability of the patch. We are talking small holes here,
bigger ones you would have to adopt a more formal patching regime. When the
patch has well and truly gone off, drill a fresh hole for a new screw.
Personally I have found I get better results drilling and tapping holes into
fibreglass and using a threaded machine screw rather than a self tapping
screw.

Getting a small enough left handed drill could be interesting at the average
North Shore hardware shop, although an internet search found
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HSS-Left-Hand-Drills-Drillbits-5-64-P-N-Silver-Jet-/2
20672743588?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item33611ed8a4 which is probably
small enough to do a clean job.

Hope this helps,

Stephen Cox
Tegwen #1141