Rebedding hand rails

[Set2sea]

So far I have rebed stachions, leaking Beckson port, installed new bow cleats and removed hand rails and rebed, all with butylene.
I didn't think it was bad to remove and reinstall the hand rails. It gave me a good chance to inspect 1/4-20's because a number of them had to be replaced due to corrosion. Yes, I have to rebung. Note, 1/2 the screws are 1/4-20s in the rail and 1/2 are wood screws coming up from the cabin. A few of the screw/wood screw holes that were not showing sign of water in the cabin sure let out water when screws were removed. All the more reason to take rail off and rebed all pads.
After rails were removed, I measured the rail pads length. The 2 ends were 1 7/8 lg. and all the rest were 1 3/4. I pre cut all the butly strips in a paper cutted (board with big cutter arm). I covered each pad with (2) 1/2" wide strips. At the 1/4-20 pads, I cut a V notch in the butyl for the screw, placing butyl over pad and marking screw loc on butyl strip paper with sharpie. After the two strips applied, I wrapped the butyl cone around the screw (1/4-20). Of course I counter sunk all the thru holes on the deck, a little larger for the 1/4-20 holes than the wood screw holes.
For the wood screws, I pushed them up thru the deck and wrapped a roll of butyl on them slightly above counter sink surface.
Installing the rail you are able to engage all the 1/4-20's fairly easy before the installed wood screws contact rail. I pushed the rail down till it was just at the wood screws, Then pulled down the rail with wood screws. This is where you need two people - one below screwing wood screws and one on deck to make sure you have found the hole and she is drawing down. If she is turning (My case my wife in cabin) and rail isn't pulling down, you my have to push the rail over a bit to find the hole. Move along wood screws to pull down rail evenly. Once the 1/4-20's come down into the cabin enough to put fender, lock and acorn nut, you can draw the rail down with those. The wood screws will come along for the ride, then you tighten those up. Be very careful to go slowly tightening any non replaced 1/4-20 as I snapped one without too much torque. I wasn't about to pull rail back up and start all over again so I left it. I think neighboring screws have enough compression on the pad to compress butyl. If not, I may drive a wood screw up next to the broken one?

Note: Don't tap out 1/4-20 screws with a hammer if you are replacing like I did because you can split the rail, like I did. Luckily I had epoxy on hand to repair split.

Note: I covered all the holes thru deck with gorilla tape as I wasn't able to complete project in one day and I had rain coming. The tape does a great job of leak proofing the holes.

Another note on Butylene: Butylene doesn't like oil or rust on screws so clean area of screw that butyl will contact.

[Ron Hill]

Set2 : Great Job and telling how you did it! 
Been there done that!!
 
The next time I just may epoxy the "bolt" head in place, put in the plugs and refinish the entire teak.  
Then reinstall the hand rails using the slot cut in the end of the threaded bolts to keep the bolt in place while drawing down the nut!!
The screws go in easily!  

A thought

[2ndwish]

Great description. Why put the butyl tape on the wood screws though. If they are screwed from the bottom doesn't that run the risk of holding water in the deck?

[stevewitt1]

Ron
Great idea to epoxy the bolt heads and draw down.  I take it you would have pre-ground the slots on the bottom of them?  Or, are some available with a slotted end?

Maybe it's just me, but having to varnish the plugs after refinishing the piece is a PITA for me.

Steve

visit us at: www.ocontoyachtclub.com and www.warbirdsix.com

[2ndwish]

Has anyone tried to use a carriage bolt there? The plugs could provide the minimum force needed to keep the head from turning. You could also use a hex head bolt potted with epoxy making it less likely to turn. Set2sea reported the bolts were corroding. Once epoxied, how are they replaced?

Cheers

[Mike]

Paul:  Nice explanation.  Thank you.  I assume the deck is cored at the attachment points of the handrails?  Mine do not leak and if no plywood core I'll wait till fall to pull them.  Thanks

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The slot cut on the bottom of the bolt is what the flat tip screwdriver goes into when you turn the nut on and to draw down the hand rail  compressing the butyl rubber.

Once epoxied and plugged they should be water tight.

Haven't tried it yet, but I believe it will work.  My thoughts

[Steve W10]

Good write-up, thanks, need to get to that someday.

2ndwish, valid concern, but I think his technique is... "For the wood screws, I pushed them up thru the deck and wrapped a roll of butyl on them slightly above counter sink surface."

So the butyl is actually on the outer / upper surface of the deck.

[Set2sea]

Good write-up, thanks, need to get to that someday.

2ndwish, valid concern, but I think his technique is... "For the wood screws, I pushed them up thru the deck and wrapped a roll of butyl on them slightly above counter sink surface."

So the butyl is actually on the outer / upper surface of the deck.

Excatly Steve, for both wood screw and 1/4-20, the only butylene is at deck.
I wrote this up after the starboard side and before the port side. With after thought here is what I didn't do that I should have.
On the 1/4-20's that I replaced, I didn't do anything like epoxy or 5200 to lock them from turning after plugging. My thinking was, I am going to do this and not have to worry about this again cause butylene if done right, lasts a long long time. Hopefully that is true but now that I have put the bugs in, if I want to tighten, I won't be able to.
Secondly, the way I covered over the hole for the wood screw in the rail base with butylene, on a few of them, it balled up the butyl as it was screwing in. I think in the end, when the rail base starts compressing it would still be fine. If I was to do it over again, I might relieve the butyl just a bit for the wood screw as I did for the 1/4-20 so it doesn't grab it when threading in. Remember in most bedding apps, you don't turn the screw, you turn the nut - wood screw of course you have to turn in.