Tapping a Lifeline
23 years post production we have just finished tapping the stanchion bases to secure the stantions and lifelines which hitherto have simply lifted off the port side. Drilling into 18mm stainless steel rod bases and tapping threads ran to about 1.5 to 2 hours each by 8 stanchions mainly due:
- the problem of getting enough pressure on the drill bit for it to cut
- the need to frequently run oil onto the drill bit
- careful thread tapping (one tap got a little tight and snapped off in the base so it had to be shattered bit by bit using a hole punch to extract it – no damage to the surrounding thread)
Good luck – are hearts are with you!!!
Thinking of you both today too…life is throwing us some challenges! Hope you can get everything sorted although we know only too well how difficult it is to do anything from a distance.