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Teak plug removal

paul culver

Member III
Those plugs above the screws/bolts in grabrails....
Someone on this site mentioned drilling a hole in the plugs and picking at the teak to remove them. Any other techniques that work for you?

Paul
E29 "Bear"
Oceanside, CA
 

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
How To Repair Loose Teak Deck Plugs.

I usually just drill out the old plugs until I see the screw head and clean the derbies from inside the screw head slot and then unscrew the screw. I usually use a carpenter's glue for new plugs.

Our you can go the route of the perfectionist and read this link:

http://www.yandina.com/TeakPlug.html
 

tenders

Innocent Bystander
That third teak plug concept is something else.

Anybody with the ability to drill that many precise holes and that many precise plugs is a cabinetmaker, not a boater, and would drive themselves stark raving mad on a teak deck.
 

Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
I drill a hole about half the diameter of the plug and screw a wood screw into that hole and if lucky and the old plug was not over glued it will pop out. Otherwise you drill and gouge at the old plug. A cove chisel works well if you can find one of the correct diameter.
 

NateHanson

Sustaining Member
I just hit the plug with a small screwdriver, parallel to the grain, and then twist. That usually takes out the bung in two pieces.

By the way, I am in fact a cabinetmaker, and I'd certainly never spend the time to mess with the plugs shown in figure three! I'm not sure I'd even take that job from a paying customer, let alone do it on my own boat!
 

Sean Engle

Your Friendly Administrator
Administrator
Founder
Bung-Ola!

I liked to use a wood carvers gouge (my bungs were 3/8", so I used a #8 gouge with a 1/4" curved tip - 'C' shaped - see below) and a small hammer. Put the gouge onto the bung in question (in the center of the bung), and tap it lightly with the hammer. Once it penetrates the wood, the bung will split in half, and the remainder should just pop out easily with a slight twisting motion of the gouge - and you won't even touch the screw head.

On the reverse: I would have to dissent with the others on the use of glue in bungs. Typically, when you replace the bung, you'll match up the color (generally), then the wood grain (specifically), then tap it down, then clip off the excess (I used a flat edged cavers gouge), then sand it down, then use a tac cloth, then varnish.

The varnish holds it in. You really want to leave the bung unglued (as the factory did) so the next guy (or perhaps you) can get back to the screw head without any diffculty the next time (and there will be a next time).

In fact, (and this is just me talking) I think (almost) everything on the boat should be approached this way - make it so you can take it apart again (because you will).

My $0.02...

//sse
 

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chaco

Member III
AWL Righty Then

I use an AWL to break the plugs out. Just split the plugs and remove with
the AWL point. Clean out the hole of any splinters and away you go :D
Drilling the plugs really isn't nessesary. Be careful and don't mar the sides of
the hole for the future plug.
Also make your own plugs out of the stock you are using and break them
out with the AWL....what a great and simple tool :nerd:
Don't leave home without it !

Happy Plugs :egrin: :egrin:
 

chaco

Member III
Plugs and Glue ?

Have recently reworked the Motor Cover and Interior Trim :nerd:
ALL the original plugs are DRY and kept in place by the Wood Coating.
This meant that I had no trouble getting the old plugs out by splitting them
in the middle with an AWL. Future access is the KEY in most boat projects.
The tool that makes accurate plug installation possible is the combination
drill / plug hole / countersink thingy. Do not attempt efficient / accurate
plugging without this tool. The plug hole drill / countersink slides up and down
the screw hole drill for all installation options. Look for the tool at
Woodworking Supply stores (NOT at HD :devil: )
The plugs are made by a plug cutter, pounded in to the hole and cut off by a
Japenese no kerf backsaw. Then sand them off flush with #220 grit.
You can get (2) plugs out of each blank from the cutter.
I have proceeded with the DRY plug installation technique, using Cetol Light
as a Wood Coating, brushing Cetol around the plugs for good penetration.
The system works well and the plugs don't pop out :D

When I started this process I got all kinds of advice on plugs :cool:
Glue in with Epoxy....soak in Wood Coating before installation....install DRY
The install DRY process works best for me, cause the Wood Coating process
is One-Step and the plugs will come out for future modifications.

Good Luck

And keep on Plugging :egrin: :egrin:
 

Walter Pearson

Member III
Sometimes the method used to secure the new plugs depends on how much engagement they will have. Some of the trim around my main hatch involved plugs that had to be hollowed out on the underside just to get some engagement. In these cases, some more agressive adhesive might be needed. My thinking is that if there is a good amount of engagement, the surface finish will likely be sufficient. For less depth, a PVA glue such as the old Elmer's will hold it initially, but degrade over time so that when the time comes to pull them out, there's really no bond strenght left. For those really short plugs, I have used a moisture-curing adhesive. Another thing I like to use is a Forstner bit to clean out the last bit of stuff in the holes and doesn't tend to round the edge of the hole.
 
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