Where To Find a 1/2" Plug - LHT ?

[abrogard]

I am in Australia.

I need a metal thread 1/2" plug - and I've got one - but it is no good because it has the standard right hand thread on it and I need a left hand threaded plug.

Why such a weird requirement?

It is the probably home made drain plug fitting on an aluminium dinghy I recently got. It came without the plug. And I can't find one anywhere.

Apparently gas fitters used to use left hand threaded pipe just like modern gas barbecue fittings are all left hand thread.

Hopefully there'll be an Aussie plumber views these threads with an idea for me - or perhaps I could get the actual thing from the USA....

 

[johnjh2o]

Why not use one of these?

Marine Bilge Pumps Drains, Plugs and Accessories : Attwood Marine

John

 

[havasu]

Darn John, great minds think alike!

 

[johnjh2o]

Yea havasu but I beat you by two minutes this time. Boating was one of my great loves. That is aside from my wife of 50 years.

John

 

[abrogard]

Well I think the answer's pretty obvious, isn't it? The fitting is already in the boat - only the plug is missing. By rights a triviality to get and fit.

To put another fitting in, however, means removing the old one from its mess of paint and junk and discovering just what sort of hole in the boat was made to install it. Then sizing the proposed replacement and planning for how to fill the gap or increase the gap, or both, in order to make the replacement fit.

This on an aluminium boat where I can't weld aluminium.

If I'm driven to do it then I'll do it and I plan to use metal putty or 'quiksteel', a metal reinforced epoxy which I hope will bond well with the aluminium...

But wouldn't it be nicer if I could just get the plug and screw it in?

 

[johnjh2o]

I may be missing something here but the plugs that we are both showing don't require a fitting they should go into the existing hole in the hull.

John

 

[havasu]

I just can't understand how or why the previous owner would use such an odd plug? One of my boats has an aluminum hull and I have three similar plugs, but all are your typical right hand threads.

I was searching Google for nearly 1/2 hour just to see if I could find what you need but was unsuccessful. I agree, that by finding a replacement would be the easiest approach, but unless you either contact the original designer or boat builder, I have no idea where once could find a suitable replacement. This is why both John and I came up with a quick solution.

 

[abrogard]

Yes, I noted that 'original hole' aspect - wondered where the 'original hole' was meant to come from. I don't imagine they would properly seal my original hole, being threaded with a (typically) finer metal thread than plastic plugs have and that fine thread offering a kind of capillary 'creepway' for water.... I think. (all speculation on my part).

So I've assumed that to use those I'd have to remove mine, get some sort of 'socket' and install it.

Currently I'm doing something similar - I have a plastic 'cork' sold for the purpose in the hole. They're frequently used I believe but I feel nervous about them.

What size should you have, for instance? One that sticks out halfway and can therefore be bashed further in to a really tight fit? Or one that can be pushed in by thumb pressure alone to totally disappear in the hole?

That latter is what I've got now.

But I haven't tried it. The boat's never been in the water since I've had it. I just finished modifying the (equally old) trailer so's it can securely carry the thing.