does anyone know where i might be able to find the little bronze thread adapter and nut out of the vetus mushroom vents. i was able to polish up the mushroom parts pretty well, but the bronze thread adapter that the top part of the mushroom vent threads into was frozen solid with corrosion. the only way i was able to separate the parts was to cut the bronze fittings. i emailed vetus, but they said they don't have the part sold separately, therefore i'd have to buy a whole new vent. ideally, i'd like to find the thread adapters, should be $10 in parts instead of $60 in a new vent.
Do you know the two thread type and size-pitch?
A machine shop (or a friend with a lathe) could fabricate them, but the cost would be more than $10 for one-offs!
Good idea, Ken.
md: Where do you live? In many places there are metal shops. If one guy doesn't have it, he may know someone who does. That's what I've found in my rural area here in BC.
Trenton, NJ
I don't know of any shops there, but do have one in MD I have used to refit a customer's exhaust flange/riser.
The issue would Bev cost and priority/lead time to make one-offs!!
There is no real pressure on that fitting. The cuts you made should not affect the integrity of the vent. Why don't you just clean up what you have and reuse it?
Quote from: KWKloeber on March 08, 2018, 05:11:57 PM
Do you know the two thread type and size-pitch?
A machine shop (or a friend with a lathe) could fabricate them, but the cost would be more than $10 for one-offs!
i could easily mail the part to you if you know some one locally. cost is the issue though. i was hoping to just replace them cheaply, but if i can't find something off the shelf, the cost to have new ones re-machined would need to be low enough to make it worthwhile. unfortunately the vents themselves are not that expensive, so i could just replace them, but i'm trying to recycle as much as i can. cost is why i also haven't poked around for a local machine shop and sadly i have no friends with metal lathing knowledge or a lathe for that matter.
Quote from: Ken Juul on March 09, 2018, 06:35:52 AM
There is no real pressure on that fitting. The cuts you made should not affect the integrity of the vent. Why don't you just clean up what you have and reuse it?
yes i probably could, just haven't come to that point yet. i'm only just starting to search for a replacement or options.
Quote from: mdidomenico on March 09, 2018, 07:08:17 AM
Quote from: KWKloeber on March 08, 2018, 05:11:57 PM
Do you know the two thread type and size-pitch?
A machine shop (or a friend with a lathe) could fabricate them, but the cost would be more than $10 for one-offs!
i could easily mail the part to you if you know some one locally. cost is the issue though. i was hoping to just replace them cheaply, but if i can't find something off the shelf, the cost to have new ones re-machined would need to be low enough to make it worthwhile. unfortunately the vents themselves are not that expensive, so i could just replace them, but i'm trying to recycle as much as i can. cost is why i also haven't poked around for a local machine shop and sadly i have no friends with metal lathing knowledge or a lathe for that matter.
Understood. But also think of it this way: Vetus most likely did not choose a unique screw fitting for their assembly. They found another way to figutre out how to over price them!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:
Anyway, I really don't think you need to have someone make them.
And it could be that maybe you could find a heavy nut and two thick washers, epoxy them together and
functionally create the same fitting.
Good luck. Don't give up.
Quote from: Stu Jackson on March 09, 2018, 08:30:18 AM
Good luck. Don't give up.
nope definitely haven't given up. the leading plans so far are, in no particular order
rivet nut
- have to check the sizing though
a locking threaded insert
- https://www.threadtoolsupply.com/american-key-locking-thread-inserts.html
or drill and tap a bronze bolt
- i have access to a drill press
- risky though, bronze bolts are expensive
drill, tap, thread, bronze round stock
- might be doable using taps and threaders
learn to lathe bronze round stock
- certainly fun to learn. certainly wont come cheap since i have to purchase a lathe, but might pay off in the longer term with a new machinist career... :)
i have to double check the screw threads on the vent mushroom before i do anything. they measure 3/8" width, but i have a feeling their actually metric.
Take the parts to Home Depot or Lowe's and see what fits the id and od threads.
Quote from: mdidomenico on March 08, 2018, 03:51:30 PM
does anyone know where i might be able to find the little bronze thread adapter and nut out of the vetus mushroom vents. i was able to polish up the mushroom parts pretty well, but the bronze thread adapter that the top part of the mushroom vent threads into was frozen solid with corrosion. the only way i was able to separate the parts was to cut the bronze fittings. i emailed vetus, but they said they don't have the part sold separately, therefore i'd have to buy a whole new vent. ideally, i'd like to find the thread adapters, should be $10 in parts instead of $60 in a new vent.
Id be asking myself if it's worth the trouble to save $50.
Quote from: mark_53 on March 09, 2018, 11:26:03 AM
Quote from: mdidomenico on March 08, 2018, 03:51:30 PM
does anyone know where i might be able to find the little bronze thread adapter and nut out of the vetus mushroom vents. i was able to polish up the mushroom parts pretty well, but the bronze thread adapter that the top part of the mushroom vent threads into was frozen solid with corrosion. the only way i was able to separate the parts was to cut the bronze fittings. i emailed vetus, but they said they don't have the part sold separately, therefore i'd have to buy a whole new vent. ideally, i'd like to find the thread adapters, should be $10 in parts instead of $60 in a new vent.
Id be asking myself if it's worth the trouble to save $50.
that's certainly a fair question. but since i need two vents, my total comes to just over $100 in new vents. if i can't find a solution, then it's the route i'd go, but figured i'd see first.
the part that kills me though is the waste, the rest of the vent is perfectly fine, it's just this one stupid piece.
mdid : Are you sure it is a 4" Vetus and not a 3" Nicro vent?
I say that as most 1989 and subsequent C34s have 3" Nicro dorade Vents!!
A thought
I had to cut a slot in both of mine when I rebuilt our vents
http://www.sailingeximius.com/2017/10/oh-for-some-fresh-air.html (http://www.sailingeximius.com/2017/10/oh-for-some-fresh-air.html)
Paul
Quote from: britinusa on March 09, 2018, 03:56:02 PM
I had to cut a slot in both of mine when I rebuilt our vents
http://www.sailingeximius.com/2017/10/oh-for-some-fresh-air.html (http://www.sailingeximius.com/2017/10/oh-for-some-fresh-air.html)
yup, exactly like mine. i wasn't able to salvage the nut on mine though.
for anyone keeping track, here's the solution i came up with.
the vetus vent threaded post is in fact metric, it's M10x1.5
i found at home depot a 3/8 MIP to 1/8 FIP threaded bushing and a 3/8 NPSL nut
i drilled and tapped the 1/8 portion of busing out to M10x1.5. the threads aren't the cleanest because 1/8 is pretty close to M10x1.5, so the drill didn't clear away all the 1/8 threads.
but it's close enough. the vent threads through and spins freely
it's unfortunately all made of brass, so we'll see how long it lasts
Congratulations, got to love simple fixes.
Here is a thought if the brass doesn't work out for you ( or others in the same predicament.)
McMaster carries stainless reducing bushings, including 3/8 x 1/8. Or a stainless external hex 3/8 pipe plug. Then the M10 could be drilled and tapped thru the hex head and avoid the 1/8" pipe thread mis match.
The heavy duty stainless plugs have an extra hefty size hex head. I didn't look but imagine that McMaster might also carry the nut in stainless.
Unfortunately Mc doesn't have a suitable bushing or plug in bronze. Only 1/2 x 1/8 bronze bushings.
Cheers
ken
Quote from: KWKloeber on March 25, 2018, 10:13:27 PM
Here is a thought if the brass doesn't work out for you ( or others in the same predicament.)
McMaster carries stainless reducing bushings, including 3/8 x 1/8. Or a stainless external hex 3/8 pipe plug. Then the M10 could be drilled and tapped thru the hex head and avoid the 1/8" pipe thread mis match.
Agreed. I did see those in the catalog. but people should note that stainless is difficult to drill and tap. especially using a hand tap and a cordless drill.
since the brass is so soft it was easy peesy. i'm hopeful since these won't be in salt water contact they'll last awhile.
MD
Roger on that. It sounded as though you had concerns about the brass.
FWIW if others have this, I wouldn't do an internal thread in s/s with anything BUT a hand tap - that minimizes the chance for breakage. Cordless or otherwise shouldn't be a problem so long as it's not a toy drill. The keys are getting the best cutting tools, cobalt drills and tap; going SLOW/high pressure/plenty of sulfur-based cutting oil to prevent overheating, and taking SMALL bites with multiple drill sizes and a TAPER tap. There's some good UTube vids for instructions/tips.
k
Nice job, but glad I didn't have to go there :D
Paul
Oh. I Completely lost my mind and forgot to add this.
You could paint the brass, and keep the thread protected with SuperLube PTFE gel.
Guys : For those of you with a 1986, 87 & 88 C34 - here's what I did with my Vetus dorade vents.
I jammed them into the open position so they stayed that way permanently!! Then I removed the Vetus inside trim screws and mounted a 4" Beckson port on top of the trim and used some longer screws to hold both of them (Vetus trim & Beckson ports) in place. As I recall the holes of both linged up!!
In the summer the caps were out and if it got cold I screwed the caps in to close off the vent. Then I NEVER had to fool with that inside screw mechanism!! MUCH SIMPLER
A thought